Ana Hasselbusch, ’26, first encountered Kent State University at a college fair held at her high school in Pittsburgh. A few short years later, Hasselbusch would receive the 2026 Distinguished Senior Award at Kent State’s Student Leadership Awards for her impact during her time at the university.
Hasselbusch arrived at Kent State planning to study interior design. After one semester, however, she switched to hospitality and event management, an interest she had developed during middle school.
“In sixth grade, the guidance counselors came, and I did an aptitude test. I was 12 years old, and they said we think you would be a good event planner,” Hasselbusch said. “I was thinking of jobs like ballerina and pop star at the time.”
Quickly finding her footing in the new major, Hasselbusch sought opportunities to engage with the university community and build the skills she would need for her future career. As a Flash Activities Board director, she planned bingo, trivia and karaoke events. Her first event as a director sold out. She later served as director of entertainment and then president. Along the way, she managed budgets, chose linens, made playlists, created day-of timelines and assigned roles.
But she didn’t stop there. During her time at Kent State, Hasselbusch was also part of Flash Fellows, the Order of Omega, the Panhellenic Council, Tri Sigma, the Student Leader Advisory Board, the Professional Convention Management Association and the Flash Activities Board. She was on Homecoming Court in 2025 and was part of the USG Programming Board that brought The Driver Era to Kent for Flash Fest.
“I knew that I wanted a home away from home,” she said. “When I started joining and doing all the things, it wasn’t really about being a leader. It was about learning as much as I could in that short amount of time.”
Her campus involvement let Hasselbusch practice the event work she hoped to do professionally. Through the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and its travel funding, she attended conferences throughout the U.S., meeting and networking with practicing professionals. One of those contacts later invited the group from Kent State to tour The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland. She was excited to see the hotel operations and spaces that guests rarely see on a behind-the-scenes tour.
“I think that the funding for those experiences gets students out in the real world, which I personally believe is the whole point of college,” she said.
Hasselbusch knew these experiences were a privilege in many ways. As vice president of her PCMA chapter, she planned conference trips and learned that some students still could not afford to attend even when travel funds were available.
“Above all, thank you to the donors,” she explained. “I was in charge of planning the conference trips. It was heartbreaking to hear how so many students couldn't go, even though we were still given this money.”
During her senior year, Hasselbusch also received the Dennis Eckart Scholarship for leadership development, which allowed her to attend local tours and hear from speakers as she considered how to turn years of involvement into leadership that served the community.
Campus events taught her to handle practical details, conference experiences showed her how professionals approach the work and scholarship support helped her refine her leadership. She is putting all those skills to work, and she hopes to one day plan weddings for Disney. Hasselbusch is already preparing to take her first step on that path as part of the Disney College Program that begins in January 2027.
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