Dozens of couples came together to celebrate the annual Kiss on the K event on Risman Plaza Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.

The Homecoming weekend event is an opportunity for older couples to look back at their relationship and for young couples to look forward to theirs.

Couples began gathering around the plaza as early as noon and waited for the bell on top of the University Library to ring at 12:30 p.m., officially marking the time to kiss.

Marc, ’88, and Kathy Blitz, ’86, have been together since Kathy’s junior year of college, and they have been married for 29 years. The couple said it’s important to return to Kent State every year because it’s where their relationship started.

“It’s our roots,” Marc said. “It’s where we met.”  

Colleen Carl, a senior nutrition major, and Michael Coduto, an integrated social studies major, have been dating for five years, and have been coming to Kiss on the K ever since.

“I’m a year ahead of her, so my freshman year (at Kent State) she was a senior in high school,” Coduto said. “So it was cool that she was able to come up for Homecoming that weekend. We did it that year and we just continued ever since.” 

Kay and Ralph Wise have been together since 1961, the same year they attended the Homecoming Parade for their first date. Even though they come back for Homecoming regularly, this was their first year participating in Kiss on the K.

“We just wanted to see what it was like — curiosity,” Kay said.

Eoin Rude, a senior musical theater major, and his boyfriend have been dating for 5 months and this is their first Kiss on the K.

“its like an amazing tradition and it invites people to come back and it shows you who you meet in college and what an important time of life it is,” Rude said.

Austin Mariasy is the photo director. Contact him at [email protected].