Pete Goldsmith, vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, advises students to use time wisely.

Credit: Beth Rankin

Enrollment Management and Student Affairs basically manages every aspect of the college experience at Kent State.

Pete Goldsmith is the vice president of this division. He is the man responsible for getting students to come here and keeping them coming back.

So while you may not know him, in a way, you’ve already met him.

Goldsmith has been in his position since September 2003.

“Kent State is very lucky to have Pete Goldsmith,” President Carol Cartwright said. “He is experienced in dealing with various complex institutions. His job is very high stakes, our enrollment determines how much money we get from the state, but he handles the pressure very well. He’s a very strong contributor here.” 

Kent State has a lot to offer, but students have to give the effort to make all of those things worthwhile. Goldsmith offers some advice on how to do so:

– use time wisely by studying from day one.

– don’t let yourself get behind.

– get involved, whether it’s with a club, an organization or a committee.

The “use time wisely” speech may sound like the university’s uniform answer for advice to new students, but Goldsmith has lived the consequences of blowing off work for play. 

“The biggest thing for me when I first went to school was that I thought it was free time,” he said. “And I got off to a bad start and had to catch up. That’s the reason why I would suggest for students to use their time wisely.”

Even outside of the university, Goldsmith likes to take on big things, like his two 100 pound plus dogs, a Bernese Mountain dog and a mixed breed, and his rare orange vehicle, which looks a pre-cursor to the Hummer.

“I like to drive my 1974 Volkswagen Thing,” he said. “It’s a convertible, so I like to drive it in warm weather.”

Contact general assignment reporter Deanna Stevens at [email protected].