Incoming freshmen attending Destination Kent State will have the opportunity to work with Kent State students to guide them into the world of college.

FlashGuides are one of the most important parts of the DKS experience. They give insight on their experiences as a freshman, help students find their way on campus and show what it is like to be a Flash. 

Student Success Programs manages all aspects of DKS. Learning Community Coordinator Emily Carle assists graduate supervisors who administer the FlashGuides this summer.   

“There isn’t just one perfect FlashGuide,” Carle said. “We want the 24 FlashGuides to be a larger representation of Kent State, whether that’s different majors, colleges, in or out of state, so that students can feel like they belong here.”

FlashGuides are full of Kent State pride and are passionate about helping students.

“FlashGuides have a responsibility to lift students up and pass on the school spirit to the incoming freshmen,” Carle said. “The FlashGuides are the touch point of the students.”

Senior broadcast journalism major Shawn Wilson is experiencing his first year as a FlashGuide and feels that it is the best job he has ever had.

“I like FlashGuide-ing so much that I am considering going to get my Masters in higher education so I can continue to do student success programs like this and student affairs across the nation,” Wilson said.

DKS has 25 sessions. They are events that run a day and a half with 15 hours on day one and five hours on day two.

“Instead of the students coming to an orientation and just getting lectured at, they get a chance to see what it’s like to be a Kent State student,” Wilson said. “I consider this my home. My dream for all the incoming freshmen will eventually share the same feeling that Kent State is home.”

Senior communication studies major Chris Woods is a DKS FlashGuide for two years.

“It helps that FlashGuides are students and involved because we answered the questions from our own experiences,” Woods said. “I was a cheerleader, so a lot of the questions regarding athletics came to me to inform the freshmen.”

“Kent has so much to offer and parents want to feel comfort knowing that their child is in good hands,” Woods said. “Being a FlashGuide and talking to the parents was great. I shared with them my leadership skills, how to get involved, cheering for MAC championships and they really felt like their kid will be in good hands while having a great college experience.”

Casey Herndon is an incoming freshman majoring in engineering technology. Her DKS experience was very emotional thanks to the flash guides.

“They made me cry because they had such great energy and stressed how this was their home and now mine too,” Herndon said. “I thought they were so helpful.”

Contact Brittany Anderson at [email protected]