At a recent meeting hosted on campus, students Taylor Blankenship and Zion Belmont reflected on how Wayne College has shaped their academic journeys, career goals and sense of belonging.

The University of Akron Wayne College recently welcomed the UA Board of Trustees to campus for a meeting that marked the board’s first visit to Wayne College in many years. As part of the meeting, students Taylor Blankenship and Zion Belmont shared personal reflections on their college experiences, highlighting the opportunities, affordability and close-knit community that have made Wayne College an important part of their lives.

For Belmont, Wayne College offered both access and a second chance to pursue a meaningful career path. He first enrolled in 2019 as a biology major after taking time off following high school. With affordable tuition and a convenient location close to home, Belmont said Wayne College made higher education possible in a way that felt realistic and attainable. “For me, Wayne College made higher education possible,” Belmont said. “Without an affordable option close to home, I may not have pursued college at all.”

After navigating the disruption of spring 2020 and stepping away from college for a time, Belmont returned in fall 2024 with renewed focus and encouragement from his wife, a Wayne College graduate who now teaches in Doylestown. Since returning, he has discovered a passion for working with people and helping others, prompting him to shift his academic path toward nursing. He now plans to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2029 with a minor in addiction services.

Campus events have also helped Belmont connect his academic interests with service opportunities. During the Disability and Mental Health Awareness Week event in the spring, he learned about OneEighty, a Wayne County organization that provides addiction, mental health and crisis services. Inspired by that connection, Belmont plans to volunteer as a hospital advocate this fall, an experience that supports his interest in forensic nursing.

Belmont also credited Wayne College’s student activities with helping him build friendships and confidence. Through Loud in the Library events, trivia nights and Dungeons and Dragons gatherings, he has found opportunities to meet other students and develop meaningful connections on campus.

Blankenship shared a similar message of gratitude, describing Wayne College as a place she felt “destined” to attend. Her father attended Wayne College in the early 2000s and graduated the year she was born, creating a family connection to the campus. For Blankenship, Wayne College has provided the opportunity to earn her degree debt-free while still engaging in the full college experience.

Blankenship, a communication media studies major, was able to transfer her College Credit Plus credits to Wayne College and is on track to graduate a semester early. She is also pursuing a minor in public relations and a professional social media certificate. As a student assistant in the library, she creates and posts content for the library’s social media platforms, experience that has helped strengthen her skills and shape her career goals.

Her dream is to become a news anchor, and a tour of WKYC in Cleveland gave her a behind-the-scenes look at the broadcast industry. That experience led to an interview opportunity with Wayne College’s marketing department, where she now also works as a student assistant. Through that role, Blankenship said she has learned how to communicate with different audiences while staying true to The University of Akron brand.

Like Belmont, Blankenship emphasized the importance of campus involvement. She has participated in many Wayne College activities, especially Loud in the Library events, and said the friendships and connections she has made on campus mean the world to her. As she prepares to transition to main campus, she plans to continue building on those experiences by becoming involved with WZIP and ZTV.

Together, the students’ remarks offered trustees a firsthand look at the role Wayne College plays in helping students pursue their goals close to home. Their stories reflected the campus’s continued commitment to affordability, academic opportunity, student engagement and a welcoming environment where students can discover their strengths and prepare for what comes next.

For Blankenship, that impact is clear. “I can honestly say that the best thing that’s happened to me in my college career is stepping through the front doors of the Wayne campus,” she shared.