Kennesaw State University

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

KSU sophomore Valeria Ruiz won the Perfect Pitch Competition at the 2025 American Marketing Association (AMA) International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans. Tasked with telling a panel of judges in 90 seconds what makes them the ideal candidate for a job, Ruiz bested nearly 600 students from around the U.S. and the world for first place.

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.

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.

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.

While enrolled in the educational leadership doctoral program at Kennesaw State University, full-time assistant principal and mother of two Jennifer Wilson had classes to take and research papers and discussion posts to write. Graduating this May, Wilson will be the first in her family to have earned a doctorate.

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.

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."

The Wellstar-Tom and Betty Phillips Elite Honors Nursing Scholars program aims to produce top-notch nurses who benefit from a strong emphasis on academic scholarship. Each scholar belongs to the KSU Journey Honors College and participates in nursing-focused research projects in addition to rigorous curriculum in the Wellstar School of Nursing.

Students at Kennesaw State University are often led to research through personal connections, demonstrating how passion can spark action. Student researchers presented their findings at the Spring Symposium of Student Scholars, a three-day event hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research that allows students to explain their work in a public forum.