Kennesaw State University

As geopolitical conflicts continue to disrupt global energy markets, Kennesaw State Ph.D. student Nzubechukwu Ohalete found that artificial intelligence can identify warning signs of major oil crises weeks before they occur. His research suggests governments and businesses could use those early warnings to better prepare for potential disruptions.

As a young soccer player, Sofia Cupertino never imagined that one day she would be standing on the sidelines of a FIFA World Cup match, photographing some of the game's biggest stars on the world's biggest stage. Now a journalism student at Kennesaw State, Cupertino is covering World Cup matches this summer for an Atlanta-based soccer media outlet.

Kennesaw State University congratulates the more than 9,000 students named to the Dean's List in recognition of their academic achievement during the Spring 2026 semester. Undergraduate students enrolled in at least nine credit hours and with a term grade point average of at least 3.5 were named to the list.

Kennesaw State University has named nearly 6,300 students to the President's List in recognition of their academic excellence for the Spring 2026 semester. To achieve this honor, each undergraduate student must have completed at least nine credit hours with a term grade point average of 4.0.

Kennesaw State University architecture student Madison Wall turned a vision for Atlanta's historic Sweet Auburn district into a first-place finish at the Super South conference and competition. Wall impressed judges with her project, "Percolate," an integrated design that reimagines a vacant lot as a welcoming community gathering space.

With the mind of a scientist and the heart of an animal lover, Kaylee Stone combined her two loves at Kennesaw State. She is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry after four years full of curiosity and achievement. "The opportunities I've had for research at KSU all happened because I applied myself and took advantage of them," Stone said.

Kennesaw State student Darrius Knight was in the middle of giving a campus tour when he received a call from the office of U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, letting him know he had been selected from more than 300 applicants for a spring internship in Washington, D.C. It was the kind of moment Knight had been working toward for years.

Kennesaw State students presented their research findings during the Symposium of Student Scholars, with a pair of award-winning projects discovering potential solutions to environmental challenges. Deep eutenic solvents, an alternative to harmful organic solvents, appeared in both first-place winners at Symposium, hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Ella Goode is the Spring 2026 recipient of the Kennesaw State University President's Award of Distinction - the university's highest undergraduate honor. Graduating summa cum laude, Goode is completing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, with minors in management and software engineering, as a member of the KSU Journey Honors College.

For five weeks this summer, 16 Kennesaw State students from the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology traded their Marietta classrooms for the bustling metropolis of Taipei, Taiwan. The group immersed themselves in one of the world's most influential technology hubs while experiencing Taiwan's culture and daily life.

KSU junior David Roque spent a second consecutive summer working at his father's medical clinic in Poptun, Guatemala, handling myriad duties including check-in examinations, serving as a translator, and assisting with surgeries. Fluent in Spanish and English, Roque was an invaluable employee at the clinic while pursuing his own career in medicine.

Kennesaw State University senior Deja Boney has been named a 2025 Newman Civic Fellow, a national recognition honoring students who demonstrate leadership qualities and a strong commitment to community service. Boney, who is pursuing a degree in information systems, has led impactful service initiatives on and off campus.

Anh Duong, a senior majoring in computer science, has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the President's Award of Distinction. The award has been established to celebrate the accomplishments of one exceptional graduating student each semester "who serves as an inspiration to their peers, their community, and the entirety of Owl Nation."

Ella Goode and Allisa George received the Siegel Outstanding Student Leader Scholarship, celebrating students who reflect the true spirit of servant leadership and a commitment to helping others rise alongside them. The Tumlin Rising Leader Scholarship, which honors a student who embodies living a leadership lifestyle, was awarded to Aliyah Johnson.

One thing always guides Tracey Graves' endeavors: service. Graves has volunteered to help underprivileged children in Los Angeles while working as an actor, traveled to Zambia with the Peace Corps, and now sits on a nonprofit board there helping to pay girls' way through school. She and her sister recently formed a nonprofit organization in memory of their grandmother.

Kennesaw State University student Emma Hunt has qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics scheduled for Paris. Hunt, an exercise science major, earned her spot in the Olympics by winning a silver medal in the speed climbing world championship in Bern, Switzerland.

Kennesaw State students Gabrielle Jones and Summer Williams just made history at the University, but it wasn't easy. They became the first to complete Scrappy's Bucket List, a challenge designed to boost student engagement.

Kennesaw State University's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) hosted a networking panel for students at the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Georgia annual conference. The session hosted by KSU guided public relations students in creating a personal introduction that makes a strong impression in networking situations and job interviews.

Two Master of Arts in Professional Writing students at Kennesaw State University have won national honors for their creative writing and composition and rhetoric. Tyra Douyon won the Tin House Young Adult Workshop award, and Haley Hamilton had a proposal accepted for the Conference on College Composition and Communication.

The first semester of college is a time of transition and growth as students spread their wings and begin to navigate their academic careers, discover new interests and make lasting memories. Cassidy Martin, an Honors student from Acworth who plans to pursue a degree in international business, shares what made her first semester as an Owl meaningful.

Students at Kennesaw State University used their computing skills to help match young adults without families to volunteers who want to mentor them. The effort was part of the 2022 Hackathon for Social Good.