KENNESAW, Ga. — It’s been an exciting week at Kennesaw State University. On Monday, the school officially unveiled new signs along Chastain Road, marking the main entrance to campus.
“It will really give an opportunity for students, visitors, and parents to know that they've just arrived at what has become a destination institution,” said Alex McGee, VP of external affairs.
“We used institutional funds, but they had been budgeted for. We didn't move any funds from any other operations within the university," McGee added. "There's been great growth at the institution, and so we had money set aside to be able to do those kinds of improvements and upgrades.”
Then, on Wednesday, KSU got approved for a $10 million donation, which McGee said will go to scholarships for the honors college students.
“We were pleased that the Board of Regents gave approval,” he said. “Many of the regents expressed their gratitude and their expectation that this is going to be used to really advance the engagement of the honors college in perpetuity which is the goal.”
McGee said the donation, which came from John and Rosemary Brown, is the single largest gift given to the university since it was founded in 1963.
“They've been able to come to campus, see the engagement that's gone on with the honors college, and those conversations started last year,” McGee said. “Through that time, they were able to really get a sense of how this tremendous gift would be able to impact students. We've really been fortunate to know that their ideas are aligning with ours. Student success is preeminent and paramount, and students are front and center.”
According to McGee, the campus also has new pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and a new open-air green space that should get lots of activity in the spring. With everything that’s happening, McGee said it’s a good time to be at KSU which continues to grow.
“We had a 30 percent increase in the freshman class coming into the fall last year,” he said. “It just gives that sense that this is a destination institution. We are steeped in the Cobb community, we engage with the Cobb community, but we also have the opportunity to appeal to students all over Georgia.”
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