Three decades ago, as an undergraduate from Hudson, Ohio, Heather Rohwedder Malarcik, BA β96, could never have imagined that she would one day find her dream job in downtown Kent.
After graduation, she worked various jobs in marketing and moved to California. However, once she started a family, she decided to return to Ohio.
In 2011, she was hired as marketing assistant for , an advocacy nonprofit striving to promote Kent as an ideal place to live, work and visit. Within a year, she was promoted to the nonprofitβs top spot. Sheβs held that role for 12 years.
As director, Malarcik creates year-round marketing efforts for local businesses, champions historical preservation and plans regular eventsβincluding the Chocolate Walk in February, the Art and Wine Festival in June and the Oktoberfest in Septemberβthat drive traffic to downtown and help the business community succeed.
She loves the work but doesnβt do it alone. With one other employee at Main Street Kent, Malarcik works in conjunction with a volunteer board and oversees teams of supporting volunteers, including folks from ΠΤΈ£ΞεΤΒΜμ.
Joshua Rider, BA β99, MEd β05, executive director of ΠΤΈ£ΞεΤΒΜμβs Center for Adult and Veteran Services, serves as vice president of Main Street Kentβs executive board and has worked closely with Malarcik for several years. He praises her hard work and leadership skills.
βShe is always asking, βWhat will the impact of this be on Kent?ββ he says. βHer leadership with Main Street Kent also has helped build connections to ΠΤΈ£ΞεΤΒΜμ University.β
Malarcik says folks from ΠΤΈ£ΞεΤΒΜμ are always willing to help make downtown events successful by volunteering. And she understands that having a thriving downtown benefits the university, too.
βI went to ΠΤΈ£ΞεΤΒΜμ when downtown wasnβt what it is today. There was not much to do other than get a pizza and a beer,β she says. βNow thereβs public art, live music, events and activities.
βThereβs nowhere else I would want to live and work.β
βLisa Abraham