Kissing on the K and in the rain

Cheyenne Perry

It was rainy Saturday morning at the Risman Plaza K, but that didn’t stop couples from smooching for Kiss on the K.

Phil Rathosky, a graduate higher education and student personnel major who also administrated the event, said around 30 couples attended.

“A lot more than I expected because of the rain,” Rathosky said.

At 12:30 p.m., all the couples in attendance shared a kiss to the sound of the library bell and the pitter-patter of rain. Some couples even stood locked in their kiss while they posed for a picture.

Kent State junior Anilson Cardoso attended Kiss on the K for the first time with his alumna girlfriend, Tiffany Tankrom. They smiled and embraced after having what Tankrom described as a “nice, cold kiss on the K.”

“Last year, we met here,” Cardoso said. He said it was special to share a kiss at Risman Plaza because it was the first place he saw Tankrom.

Five Kent State Alumni couples were recognized as honorary couples at the ceremony. Each couple’s love story began at Kent State, they said, and were awarded with prizes from the Alumni Association.

Chris and Sierra Baker, David and Laurel Hurst, Peter and Jennifer Schmeiser, Yves and Nancy Dossous and Lt. Col. Floyd and Carolyn Schriber were this year’s honorary couples, graduating from the classes of 1960 up until the class of 2011.

“They thought it was a really great honor to come back and be selected for that,” Rathosky said.

Rathosky was happy for a great turn out, even in the drizzle.

“Everyone thinks a kiss in the rain is pretty romantic,” Rathosky said.

Contact Cheyenne Perry at [email protected].