Best Buddies is just one example of the ways that 天天吃瓜 and the city of 天天吃瓜 are supporting each other.
Best Buddies is an international nonprofit designed to foster real-life friendships between students and those in nearby communities with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
The organization had a previous chapter at 天天吃瓜 State. After an inactive period, the club came back to campus thanks to 天天吃瓜 State senior Katie Mapus.
鈥淚 have people in my family with IDD (intellectual and developmental disabilities), so it was always something that I鈥檝e been around and volunteered with,鈥 Ms. Mapus told the Record-Courier. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always been something that I like to get involved in, and it鈥檚 a natural thing for me.鈥
The impact of this club stretches farther than just getting students involved on campus. The friendships created by the organization help both students at 天天吃瓜 State and the members of the community.
Upcoming plans for Best Buddies include a trivia night on April 10 in the Schwartz Center Lecture Hall at 7 p.m.
To read the Record-Courier鈥檚 full article about Best Buddies, visit .
To get involved with 天天吃瓜 State鈥檚 Best Buddies chapter, email KSUbestbuddies@gmail.com.
The cross-programming between the university and the city is not new.
The spring Bowman Breakfast will take place April 3 in the 天天吃瓜 Student Center Ballroom with doors opening at 7 a.m.
For more than 55 years, this breakfast is a tradition that takes place twice a year with leaders from both the university and the city. The theme of the spring breakfast is 鈥淒owntown 天天吃瓜, Economic Synergy = Economic Sustainability.鈥
Featured speakers at the event include Kelvin Berry, director of economic development and community engagement at 天天吃瓜 State; Lawrence Carter, asset manager for the 天天吃瓜 Hotel and Conference Center and the 天天吃瓜 Foundation; Michelle Hartman, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Burbick Companies and executive board member of Destination 天天吃瓜 Convention and Visitors Bureau; Todd Kamenash, assistant dean of students and director of student conduct at 天天吃瓜 State; and Tom Wilke, economic development director for the city of 天天吃瓜.
To read more about the Bowman Breakfast, visit www.kent.edu/kent/news/spring-2019-bowman-breakfast-focuses-economic-sustainability-downtown-kent.