Let's Get Physical
New $38.7 million facility named for University’s longest-serving president Click…
Georgia (Sep 10, 2015) —
New $38.7 million facility named for University’s longest-serving president
KENNESAW, Ga. (Sept. 10, 2015) — Kennesaw State University students are starting the fall semester with a new $38.7
million, energy-efficient student recreation center. The 174,392-square-foot Dr. Betty
L. Siegel Student Recreation and Activities Center is named in honor of President
Emeritus Betty L. Siegel, the second and longest-serving president in Kennesaw State’s
more than 50-year history.
A large crowd of students, faculty, staff and University supporters attended today’s
ceremonial ribbon cutting, which featured comments from Kennesaw State President Daniel
S. Papp, Siegel and members of her family. Student guides conducted tours of the bi-level
facility and demonstrated the latest, state-of-the-art exercise and fitness equipment.
“Today’s formal dedication of the Dr. Betty L. Siegel Student Recreation and Activities
Center marks a truly momentous occasion in the campus life of Kennesaw State,” said
Papp. “By naming this beautiful building in Dr. Siegel’s honor, we pay homage to Kennesaw
State’s president emeritus, her tremendous legacy and her student-first philosophy.”
Completed this summer, the Siegel Center is more than three times the size of Kennesaw
State’s original student recreation building, which was opened in 2005. During the
recent construction, some 127,217 square feet of new space was added and another 47,175
square feet of the original structure was renovated.
“This new Center has long been a key element of our vision for the Kennesaw Campus
and today’s ribbon cutting event reflects our deep appreciation for Dr. Siegel’s contributions
to the vitality of this University,” Papp said. “Her quarter-century of leadership
at Kennesaw State is reflected in the growth of our new University and in the lives
of our more than 100,000 graduates.”
Based on the results of student surveys conducted by Kennesaw State’s Department of
Sports and Recreation, the new facility was designed to include:
· Two pools: an indoor competition swimming pool and an outdoor leisure swimming
pool;
· One outdoor basketball court and four indoor courts;
· A multi-sport court;
· Eight tennis courts;
· Weight and fitness areas;
· A 47-foot rock climbing tower;
· An indoor track; and
· Other amenities such as sand volleyball and racquetball courts.
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved the construction
and naming of the recreation center during its October 2012 meeting. The center is
financed by student fees of $85 per semester and bonds issued through the KSU Foundation
and the Development Authority of Cobb County.
“This new building is truly impressive; located in the heart of the campus, it is
a world-class facility, a gathering place where students can come to enjoy a variety
of sports, recreational, and school activities,” said Siegel. “I am honored to have
it bear my name, and I'm deeply grateful to all of you for making this happen.”
Siegel served as president of Kennesaw State from September 1981 until May 2006. She
led the institution’s growth from 4,000 students with 15 undergraduate degrees to
an institution with more than 18,000 students offering 55 graduate and undergraduate
degree programs. She also was the first woman to lead an institution in the University
System of Georgia.
Siegel now serves as president emeritus and as the distinguished chair of the Siegel
Institute for Leadership, Ethics and Character. Since her retirement in 2006, she
has launched a nonprofit foundation for global ethical leadership. She also serves
as an adviser and consultant in the private, public and nonprofit sectors. In March
2013, the University System of Georgia Foundation presented the Elridge McMillan Award
to Siegel in recognition of her lifetime of work in support of higher education.
“The Dr. Betty L. Siegel Student Recreation and Activities Center stands out as one
of the best in the country with a wide range of health, recreation, sports and fitness
options from which to choose,” said Kennesaw State’s Vice President for Student Affairs
K.C. White. “Students will often consider the quality of recreational and sports facilities,
along with the academics, when making their final decision on which university to
attend.”
Hughes Group Architects provided the concept for the building design; Cooper Carry
is the architect of record. The construction firm on the project was DPR Hardin Construction.
The facility is open Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m.- midnight; Friday, 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday,
8 a.m. - 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. - 11p.m. Faculty, staff, alumni and retirees
may contact the Department of Sports and Recreation for membership rates.
# # #
Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in Georgia, offering nearly
150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. A member of the University System
of Georgia, Kennesaw State is a comprehensive university with more than 33,000 students
from over 130 countries. In January 2015, Kennesaw State and Southern Polytechnic
State University consolidated to create one of the 50 largest public universities
in the country.
—Robert S. Godlewski
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.
