Kennesaw State University

As a child, Sulaiman Shaikh was always fascinated with discovery and had a passion for exploring the unknown. Now a double major in physics and computer science with a minor in mathematics at Kennesaw State, Shaikh is fueling that passion by exploring the quantum world of theoretical condensed matter physics, with the goal of making better-performing electronics.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sean Spencer has been named to the MetropolisFuture100, recognizing the top architecture and interior design students across the U.S. and Canada who demonstrate design excellence and leadership. Spencer was nominated by KSU's Department of Architecture based on his academic performance, creative portfolio, and leadership within the program.

KSU graduating senior Kaden Buford likes being hands-on with exercise science, immersing in a clinical environment and helping people heal from injuries. Her classmate Kayla Anderson prefers research, delving into the scientific "why" using data, experiments, and observation. Together, they form a formidable team studying effective measures of muscle function.

Equipped with robust internship experiences, the leaders of the Kennesaw State University Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) are full steam ahead into their careers after graduating this week with Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance degrees. SMIF CEO Matthew Brown and COO Hannah Hunt have landed jobs with competitive companies.

Matt Eaton had to convince himself that he could be what he wanted to be - an engineer specializing in robotics. This week, Eaton - his self-doubts long removed - is graduating with an engineering degree, a Master of Intelligent Robotic Systems from Kennesaw State University's Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology.

Graduating senior Maya Patel packed four years of college life into just three years. She took a rigorous course load as an Honors student, carried a 4.0 grade-point average in biology, belonged to several organizations, served in multiple leadership roles, and was a laboratory assistant for a research project designed to entice younger people to donate blood.

A semifinalist for the Fulbright Student Program, Bon Varlet is keenly interested in using her skills to ward off cyber threats, work that reflects her commitment to global collaboration and digital protection. Her proposed project not only explores digital defense strategies but also examines the political, social, and economic factors that influence cybersecurity policy.

Andrew Bramlett is well beyond his years, recalling history like a scholar who has long been in the field, longer than his lifetime. At 19 years old, Bramlett sits on the Kennesaw Historic Preservation Commission. A decade ago, he was appointed vice president of the Kennesaw Historical Society and served in the role until the group disbanded in 2023.

An undercurrent of restlessness and curiosity fuels Jess Maillet. The nontraditional, first-generation Kennesaw State University student has embraced change at every turn, from leaving her longtime restaurant job to enroll in college, to juggling several research projects across multiple disciplines as a mother of four.

Computer science student Mason Pederson is contributing to an initiative between Cobb County public safety officials and KSU's Cooperative Human-AI Teaming Lab. The collaboration explores artificial intelligence-driven approaches to community behavioral health, enabling Pederson to lead a focused effort on mental health crisis response.

Kennesaw State University Honors student Allisa George isn't just studying science. She's using it to change lives. Inspired by her family's battle with Alzheimer's and her passion for health policy, George seeks a career as a physician and researcher at the intersection of neurology and public health.

A double major in media and entertainment studies and graphic communications and a minor in Asian Studies, Lena Song serves as the vice president of a registered student organization, is actively involved with the Korean program, and recently completed the inaugural Metro Atlanta Changemakers Fellowship.

Mechatronics engineering student Andrea Martinez Angulo is well on her way to breaking new ground in robotics. Martinez Angulo is an active member of the Synergy Robotics Lab, where she has been working on a cutting-edge project involving robot dogs designed to reimagine agricultural practices.

Just a sophomore at Kennesaw State University, Aliyah Johnson holds numerous student leadership roles while balancing the rigorous courseload in the Wellstar-Tom and Betty Phillips Elite Honors Nursing Scholars program. Johnson is involved in various registered student organizations and she has landed five competitive scholarships.

Kennesaw State sophomore Shifa Jiwani is on a path toward becoming a neurologist, an interdisciplinary field that combines two of her interests - biology and psychology. She developed a passion for health care after witnessing the lack of access to proper medical care in rural communities in India, her native country.

Marissa Alban came to Kennesaw State University to study nursing, a field driven by the passion of its practitioners. Unable to shake her love and talent for singing, however, she channeled her passion into a music major with a focus on vocal performance, where she remains on a path toward a career as a professional singer.

It didn't take long for Kennesaw State University student Lilianna Kocai to discover a passion for research. All it took was a little nudge from assistant professor Carl Saint-Louis. As a freshman, Kocai took a course called Culture of Science and Mathematics, designed by Saint-Louis to open young eyes to research at an early stage in their college careers.

As different as they may seem, there are a lot of parallels between lacrosse and the field of computer science. Kennesaw State University student Kendal Elison said both require persistence and flexible decision-making. "On the lacrosse field, I stay calm under pressure and make quick decisions. It's the same with coding," Elison said.

Micah Holston is pursuing bachelor's degrees in physics and political science. He is a substitute teacher in Cherokee County schools and conducts research part time for the Air Force Research Laboratory. He also is the vice president of the Kennesaw Nuclear Society and the KSU chapter of the North American Young Generation for Nuclear.