Kent State couples kiss on the K

Trenton Chavez

The second annual “Kiss on the K” event attracted 150 alumni, faculty, staff, and students to Risman Plaza Saturday.

This unique Homecoming event celebrates couples that met at Kent State.

“Having Kent State being a part of students’ romantic relationships is incredible, and we wanted to recognize that,” said Carrie Circosta, assistant director of Student and Recent Graduate Programs at the Kent State Alumni Association.

Circosta said the Kent State Alumni Association is always seeking ways to help alumni remain connected to the university, and “Kiss on the K” accomplishes that goal.

Five couples with captivating stories were selected as the 2012 honorary couples, according to Shilpi Tiwari, program coordinator for the Kent State Alumni Association. To qualify to tell their stories, the couples were required to have met at Kent State and to feel that Kent State has shaped their lives together.

“Honorary couples applied on our website by including a story about how they met and including a picture [of themselves],” Circosta said. “Honorary couple winners received gift certificates to either Rusty Nail or Bistro on Main.”

All couples at the event kissed on “the K” at noon, following a ten second countdown. Following the big kiss, couples received chocolates and ribbons to commemorate the event.

Jennifer Kuznicki, a 2003 graduate and founder of The Chocolate Piggy in Cuyahoga Falls, explained how she met her husband Matt Kuznicki at Kent State.

“During freshmen year in English – on a Monday – I would fall asleep in the first row,” Jennifer said. “Matt noticed and we started talking. We were just friends until junior year, and then started dating.”

Married in 2006, the Kuznickis supported “Kiss on the K” by giving all participants free chocolates from The Chocolate Piggy.

Matt Kuznicki joked about the beginning of his relationship with Jennifer.

“Fall asleep, meet your soul mate,” Matt said.

Contact Trenton Chavez at [email protected].