Kennesaw State University

Inspired by her son's love of gaming, Maria Elizabeth Cvetanoski enrolled at Kennesaw State to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Computer Game Design and Development. Today, she sees game development as a bridge to education, and she has spent years connecting her coursework with her passion for helping underprivileged children in South America.

As a young girl in Cameroon, Jessica Tazanou saw firsthand how poverty kept many children from accessing basic needs such as food, health care, and education. A biology major and KSU Journey Honors College student, Tazanou founded a summer program in Cameroon to provide free learning opportunities for children who cannot afford to attend school.

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 volleyball standout Manu Johnsen is a four-time all-conference selection and an academic all-conference selection as well. In the classroom, Johnsen carries a 3.9 grade-point average as a biology major with a minor in data science and analytics. She has made the President's List and the Dean's List repeatedly.

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.

Kennesaw State University congratulates the more than 1,400 students named to the Dean's List in recognition of their academic achievement during the Summer 2025 semester. Undergraduate students enrolled in at least nine credit hours and with a term grade point average of 3.5 or higher were named to the list.

Matt Bonvissuto's research project using satellite data to measure the light emitted by stars with orbiting exoplanets won the top prize at the Birla Carbon Scholars Symposium. The symposium completes an intensive summer research program for students applying their studies toward sponsored projects under the guidance of KSU faculty scholars.

Kennesaw State University has named more than 1,400 students to the President's List in recognition of their academic excellence for the Summer 2025 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.

KSU's future scientists made discovery the theme for their summer experiences at a major laboratory. Recent graduate Micah Holston, senior Jack Smith and junior Jonathan Ridley interned at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, learning about national defense applications for engineering, computer science, and physics.

An early morning phone call confirmed for Raymond Kalra what once felt like a long shot - he had been selected for a competitive internship with NBC's The Today Show. Out of more than 500 applicants nationwide, the Kennesaw State journalism and emerging media student was one of only four chosen for the internship, which runs from September to April.

Among the newest student organizations on campus, Kennesaw State University's Owl Cyber Team recently reached the semifinals in the CyberLLM Challenge. Held during the Silicon Valley Cybersecurity Conference 2025, the event focuses on developing innovative applications to improve areas like threat detection and cybersecurity automation.

CrossFit changed Caralynn Doese's life twice - once when she sought a competitive outlet, and again as a Kennesaw State student in search of a possible academic outlet. Now she's helping conduct a study on CrossFit with Wellstar College of Health and Human Services professor Gerald Mangine through KSU's Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

Computer science student Johaan Kathilankal Jis is using advanced computational modeling and drug discovery simulations to help treat Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. "There is a lot of valuable data out there, but it is scattered. We are organizing it so other researchers can use it to push Alzheimer's studies forward," he said.

Aiming to create systems where machines and their virtual counterparts communicate in real time, Carter Corbin and a team of KSU students are advancing smart manufacturing by combining robotics and digital twin technology. "It is more than just a simulation," Corbin said. "We can collect live data and prevent costly mistakes before they happen."

Rising senior Summer Funk decided to research the phenomenon of math anxiety among student teachers because she had personal experience with the topic. An elementary education major whose parents graduated from KSU, Funk is conducting this study through the Office of Undergraduate Research's Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

Kennesaw State graduate student Lindsey Knight is researching genetic foundations of neurological development, after becoming fascinated by the brain as a child. "I want to mentor new researchers, conduct independent research, and keep looking at the genetic foundation that causes or allows these neurological disorders to develop over time," Knight said.

Exploring the stars takes a creative turn with "Draw the Night Sky," an interactive video game developed by Kennesaw State computer game design and development students. Created in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the game allows players to explore real-time constellations in a gamified experience built to educate and engage.

Recent public health graduate Liz Burchfield teamed with public health students Angel Fortmann and Allisa George to earn a gold designation at the Society for Public Health Education's (SOPHE) National Case Study Competition in Health Education. Kennesaw State was one of six universities nationwide to receive the accolade.

Kennesaw State University has named more than 6,100 students to the President's List in recognition of their academic excellence for the Spring 2025 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's steel bridge competition team finished seventh overall in the 2025 Student Steel Bridge Competition National Finals and also earned the Frank J. Hatfield Ingenuity Award for its creative approach to bridge design and construction. KSU was the lone Georgia school to qualify for the national competition.

Kennesaw State University congratulates the more than 8,500 students named to the Dean's List in recognition of their academic achievement during the Spring 2025 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.

Three sisters born minutes apart, but vastly different in terms of interests and career goals, thought about going separate ways for college. In the end, the Okafor triplets found that Kennesaw State University fit all their needs and their varied degree pursuits: Angela in digital animation, Benita in chemistry, and Jessica in management.

Diagnosed with fibular hemimelia, a condition in which a child is born missing part of or all of a bone in a lower leg, Adam Kiel received his first prosthesis at 11 months old. Now, through the Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics program at KSU, Kiel is pursuing a career as a prosthetist, hoping to use his lived experience to reach others.

Isabelle Boughadou traded a life of training elite athletes for a future as a researcher in biomedical science. She earned a master's degree in exercise science from Kennesaw State University while conducting award-winning research on maternal health, a turn from her original destination conducting research in high-performance sports.

Gabby Miller, Juliane Balog, and Zaire Breedlove had never gone to the Georgia State Capitol before, let alone covered a committee meeting during the General Assembly's legislative session. Undeterred, the trio of Kennesaw State journalism students hit the ground running at the start of their internships last semester with the Center for Sustainable Journalism.

This summer, Corey Mack is trading the classroom for a cyber command center. The Kennesaw State University computer engineering and cybersecurity dual major has been selected for the prestigious VICEROY MAVEN Internship, a Department of Defense program focused on cutting-edge research in cybersecurity and electromagnetic spectrum operations.

A dual major in biochemistry and psychology, Emily Clarke has taken the road less traveled at Kennesaw State. The rising junior is working toward a career in cognitive neuroscience and engaging in interdisciplinary research, with one hand in the Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the other in the College of Science and Mathematics.

George Chavez, Allison Behrend and Charlene Font have all received scholarships to prestigious dance workshops. Chavez will attend the Professional Intensive Summer Division at the Alvin Ailey School in New York City, while Behrend and Font travel to the American Dance Festival at Duke University.

DarVarous Jones and Charlotte McClung became the latest Kennesaw State students to earn their degrees as beneficiaries of the Paul Radow Scholars Program. The program was established in 2014 by longtime KSU benefactor Norman Radow in honor of his late father, Paul, an accomplished NASA engineer.