Kennesaw State celebrates new additions to campus
Kennesaw State University marked the completion of one major addition to campus and the birth of…
Georgia (Jan 17, 2003) — Kennesaw State celebrates new additions to campus
Rick Woodall
Abstract
Kennesaw State University marked the completion of one major addition to campus and
the birth of another Friday morning with a building dedication and a groundbreaking
ceremony in northern Cobb County.
Georgia Secretary of State Cathy Cox‚ KSU Foundation Vice−Chairman J. Larry Stevens
and former BellSouth Chairman and CEO John Clendenin were among the dignitaries on
hand for the dedication of the Ann and John Clendenin Computer Science Building‚ a
state−of−the−art‚ three−story facility funded with help from a $1 million gift from
Clendenin and his wife. Secretary Cox delivered the keynote address. Carl Swearingen‚
the chairman of Gov. Sonny Purdue's transition team‚ also took part in the festivities‚
bringing with him greetings and congratulations from the new governor.
Others in attendance included 11th District Congressman Phil Gingrey‚ who took part
in the Clendenin dedication as well as the groundbreaking ceremony for KSU's new convocation/classroom
building that immediately followed.
The Clendenin Building‚ with its 12 high−technology classrooms‚ provides much−needed
space for KSU's fast−growing Department of Computer Science and Information Systems.
Those classrooms feature such innovative instructional tools as WallTalker writing
and projection services‚ dual data projectors‚ a document camera and enhanced audio
and video capabilities. All told‚ more than 600 students can attend class at one time
without exceeding design capacity.
"Today is the fulfillment of a wonderful dream‚" said Dr. Laurence I. Peterson‚ dean
of Kennesaw State's College of Science and Mathematics. "Some of us have been waiting
five years for this day. When I arrived here in fall 1997 and saw the college's potential
for greatness‚ only space limitations stood in the way of our future."
Those limitations were overcome through a combination of government appropriations‚
corporate support from companies such as Gold Kist‚ Genuine Parts and Equifax‚ and
the generosity of the Clendenin family. Built in less than a year by Hogan Construction
Group‚ LLC.‚ the facility was actually delivered five months ahead of schedule‚ helping
KSU accommodate its explosive growth in fall 2002.
"This kind of building combines the best of technology‚ combines the best of art‚
combines the best of construction and the best of community support‚" KSU President
Betty L. Siegel said. "What a coming together in that braid. We've taken a major step
forward in our development."
Secretary Cox‚ whose cooperative venture with KSU −− the Center for Election Systems
−− helped make Georgia's switch to a uniform electronic voting system possible‚ praised
the university for its efforts to prepare students for the ever−evolving job market.
"As our new governor‚ Sonny Perdue‚ said earlier this week‚ investment in education
is the cornerstone of economic development and our future quality of life‚" she said.
"And Gov. Purdue is absolutely right. By sending KSU graduates into the workforce
with advanced preparation and state−of−the−art technological expertise‚ Kennesaw State
University is helping to ensure that Georgia will prosper economically in the years
ahead."
While the Clendenin Building provides the kind of educational environment needed for
students to earn a technology−related degree‚ the convocation/classroom building serves
a broad array of institutional and community needs‚ not the least of which is allowing
commencement exercises to be held on campus. The 117‚000 square−foot‚ $17.5 million
project will be the largest facility of its kind in Cobb County upon completion in
2004‚ with 15 classrooms‚ a hospitality suite and an auditorium/basketball arena with
seating for as many as 5‚000 people among its amenities.
"Let that convocation center be a place where we have wonderful athletic events‚"
Siegel said. "Let that be a place where we have extraordinary speakers‚ internationally
renowned‚ come and inspire us. Let that be a place for artistic endeavors. Let it
be a community building‚ in which we can come together for not just the building‚
but what's taking place in that building."
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Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive‚ residential institution with a growing
student population of 15‚600 from 118 countries. The fifth largest out of 34 institutions
in the University System of Georgia‚ KSU offers 55 undergraduate and graduate degree
programs.
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its approximately 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status, and one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
