Launch ’26 celebrates new school year, sustained momentum
KENNESAW, Ga. | Aug 20, 2026
Speakers and guests enjoyed a look into KSU’s future, illustrated by visions of continued growth, academic excellence, ascendant and relevant research, and continued student success.
"Our progress did not happen all at once, and it did not happen by accident,” President Kathy S. Schwaig said. “That is why we began Launch ’26 this morning by looking ahead. The future we imagine is not abstract. It has names, faces, hopes, and ambitions.”
“We continue to advance KSU with a duality of focus in both teaching and research,” he said. “Across our academic colleges and administrative units, students, faculty and staff are working to expand our institutional influence – and this work continues to be recognized in multiple disciplinary and national forums.”
“Twenty years from now, I believe we will be known as a community-embedded research university whose impact can be measured not only in publications and grants, but in healthier communities, stronger economies, and better lives across our region and beyond,” said Chris Cornelison, assistant vice-president of innovation and strategic partnerships and associate professor of microbiology. “Our faculty will have seamless access to world-class research facilities and partnerships that expand what's possible, and our students will continue learning alongside researchers who are shaping the future in real time.”
Student Government Association President Allisa George, a public health and biology dual major, embodies the future and the momentum of KSU in her research on campus and in her future goals; she hopes to serve as a physician dedicated to improving public health outcomes in underserved communities. At the same time, through telling her own story, George stressed the legacy that all in attendance have a part in, as well as her own legacy as a beneficiary of KSU’s upward trajectory.
“If there’s one thing I hope you take from my story, it’s that the work you do at Kennesaw State matters far beyond this campus and this moment in time. Each day, you are shaping the future through every student you serve,” she said. “And what you just saw in my future is only one exciting example of what that investment could become.”
– Story by Dave Shelles
Photos by Katherine Seghers and Matt Yung
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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 ɫɫ. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.