Kennesaw State recognized for excellence by Association of Georgia Housing Officers
Residence Life sweeps three of six categories including most innovative program
KENNESAW,…
Georgia
(Oct 28, 2009) — Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in Georgia, offering more
than 70 graduate and undergraduate degrees, including new doctorates in education,
business and nursing. A member of the 35-unit University System of Georgia, Kennesaw
State is a comprehensive, residential institution with a growing student population
of more than 22,300 from 142 countries.
Residence Life sweeps three of six categories including most innovative program
KENNESAW, Ga. (Oct. 25, 2009) — Kennesaw State University received three out of six statewide awards at the Association
of Georgia Housing Officers’ annual conference, Oct. 15-16, including the Georgia Gee Whiz Award for Tea Time, judged the most innovative program by a housing
or residence life department.
“Our department has previously won many statewide honors from GHO but this is the
highest number of awards we have won simultaneously.” KSU Residence Life Director
Michael Sanseviro said. “We were particularly honored because there were dozens of
nominees from more than 20 institutions.”
Tea Time is an informal weekly gathering where the Residence Life staff and university
administrators, faculty and other staff members meet with students over tea and snacks
to discuss topics ranging from current events to campus life. It was an idea that
came about by accident.
“Residence Life had grown rapidly and expanded into five separate offices across campus,
so we were discussing ways to help connect students to their resident assistants and
our staff ,” said Sanseviro. “A new coffee shop had just opened in the freshman suites
and the manager, a delightful British woman, shared stories of grand tea times back
in England, so when we opened the new main office location, we catered a high tea.The
event was so well received that we decided to make it a weekly event.”
According to Sanseviro, Tea Time has not only created a new campus tradition, but
also provided an opportunity for the staff to get direct feedback from students about
their housing experience and gave students an opportunity to meet faculty, chairs
and deans in a less-threatening environment.
In addition to the Gee Whiz Award, Associate Director of Residence Life Jeff Cooper
won the Outstanding Professional Award, which recognizes a university housing or residence
life employee who has positively impacted the professional and personal development
of students and staff.
“Jeff’s first project was to create a comprehensive staff development model that addressed
professional and personal growth for our department,” Sanseviro said. “He had it fully
implemented in time for our summer staff retreat less than a month after his arrival. He
also revamped and expanded resident assistants training and researched and implemented
a pilot First-Year Residential Experience program.”
Justin Koonz, coordinator of residence life for University Village Suites building
3000, won the Vickie Hawkins Outstanding New Professional Award, presented to a housing
or residence life employee who, in their first three years on the job, demonstrates
outstanding performance to their campus and exhibits potential for a successful career
in housing or residence life.
“Justin serves as coordinator for a new first-year experience building in the first
suite complex at KSU,” Sanseviro explained. “Working with his resident assistants,
he created one of the strongest staff teams on campus.”
Koonz also became involved in a number of critical campus projects including logistical
oversight for programs like the “Get In Gear” activities offered at the beginning
of each semester, Sanseviro said.
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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its nearly 43,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. 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.
