New certificate at Kennesaw State University will make Fortune 500 companies take notice
KENNESAW‚ Ga. (Dec. 4‚ 2006) — Fortune 500 companies will take notice when they see Kennesaw State…
Georgia (Dec 4, 2006) — New certificate at Kennesaw State University will make Fortune 500 companies take notice
Frances Weyand
Abstract
Contact: Frances Weyand‚ Director of University Relations‚ 770−423−6203 or fweyand@kennesaw.edu
KENNESAW‚ Ga. (Dec. 4‚ 2006) — Fortune 500 companies will take notice when they see
Kennesaw State University listed on a resume thanks to a new certificate in Statistical
Methods Using SAS. The most comprehensive data mining‚ business intelligence and statistical
analysis software available‚ SAS is used by 96 percent of Fortune 500 companies. Kennesaw
State is the only institution in the University System of Georgia to offer a certificate
in partnership with the SAS Institute.
“KSU is uniquely positioned to offer this certificate because our faculty and staff
have already been providing SAS training in our classes‚” said Victor Kane‚ chair
of the department of mathematics and statistics. “We chose to train our students using
the SAS program because it is the most widely recognized leading statistical software
available.”
Faculty in the department of mathematics and statistics view the new certificate as
an opportunity for KSU students to differentiate themselves from all other graduates
and gain a cutting−edge advantage in the marketplace through hands−on training.
“We are excited to offer this certificate to our students because it will directly
impact their marketability‚” said Jennifer Lewis Priestley‚ assistant professor of
statistics and Certified SAS Professional. “If students conduct a job search on the
Internet with the keyword ‘SAS‚’ they will find a substantive number of opportunities
available for this elite category.”
She added that employers appreciate graduates with an extensive knowledge of SAS because
it reduces the time companies have to spend on employee training.
“We have documented evidence that students earning these jointly awarded certificates
are getting $10‚000 to $15‚000 more than those without the certificates‚” said Jerry
Oglesby‚ director of higher education consulting and global certification for SAS.
“I feel that the program with KSU has the potential to highlight students’ considerable
additional experiences and exposure to real−world problem−solving and will likely
show tremendous lift with potential employers.”
Students will have to complete 12 hours of courses that offer SAS training to qualify
for the certificate. The certificate will benefit students from a wide variety of
disciplines‚ including psychology‚ nursing‚ political science‚ business‚ marketing
and finance. The first certificate will be awarded at the December commencement.
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Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive‚ residential institution with a growing
student population approaching 20‚000 from 132 countries. The third−largest university
out of 35 institutions in the University System of Georgia‚ Kennesaw State offers
more than 60 graduate and undergraduate degrees‚ including a new doctorate in education.
MORE NEWS…
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-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 126 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. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
