The Past Shapes the Future
The Precedent Study Committee contributed crucial information to the class on past projects, plans, and rules regarding development of quarries and natural landscapes.
This committee oversaw:
How could the project be funded? Have other organizations around the state or country had similar funding requirements? These are just some of the questions the Precedent Committee had to answer when looking for possible funding sources when looking at how to implement the project in the real world.
This group was in charge of locating and analyzing the literature of quarry redevelopment projects. They researched how it was done, by who, and for how much. This information was vital in the ideation phase of the project. An example of a past project is below.
Possible partnerships were not only identified by other groups within their specialties but also by this committee as overall partners. Site programming was also identified by this group based on their analysis of what the community and visitors would and would not want.
Meet the Precedent Committee
Kayla Dennis is a student in the Master of Public Administration program graduating in summer 2026, but participating in the spring commencement ceremony. She graduated from Kent State University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in General Business and a minor in Nonprofit Studies. She works full time in the Undergraduate Office of Admissions at Cleveland State University as the Assistant Director of Transfer Recruitment. She is a figure skater and loves to read and walk. Her passions include public service and Type I diabetes awareness.
Marissa Ostromek is a Master of Public Administration student in her final semester of the program and will graduate this May. She currently works for the University in the Athletics Department helping student athletes that are academically at risk. Marissa has an interest in policy, specifically pertaining to sport policies and compliance. After graduation, Marissa plans to continue her education by starting a Master’s of Sport Management and Entertainment. She finds passion in hiking, working out, and her adorable cat, Ms. Girl.
Vincent Stokes II is in the MPA program and an elected City Council member, committed to advancing equity through data-driven analysis and community-centered leadership. As both an educator and pastor, he brings a justice-oriented perspective that prioritizes historically marginalized communities and seeks to align policy, practice, and resources with equitable outcomes. In this capstone, he focused on the equity component to examine systemic disparities and develop actionable strategies that promote fairness, access, and opportunity for all.
Kayla Szynal is a Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration student graduating this May and preparing for the Bar Exam in July. As the only law student in the group, Kayla examined the legal implications of industrial reclamation projects and analyzed existing redevelopment plans as inspiration for this proposal. Outside of her studies at CSU and her work at the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, she enjoys cooking (and eating!), reading, road trips, and being outdoors.
