Kennesaw State University facts for kids
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Former names
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Kennesaw Junior College (1966–1976) Kennesaw College (1976–1988) Kennesaw State College (1988–1996) Southern Polytechnic State University (merged 2015) |
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| Motto | "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation" |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | October 9, 1963 |
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Parent institution
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University System of Georgia |
| Accreditation | SACS |
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Academic affiliation
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Space-grant |
| Endowment | $100 million (2021) |
| Budget | $566 million (2019) |
| President | Kathy Schwaig |
| Provost | Ivan Pulinkala |
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Academic staff
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1,004 |
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Administrative staff
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2,000 |
| Students | 47,845 (fall 2024) |
| Undergraduates | 42,840 (fall 2024) |
| Postgraduates | 5,005 (fall 2024) |
| Location |
,
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United States
34°02′17″N 84°34′59″W / 34.038°N 84.583°W |
| Campus | Large suburb, 581 acres (2.35 km2) |
| Newspaper | The Sentinel |
| Colors | Black and gold |
| Nickname | Owls |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I FBS – CUSA |
| Mascot | Scrappy the Owl |
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Kennesaw State University (KSU) is a large public university in Georgia, USA. It has two main campuses near Atlanta, one in Kennesaw and another in Marietta. These campuses cover a total of 581 acres. KSU was started in 1963 during a time when Georgia was growing fast. Today, it is the third-largest university in Georgia, with over 47,000 students.
KSU is part of the University System of Georgia. It is known as a "Doctoral University – High research activity," meaning it does a lot of important research. Kennesaw State's sports teams, called the Owls, compete in NCAA Division I as part of Conference USA.
Kennesaw State University: A Brief History
How KSU Started in 1963
Kennesaw State University began on October 9, 1963. It was first planned as a junior college for Cobb County. In 1964, Horace Sturgis was chosen to be its first president. When the school opened in the fall of 1966, it was called Kennesaw Junior College. It had 1,014 students.
Growing into a Four-Year College
In 1976, Kennesaw Junior College became a four-year college and was renamed Kennesaw College. Betty Siegel became the second president in 1981. She was the first female university president in the University System of Georgia. By 1985, KSU started offering its first advanced degrees for students who had already finished their first college degree. The college also began building dorms for students to live on campus. In 1988, it was renamed Kennesaw State College.
Becoming a Major University
Kennesaw State officially became a university in 1996. Its baseball and softball teams won national championships in 1996. The Lady Owls soccer team won a national championship in 2003. The men's basketball team won in 2004. Because of their success, the Owls moved up to NCAA Division I in 2005.
In 2004, KSU was recognized for its excellent programs in computer security. Daniel S. Papp became the university's third president in 2006. KSU also started offering its first doctoral degrees, which are the highest level of college degrees.
In 2015, Kennesaw State University merged with Southern Polytechnic State University. KSU became the main university, and President Papp continued to lead it. To honor Southern Polytechnic, Kennesaw State created the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology. In 2016, Sam Olens became president, followed by Pamela Whitten in 2018. Kathy Schwaig was named the sixth president on March 16, 2022.
In 2018, KSU was recognized as a university with "high research activity." This means it does a lot of important research.
Exploring the Campuses
Kennesaw State University has two campuses: one in Kennesaw and one in Marietta. Together, they cover about 581 acres. The Kennesaw campus is right next to a major highway, I-75.
Kennesaw Campus Highlights
Social Sciences Building
The Social Sciences building is a large, modern building on the Kennesaw campus. It has a big auditorium, a cinema classroom, and many classrooms with advanced technology. There's also a Starbucks inside. This building was designed to be environmentally friendly. In 2020, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences was renamed the Norman J. Radow College after a generous gift.
Spaceship Earth Sculpture
A very large sculpture called "Spaceship Earth" used to be near the Social Sciences Building. It weighed 350,000 pounds! It was created to remind people to take care of our planet. The sculpture was taken down in December 2022 because of ongoing structural issues.
Convocation Center
The Convocation Center is a big building used for many things. It's home to KSU's basketball teams. It also hosts classes, concerts, plays, and graduation ceremonies. It has seating for 4,800 people, making it the largest of its kind in northwest Georgia.
Bentley Rare Book Gallery
The Bentley Rare Book Gallery and Special Collections holds about 15,000 special items. These include old and rare books.
Dr. Bobbie Bailey and Family Performance Center
The Bailey Performance Center opened in 2007. It has a 630-seat auditorium and is the main building for Kennesaw State's School of Music.
Other Important Buildings
The older part of the Kennesaw campus has buildings like the University College and the Library. In 2009, a new dining hall called The Commons opened, which can seat 1,500 people. A new dorm for freshmen, called "University Suites," opened in 2008 and can house 915 students.
Marietta Campus
The Marietta campus used to be Southern Polytechnic State University. It has its own history and buildings.
Student Housing on Marietta Campus
The Marietta campus has several dorms and apartment-style housing for students. These include Howell Hall, Hornet Village, University Commons, University Courtyard, and University Columns. These buildings are still used to house Kennesaw State University students today.
What Students Learn at KSU
Kennesaw State University is approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is known as a comprehensive institution by the University System of Georgia. In 2016, U.S. News changed KSU's ranking from a "regional university" to a "national university." This was because KSU became a research university. In 2018, KSU was classified as a university with "high research activity."
Colleges and Degrees
KSU has 11 different colleges. It offers many types of degrees:
- 76 bachelor's degrees (your first college degree)
- 43 master's degree programs (degrees you get after a bachelor's)
- 5 specialist degrees
- 9 doctoral programs (the highest degrees)
Overall, Kennesaw State offers over 190 different undergraduate and graduate degrees.
- College of Architecture and Construction Management
- Robert S. Geer Family College of the Arts
- Michael J. Coles College of Business
- College of Computing and Software Engineering
- Bagwell College of Education
- Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
- Wellstar College of Health and Human Services
- Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- College of Science and Mathematics
- KSU Journey Honors College
- Graduate College
Continuing Education
Kennesaw State also has a large program for continuing education. This offers classes and training for adults who want to learn new skills or improve their careers. It also hosts a center that trains teachers on how to use technology in their classrooms.
Student Life at KSU
Student Groups
KSU has about 300 different student groups and clubs. Students can join these groups to meet new people, explore interests, and get involved in campus life.
Student Media
- The Sentinel (KSU) is the official student newspaper. It is printed every week during the school year.
- Kennesaw’s Worst is a feature magazine for the university.
- Owl Radio is the student-run online radio station.
- Talisman was the name of the former student yearbook.
Student Diversity
In fall 2023, Kennesaw State had a diverse student body. About 49% of students were male and 51% were female. Students came from many different backgrounds: 42.5% White, 26.4% Black/African-American, 14.6% Hispanic/Latino, 5.8% Asian, and others.
Fraternities and Sororities
Kennesaw State University has 21 different fraternities and sororities. These are social groups that students can join. Less than 7% of undergraduate students are part of these groups.
KSU Athletics: The Owls
Kennesaw State University's sports teams are called the Owls. Their school colors are black and gold. The Owls compete in NCAA Division I. They are a member of Conference USA.
Sports began at KSU in 1981. The school won its first national championship in 1994 with the baseball team. The Owls continued to win national titles in Division II for softball (1995 and 1996), baseball (1996), women's soccer (2003), and men's basketball (2004). Kennesaw State is one of only two Division II schools to win national championships in four different team sports.
In 2005, the Owls moved up to Division I of the NCAA. This was a big step for their sports programs. In 2013, the Owls announced they would start a Division I football team. Their first football game was on September 3, 2015. By the end of 2019, the Kennesaw Owls football team had a great record, winning 48 games in their first five years.
The Owls play their home games at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw. In 2022, KSU announced that its sports teams would join Conference USA starting in the 2024–2025 school year. This move also meant the football team would move to the highest level of NCAA Division I football.
KSU Traditions
School Colors
The official colors for Kennesaw State University are black and gold.
Mascot
Kennesaw State University's mascot is Scrappy the Owl. There is also a live owl mascot named Sturgis, named after the university's first president, Dr. Horace T. Sturgis.
Famous People from KSU
Alumni (Former Students)
- Nick Ayers, who worked for the Vice President of the United States.
- Willie Harris, a professional baseball player who won the World Series in 2005.
- Masey McLain, a movie actress.
- Ty Pennington, a TV host from shows like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
- Shannon Purser, an actress.
- Lauren Simmons, a stockbroker.
Professors and Scholars
- Rhubarb Jones, a professor of mass communications.
- Melanie Sumner, a writer.
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