The Kent State University Student Life Study is a landmark longitudinal research initiative following 10,000 undergraduates from their first year through graduation and into young adulthood. The study focuses on one of the most consequential life stages for long-term wellbeing: the transition to college, a period shaped by rapid change in daily habits, biological maturation, sociocultural pressures, shifting peer and family influences, and exposure to new ideas and goals.

What sets the Student Life Study apart is its methodology. Research data is collected through innovative smartphone and remote sensor monitoring as well as traditional laboratory-based measures of physical and psychological functioning, enabling an unprecedented view of the day-to-day experiences of today’s college students. That same technology platform delivers validated, personalized interventions with the goal of reaching the right student with the right support at the right time. Findings are continuously fed back into the research design to refine interventions and shared directly with university administrators, providing real-time insight to inform policy decisions as they are needed.

The ultimate ambition of the Student Life Study extends beyond Kent State. By freely sharing its materials and methods with colleges and universities across the country, the initiative aims to seed a nationwide network capable of transforming the college experience for millions of students.