Kent State’s Stark campus held Spirit Fest Wednesday to kick off the new semester and welcome students back.

Ashley Brightbill, Kent State Stark’s manager of student activities and services, expressed the importance of Spirit Fest.

“We want students to start feeling that Kent State pride,” Brightbill said. “A huge benefit of this event is giving students the ability to get the ‘awkward’ out of the way and immediately connect to campus.”

Students played bubble soccer, jumped in bounce houses and participated in life-sized games. A DJ entertained students as they visited the Baskin Robbins ice cream truck for an afternoon treat.

Students could make personalized jewelry at metal-stamping booths within the Campus Center building.

Hannah Graf, a sophomore middle childhood education major, said she enjoyed this year’s Spirit Fest.

“It was nice to spend time outside listening to the music and watching people of all ages participate in everything,” she said.

Inside Campus Center, students had the chance to speak with faculty and learn more about involvement opportunities on campus.

For sophomore Elisabeth Giles and junior Meghan Gorbach, both human development and family studies majors, events like Spirit Fest introduce them to other students outside of the classroom.

“It’s an awesome break in the day, and it really is fun,” Giles said. “Events like this are what we look forward to.”

“It’s true, it does make me like school,” Gorbach said.

Natalie Meek is the south regional campuses reporter. Contact her at [email protected].