The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) today named Dr. Kathy “Kat” Schwaig president of Kennesaw State University (KSU), effective March 16.

Schwaig currently serves as KSU’s interim president.

“Kennesaw State has a strong advocate and leader in Dr. Schwaig, and there is no question about the passion she has for the university and its students, faculty and staff,” USG Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney said. “As a longtime member of the KSU community, she has been a major part of its journey to become a force for student success in higher education, and I congratulate her on being named president of the institution she loves.” 

During her eight months as interim president, Schwaig has focused on student-centered policies and practices aimed at improving retention, progression and graduation rates. This includes creating the Student Success Steering Committee, which works to coordinate and improve student success initiatives at a university that currently offers over 165 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and serves just under 43,000 students. 

Among her accomplishments as interim president, Schwaig created a new campus communication structure, successfully engaged with donors to raise money for scholarships, coordinated strategic and tactical planning for campus and athletic facilities and expanded the university’s overall strategic framework, the R2 Roadmap, by adding a new focus to build engagement both on-campus and with community and business partners.

“There is no question that Kennesaw State University has an extraordinary story and a promising future, and I’m honored the board has confidence in me to keep that story moving forward,” Schwaig said. “My highest priority has been to support faculty and staff in making KSU a student-centered university, and the university’s focus on retention, engagement and academic success won’t change.”