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Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

Newly invested president outlines vision for Kennesaw State

By Kennesaw State University

October 14^th, 2022

Dr. Kathy S. Schwaig has been formally invested as the sixth president of Kennesaw State University. In a heartfelt speech before faculty, students, staff and community leaders, Schwaig outlined her vision for the institution, the commitment needed to help students succeed and the positive impact that the university can have on the lives of students.

“At KSU, we all have the opportunity to influence – to be a part of the process of helping students shape and build their lives,” Schwaig said after being presented the Presidential Chain of Office from University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue. “Putting students first means that we care equally about their academic success and their KSU experience. We must be more deliberate in our work to engage and support students and ensure that they are on a path to graduate in four years.”

In her address, she noted that her passion and commitment to helping students succeed was formed as an undergraduate student who found her first experiences in higher education difficult.

“I struggled in every dimension and almost didn’t graduate,” Schwaig said. “When I look back on that time in my life, I remember the faces and the words of those who encouraged and supported me. They influenced me profoundly and somehow, I did graduate.”

As an example, Schwaig cited KSU alum Ali Shilatifard, who as a teenager in the mid-1980s immigrated to the U.S. from Iran, learned English, earned a GED and enrolled in what was then Kennesaw College. Living in his car for a time, Shilatifard was befriended by a college police officer, who helped him find work on campus. He later graduated with a degree in chemistry and a grade point average of 3.6.

Today, Shilatifard is chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. He is a leading researcher into the causes of childhood leukemia and is searching for a cure.

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

In her speech, Schwaig recognized members of the University community and the work they do to support and connect with students facing difficult circumstances like food and housing insecurities, addiction, and traumas from armed combat and emergency response. Schwaig noted that “Meeting students where they are,” is what these individuals do each day and that “we must support and enable the collective work of our people to have this type of influence on our students and communities.”

Schwaig outlined four areas of emphasis for the University now and in coming months and years, that include: Ensuring students are the University’s priority; providing support and connections for all; recognizing the importance of community connections; and being an environment where relevant research flourishes.

"I really like that she mentioned building this community. She's very inclusive and she wants everybody to be a part of it. As someone who spends time in both Marietta and Kennesaw, I can appreciate wanting to build that bridge." -RJ Norman, sophomore cybersecurity major

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

The president addressed the students in the audience at the Convocation Center in her final remarks.

“You have your own special story to tell,” Schwaig said. “And your story is now a part of the KSU story. The world is waiting for you. Your potential is infinite, and we stand in awe as we watch you take flight.”

“Her remarks about keeping students first and focusing on student retention and graduation shows she has a great vision for the future of KSU,” said Demi Crosby, a first-year student studying psychology.

Sumanth Yenduri, dean of the College of Computing and Software Engineering, said Schwaig’s remarks signal a bright future for Kennesaw State.

“Dr. Schwaig has been a strong advocate and leader for our students, faculty and staff, and her vision for student success will enhance and enrich the opportunities for our students to thrive,” Yenduri said. “I look forward to her continued leadership.”

Monica Swahn, dean of the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, said, "I'm thrilled with the four-pronged approach to building Kennesaw State, and I'm all in. As a dean, I especially love that we put student success first, and we build on that with the other three pillars. I look forward to seeing how we grow under Kat's leadership."

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

The ceremony featured video greetings from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and other federal, state and local leaders. It included a processional of KSU faculty, presidents from the University System of Georgia and other academic leaders and included featured performances by students and faculty from KSU’s College of the Arts.

Schwaig has been a part of the Kennesaw State community for 20 years, starting as a professor, before becoming dean of the Michael J. Coles College of Business. She was named provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs in 2019, and served as interim president before being named permanent president earlier this year.

"Students are the heart of our campus community, and Dr. Schwaig loves being among them. She is inspirational and has a strong vision to increase student engagement, enhance KSU as a top-tier R2 university and ensure student success before and after graduation." - Susan Mathews Hardy

Investiture of President Kathy Schwaig

Footnotes

Photo by Judith Pishnery, Matt Yung, Darnell Wilburn; Video by Matthew O'Neill

FootNotes

Photo by Judith Pishnery, Matt Yung, Darnell Wilburn; Video by Matthew O'Neill

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