John Steinbeck likened change to a “little wind that ruffles the curtains at dawn,” but here at KSU it seems to be riding in on large-scale gusts. From the top of University Place, the eye catches on a tower crane, a symbol of progress for we parliament of owls. The impressive new Betty L. Siegel Student Recreation and Activities Center will offer a handful of athletic activities that did not exist before; the Bernard A. Zuckerman Museum of Art will undoubtedly become a place for the cultured minds of campus to get lost; the expansion of our Student Center will have unique food options to be enjoyed just before the Campus Green; and those inclined toward the field of pedagogy will have the upsized Bagwell College of Education. All in all, one cannot help but to feel a stir of excitement for what is to come.
When thinking of the original Recreation Center, which according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia was first built 8 years ago, sophomore Krissy Ferriter remarked, “I think there weren’t enough options. All you could do was, what, lift weights and get on an elliptical? There wasn’t enough to do.”
Well, when the Center opens in October there will be plenty of choices. Hopefully this will induce students and faculty to flock to the tennis and basketball courts, pools and indoor track. We are not only talking about the potential for lifestyle changes on campus, we are talking about creating a greater sense of community. It is well known that socializing is just as important to a long and healthy life as good eating habits and exercise. Associate Professor of Psychology at Brigham Young University, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D., explains in a Forbes Magazine online edition how she and those in her field may have underestimated the affect human interactions can have on longevity. Positive encounters and relationships with others have the power to add quality time to our lives.
Now, making the way across the Campus Green we have the Student Center as our second focus. The fact that sushi will be available in such a convenient location has pushed several students past the point of giddy.
“I feel like sushi is starting to grow popularity,” said sophomore Krissy Ferriter, “so I think it’s a good way for the school to bring in more money.” According to Kennesaw.
patch.com, KSU raked in $926 million for the 2012 fiscal year. If the school continues to be renovated, expanded and appended with popular hot spots, like the sushi bar, our university is sure to break $ 1 billion in less than a decade. KSU may even ascend the throne as the number one university in Georgia – anything is possible. Such changes also create a little something called work. College students are always on the hunt for side jobs to make money while in school. Whether there are serious bills to pay or there is only a need for extra cash to go shopping, the struggle is real, as my roommates like to say.
The construction sites freckling the grounds somehow give off an air of importance.
They, even if only in a small way, signify worth. There is no greater benefit these alterations could give to students and faculty than showing that we are worthy of the best. KSU is climbing the USG ladder rung after rung, and our immense promise on the national collegiate stage continues to build. The growth that can be seen from 1966’s Kennesaw Junior College to 2013’s Kennesaw State University is beyond commendable, and the growth we see continuing today unquestionably alludes to a grand future to come. How humble beginnings make the best foundations for success.
Danielle Alvarez, Junior Political Science Major.
