From the Division of Information Technology’s Story Team
As a Kent State student or employee, carrying on the tradition of helping the community can be done at your fingertips with a simple payroll deduction. Kent State University has partnered with United Way for several years to donate both monetary and volunteer resources to those in need. United Way of Portage County funds 42 programs that connect local communities to necessary resources.
Kent State is the biggest supporter of United Way in Portage County and is proud to continue their partnership for years to come. 2023 has been a notable year for the partnership between United Way and Kent State. In 2023, Kent State raised $37,000 for United Way.
Peta Denno is one of the Co-Chairs of the United Way Campaign at Kent State. She is responsible for tasks such as gathering donations and submitting reports to United Way. In early September 2023, she saw that giving totals were much lower than expected. Had Kent State employees decreased their giving? Surely not by that much! Soon Peta realized her own United Way payroll deduction was missing from the reports and she reached out to the Division of Information Technology.
Tim Bowser was able to step in and solve the problem. Bowser is a Lead Applications Developer for DoIT and has been working on the United Way website for the past fourteen years.
He discovered a technical error: individuals who had given to the campaign via the online payroll system weren't showing up on the reports. Denno collaborated with Bowser who discovered that the dates set up in the system were incorrect. This led to inaccurate reports and an unclear picture of Kent State’s support of United Way.
“If he hadn’t figured that issue out,
we wouldn't have had accurate reports”
Peta Denno, Kent State United Way Co-Chair
“If he hadn’t figured that issue out, I can't imagine what reporting would have been like. I mean, we wouldn't have been able to do it. We wouldn't have had accurate reports without his input and his expertise,” Denno remarked. With the help of DoIT, Kent State employees can continue to graciously support its surrounding communities.
With DoIT’s ongoing support at Kent State, the university stands as an institution committed to community service. Through Kent State and United Way’s long-standing collaboration, an impactful difference in our local community is bound to be made.
To donate to United Way, students and employees can make payroll deductions through Flashline or make a one-time gift. There is an option to choose a specific organization to donate to for particular interests. Any agency that's a 501C3, meaning a nonprofit group, is eligible to receive donations. United Way will then disperse the funds accordingly.
