Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University (KSU) is a public research university in the state of Georgia with two campuses in the Atlanta metropolitan area, one in Kennesaw and the other in Marietta on a combined 581 acres (235 ha) of land. The school was founded in 1963 by the Georgia Board of Regents using local bonds and a federal space-grant during a time of major Georgia economic expansion after World War II. KSU also holds classes at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Dalton State College, and in Paulding County (Dallas). The total enrollment exceeds 45,000 students making KSU the third-largest university by enrollment in Georgia.
Former names | Kennesaw Junior College (1966–1976) Kennesaw College (1976–1988) Kennesaw State College (1988–1996) Southern Polytechnic State University (merged 2015) |
|---|---|
| Motto | "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation" |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | October 9, 1963 |
Parent institution | University System of Georgia |
| Accreditation | SACS |
Academic affiliation | Space-grant |
| Endowment | $100 million (2021) |
| Budget | $566 million (2019) |
| President | Kathy Schwaig |
| Provost | Ivan Pulinkala |
Academic staff | 1,004 |
Administrative staff | 2,000 |
| Students | 45,152 (Fall 2023) |
| Undergraduates | 40,591 (Fall 2023) |
| Postgraduates | 4,561 (Fall 2023) |
| Location | , , United States 34.038°N 84.583°W |
| Campus | Large suburb, 581 acres (2.35 km2) |
| Newspaper | The Sentinel |
| Colors | Black and gold |
| Nickname | Owls |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division I FCS – ASUN (CUSA in 2024) |
| Mascot | Scrappy the Owl |
| Website | www |
KSU is part of the University System of Georgia and is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". Kennesaw State's athletic teams are an NCAA Division I member of the ASUN Conference. They will join Conference USA in 2024.