Update: As of 2018, non-Honors students are not permitted to live in the Stopher-Johnson Living-Learning Community. Please contact the Honors College for more information.

Starting next fall semester, honors students will be able to request to live with non-honors students in Stopher or Johnson Hall.   

Other than certain exceptions, the only students who were able to reside in the honors residence halls were honors students themselves.  This residence hall change will give honors students the opportunity to room with friends who may not be honors students.

“We realized that many of our honors students decided to move out of Stopher and Johnson Halls because of their desire to live with friends who were not honors students,” said Jillian Kiska, academic adviser for the Honors College.

“In recent years, we have made exceptions for honors students who asked for the ability to live in Stopher or Johnson Halls with a non-honors roommate, but this year we decided to publicize the ability to make the request,” Kiska said.

As the news circulates throughout the honors and Kent State community, many students have a positive outlook on the change, Kiska said.  

“We have already heard from many honors students who want to take advantage of this opportunity and have requested non-honors roommates,” she said. “So far, students seem to appreciate the ability to be a part of the community in Stopher and Johnson Halls, while still being able to live with the students of their choice.”

Samantha Rhoades, junior nursing major and honors student, said she likes the residence change.  

“I have opinions on both sides. I think that it’s a good idea because I know coming in as a freshman, I actually wanted to live with a friend who was not an honors student,” she said. “It would have been cool to be able to have lived with them.”

Rhoades said she also sees its disadvantages.  

“However, I also do think that these dorms are nicer because it’s an incentive to be in honors and live here,” she said.  “Also, this is a quiet community on purpose, and I’ve always appreciated that when studying. Non-honors [students] may not appreciate that rule.”

Jameson Pritchard freshman integrated health studies major, said he likes the new honors hall policy.  

“I’m not an honor student, but I have some friends that are,” he said. “Those dorms are really nice, and if they want to live with me, I’d take that offer up.”

For more information on how to request an honors hall, go to www.kent.edu/honors, or call the Honors College at (330) 672-2312.

Contact Drew Jones at [email protected].

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