The skills and expertise from both institutions can leak over into the “new KSU”, but regardless of that realization, there is dispute over the reputation of each school. There are alumni and current students who feel as if SPSU will lose its academic standing as a school with roots in fostering practical knowledge through highly ranked engineering programs, but not all KSU students are pleased with this decision either. Some fear that a school primarily known for its nationally accredited business and educational programs is going to be overtaken by engineering and their degree will, in turn, lose its value. There is more than one way to view this matter and either way that it is assessed, everyone cannot and will not be satisfied. Its motive is geared toward improving the quality of education in Georgia as a whole is one that should not be overlooked.
I am a Communication major and confident that I will stay on that track all the way through graduation, but there are many students who are undecided and those who have declared a major but are wavering in their interest level. What if there was a student who was proudly attending SPSU as a Mechanical Engineering major, but was not sure if that is the degree they wanted to pursue because of a conflicting interest in the culinary field? There is not a related major to culinary arts at SPSU, but KSU has a B.S. degree program in Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality. SPSU also has a range of degrees and courses that KSU does not currently offer. Although both institutions are notable for different reasons, they still have the potential to complement one another significantly and cater to students who are in need of additional resources to make decisions.
Regardless of the difficulty that the merging of these two schools will cause, there will also be opportunities for students from both universities to build new relationships, cultivate skills and learn yet another lesson in resilience and acceptance – one that is well needed.
Toni-Ann Hall, Freshman
Communication Major
