2011 Homecoming Court candidates

Brittany Maurer. Photo courtesy of Kent State.

Major: Communication Studies

Hometown: Wellington, Ohio

Sponsor: Center for Student Involvement

What groups and activities are you involved in on campus?

Alpha Xi Delta, DJ on Black Squirrel Radio, Kent Communication Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, National Society of Leadership and Success and the Emerging Leaders Program.

What are your future/career goals?

Event planning for a convention center or larger company.

Why do you best represent Kent State?

“I feel that I best represent Kent State because I am an involved student but not with just one specific organization. I try to range through student media, Greek life and other student organizations. I’ve been on the dean’s list every semester with a 3.57 GPA, and I try to uphold the best of my standards in everything that I do, which is what I think Kent State would want their students to be represented as.”

What is your favorite Kent State memory?

“One of my favorite Kent State memories was from my freshman year when I went to the May 4th memorials for the first time. Doing the candlelight vigil and the walk around campus, and seeing how everyone comes back for it was a neat thing to be a part of for the next four years, and the years after that.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

I’m a DJ at Black Squirrel Radio, I’m helping plan the homecoming parade, and I really like movies.

Major: Public relations major

Hometown: North Huntington, Pa.

Sponsor: TV2

What groups and activities are you involved with on campus?

TV2 and Tannery Communications, an integrated marketing communications firm associated with campus.

What are your future/career goals?

Working in agency promotions or media.

Why do you best represent Kent State University?

“I think I represent Kent State well because this is my home. I’m not from around here, and I joined TV2 and that’s what made me fall in love with here. I represent Kent State well because I really grew as a person here. I found my passion and found my friends, and I think that I’m just excellence in action.”

What is your favorite Kent State memory?

“My favorite memory actually happened May 2010. It was when my older brother Doug graduated from Kent State University. I’ve always looked up to my brother academically, and watching him walk across the stage and accept his diploma was a really proud moment.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

I can burp the alphabet.

Major: Early Childhood Education

Hometown: Rootstown, Ohio

Sponsor: National Residence Hall Honorary

What groups/activities are you involved in on campus?

Senior residence assistant for Leebrick and Korb halls, hall councils for both halls, Kent Interhall Council, Kent Student Ambassadors and president of National Residence Hall Honorary.

What are your future/career goals?

To become a superintendent of a school district.

Why do you best represent Kent State? Why should students vote for you?

“I believe students should vote for me because I see this as a great opportunity to give back to Kent State what I’ve experienced. I’ve experienced many things through my education, through different organizations I’m involved with; and I see this as an opportunity to give back to the students.”

What is your best memory of Kent State?

“My best Kent State memory is as a sophomore, I was president of Centennial Court A and B’s hall council; and I collaborated with KIC and created the Centennial Fest for all the Centennials and basically all the residence halls were invited. It ended up being a huge end-of-the-school bash, over 200 people came and it was just an awesome spirit. There was music. There was food from dining, just a really great time; and I really felt accomplished after I presented this and it all went really well.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

She clogged, which is a type of tap dancing with an Irish culture-type background, for eight years.

Major: User Experience Design

Hometown: Brecksville, OH

Sponsor: Sigma Sigma Sigma

What groups/activities are you involved in on campus?

She is involved in the sorority Tri-Sigma as well as Alpha Phi Omega, the community service fraternity. She volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and other volunteer groups. She is also in Order of Omega, the Greek Leadership Honorary Society.

What are your future/career goals?

She wants to work for a company to improve user experiences with websites or with product packages to make things, like websites, easier for people to use or to help people find products in the store.

Why do you best represent Kent State? Why should students vote for you?

“I think I represent Kent State from being so involved in so many different things and having such a diverse experience. I’ve studied abroad; I’ve been a part of the aviation programs. I’ve just done a lot of different things, but I definitely think students should vote for whoever they want to vote for. I just think it’s important that they get on Flashline and vote for whoever they feel represents Kent State, and I think everyone who is on Homecoming Court would really do a great job of representing Kent.”

What is your best memory of Kent State?

“My best memory is actually sorority bid day. Everybody waits outside the student center, and everyone yells and screams; and we’re all excited because we’re all getting our new members that day. So it’s just a really exciting day.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

Likes to go snowmobiling in the wintertime.

Major: Music education

Hometown: Brian, Ohio

Sponsor: United Christian Ministries

What groups/activities are you involved in on campus?

Three different choirs, librarian for the Women’s Chorus, Ohio Collegiate Music Education Association, American Choir Directors Association on campus and Super Service Saturdays.

What are your future/career goals?

Join AmeriCorps for two years and travel around the country doing various projects wherever aid is needed. Become a high school choir director.

Why do you best represent Kent State? Why should students vote for you?

“I think that I really embody everything that the Kent State students are about. Service is a fantastic part of this university, and we are ranked among the highest in the country of universities that give back to their communities, and I love that. And to be a part of that is a wonderful thing, and I think that students here are very much into breaking past boundaries to work toward a brighter future, and that’s something I believe in very strongly.”

What is your best memory of Kent State?

“My favorite memory at Kent was my freshman year I went on an Appalachian emersion trip. We spent the weekend down in Virginia up in the Appalachian Mountains and doing different service projects and I met the most amazing people and as much as we helped the people there I felt that we were helped just as much and it was such a humbling experience it and so much fun and we all learned so much and I think everyone’s lives were touched through that trip.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

Her hometown, Brian, is the home of the Dum-Dum sucker and the Etch-a-Sketch.

Major: Applied communications

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Sponsor: Lambda Pi Eta

What groups/activities are you involved in on campus?

Secretary of the Professional Convention Management Association of Kent State, Lambda Pi Eta

What are your future/career goals?

Become an event/wedding planner

Why do you best represent Kent State? Why should students vote for you?

“I believe I best represent Kent State because I love being involved with my student organization, the Professional Convention Management Association. We plan some events on campus, and I love participating in others. I own a lot of Kent State paraphernalia, and I have a lot of pride in our sports, our student organizations and our activities on campus, especially the comedians that come to visit. And I love meeting new people, and I love the opportunities Kent State has given to me such as studying abroad and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone.”

What is your best memory of Kent State?

“My best KSU memory was freshman year homecoming, actually. I love sharing this story because as a freshman you don’t really know your way around campus, and here we are trying to figure it out, wearing our homecoming gear, Kent State, walking around campus pretty aimlessly for most of the day until we found a bus stop that would take us to the stadium. When we finally got there, we did catch some of the game, which was great. That was our point, our goal. Kent State was awesome. I went back to the dorm and met a bunch of new people in Tri-Towers —go Koonce! — and that was definitely by far one of the days I met the most people at Kent State. All around the city, there was just a lot of fun throughout the weekend.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

Loves being spontaneous.

Major: Visual Communications Design

Hometown: Irondale, Ohio

Sponsor: Honors College

What groups/activities are you involved in on campus?

Honors College, Glyphix, AIGA, Men’s Chorus, Kent Chorus and Gospel Choir.

What are your future/career goals?

To work for a design firm in a major city and eventually come back to Kent or another university to teach graphic design to undergraduates.

Why do you best represent Kent State? Why should students vote for you?

“I best represent Kent State because I feel like I am really well-rounded individual and I’m involved in a lot of things in my hall. I’m a resident assistant, so I’m kind of a mentor to students living in the hall as well as I’m involved in a lot of activities and groups that pertain to my major.”

What is your best memory of Kent State?

“Probably my best Kent State memory is, I think my freshman year, there was a big snow storm and the classes were cancelled, so my friends and I sat around and watched movies and drank hot cocoa. Then that night, we went out sledding on front campus.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

From a town of only 400 people.

Major: Early childhood education

Hometown: Leetonia, Ohio

Sponsor: Kappa Sigma fraternity

What groups and activities are you involved in on campus?

President of Kappa Sigma, National Society of Leadership and Success and National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

What are your future/career goals?

To be an educator at an inner-city school, preferably in third grade.

Why do you best represent Kent State?

“I’ve been here all four years, I’m really involved and I think I’m seen around a lot. I’ve grown as a leader from my freshman year. I was kind of a wallflower, but I started getting involved on campus, started meeting people and networking and making a lot of friends. Through my four years, I’ve gained a lot of leadership abilities. As a founding father and president of my fraternity, I think we’ve given back a lot. We’ve done a lot of community service for Kent State.”

What is your favorite Kent State memory?

“One of my favorite memories was when a friend on TV2 dressed up as a king or something for a basketball game freshman year and won us all a limo ride out to Cleveland for a playoff game. It was cool having a party in the back of the limo, getting to watch the game and ride back.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

Has a pot-bellied pig named Lily; plays three musical instruments.

Major: Public Relations

Hometown: Elyria, Ohio

Sponsor: Public Relations Student Society of America

What groups/activities are you involved in on campus?

PRSSA, TV2, HCHA Division 1 hockey, coaching high school and youth hockey and marketing for the Kent State Ice Arena.

What are your future/career goals?

Finding a traveling job, anything dealing with PR.

Why do you best represent Kent State? Why should students vote for you?

“Taking a look at everybody who was on court, everybody was just so qualified. I think we have a great class this year. And I would say personally, I’m just so personable, I think I can go up and talk to anybody. I’ll do anything really spontaneous. I just love everything about Kent State. I love the atmosphere here. I love the energy. I love waking up in the morning and just getting to meet new people. As far as representing Kent State, I’ve been here for quite a few years. I know the landscape. I know the face of Kent State. I know what Kent State has to offer. I know what students love about Kent State, and that’s just the whole social aspect of Kent State, and I think I best represent that with, like I said before, my personality. I love to make people smile.”

What is your best memory of Kent State?

“I do have a lot of memories I could share. But honestly right now I would have to say is being on Homecoming Court. This has been something that has been unreal for me. It’s kind of like winning the lottery. You win the lottery, you’re so happy but at the same time, you don’t believe it. That’s like me now. It just hasn’t hit me yet.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

Won Kent State’s funniest one-man best stand-up comedian contest.

Major: Biology

Hometown: Louisville, Ohio

Sponsor: Kent Student Ambassadors

What groups/activities are you involved in on campus?

President of the Kent Student Ambassadors, President of Phi Delta Epsilon National Medical fraternity and Mortarboard Laurel Chapters.

What are your future/career goals?

Attend the University of Toledo’s College of Medicine for four years and become an orthopedic surgeon.

Why do you best represent Kent State? Why should students vote for you?

“I think I best represent Kent State because I’ve been involved in many of the classes Kent State has. I participate in the research in the biology annex. I’m very involved on campus with my affiliations in organizations. I also always held academics as one of my top priorities and I’ve always been able to hold a job during school just like most Kent State students have.”

What is your best memory of Kent State?

“I think my best Kent State memory were my first two years when I roomed with my best friend Marcus in Koonce Hall room 1001.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

Took third place in the Miss Relay Competition at Relay for Life two years ago.

Major: Integrated Social Studies

Hometown: Stryker, Ohio

Sponsor: Delta Sigma Phi

What groups/activities are you involved in on campus?

Residence assistant in Beall/McDowell halls, Board of Trustees as an undergraduate student trustee, USG and Offices of Student Success.

What are your future/career goals?

Get master’s in education administration and eventually become an assistant principal or principal, eventually get Ph.D. in education.

Why do you best represent Kent State? Why should students vote for you?

“Being in the organizations and my involvement on campus, I am in contact with a lot of students, I’m also part of a fraternity. I’m not just involved with the Greek life, seeing all kinds of students, I’ve worked with freshmen, residents in the halls, and I really know what students are feeling about it; about campus and the vibe that’s going on. The experiences that they’re having, the experiences that I’ve had, I just have a good understanding of the university and how it functions and the different aspects of it. I’ve kind of seen it all, not all of it but I’ve seen a lot of it. It’s a good thing to represent, the university.”

What is your best memory of Kent State?

“I would have to say last year at the Homecoming game against Akron. It was sold out, we had 23,000 people; it was a close game the whole time. We beat Akron and got the wagon wheel, just to be there, to feel that excitement, it gave me chills. I’ve never seen that kind of excitement at a football game, it was something you can’t replace.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

Fun fact, I would say I’m a small town kid, I had a graduating class of 43, people think that’s weird but it kind of defines who I am.

Major: International relations

Hometown: Copley, Ohio

Sponsor: USG

What groups/activities are you involved in on campus?

Executive director of USG, Air Force ROTC and Delta Tau Delta fraternity.

What are your future/career goals?

To be an Intelligence Officer in the Air Force, eventually pursue a law degree and hopefully go into some type of international law, treaty law, something like that.

Why do you best represent Kent State? Why should students vote for you?

“Well I think there’s a lot of people out there that represent Kent State well. I am very proud to be a member of the Kent State community; it’s really enriched my life being here. I’ve learned a lot, I’ve met a lot of great people. So it’s really a privilege to be able to join the other members of the Homecoming Court in representing Kent State.”

What is your best memory of Kent State?

“They asked this on the Homecoming Court application, but honestly it’s hard to narrow it down to one. I think some of the fondest memories, if I can summarize it in a few, is definitely coming here to Kent’s campus with my roommate freshman year, and we’re still roommates now. So kind of taking that first step with him and still being around here. But I think my favorite memory ever here at Kent State was I was participating in the commencement ceremony with the Air Force helping usher, and seeing the students graduate every year is probably my favorite memory because it’s one step closer every time to us graduating.”

What is a fun, random fact about you?

Loves to run.

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Contact Dominique Lyons at [email protected].

Contact Kaleigh Dease at [email protected].

Contact Bruce Walton at [email protected].

Contact Alicia Balog at [email protected].