KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 23, 2021

Real estate executive Norman J. Radow and his wife Lindy were honored today at a ceremony celebrating Kennesaw State University’s newly named Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The event, which was attended by more than 200 people, was in recognition of the Radows' $9 million gift, one of the largest contributions from a single donor in the University’s history.

“This gift is beyond a game-changer, beyond transformative, and is incredibly relational. Both Lindy and Norman Radow love our students, our faculty and who we are as an institution. They believe in the mission of KSU,” said Kathy Schwaig, interim president of Kennesaw State. “This naming is an incredible opportunity for our students to identify with the Radow name, and it means something to the students to connect with someone who has a great history of success.”

The Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences is the largest of the University’s 11 academic colleges and has more than 80 programs of study for 7,000 of the nearly 43,000 graduate and undergraduate students enrolled at KSU.

Pam Cole, interim dean of the College, welcomed guests and expressed their gratitude to the Radows' support.

“The naming of this College by Norman and Lindy Radow has positioned it to be a global force in the humanities and social sciences, and today, we celebrate their support and welcome them into our College family,” Cole said. “This is an impressive College composed of and led by hardworking faculty and staff who teach students with an insatiable thirst for learning and giving back.” 

The gift includes $2 million to establish the Lindy Radow Humanities and Social Sciences Honors Scholarship Endowment Fund. First-year student Alicia Olguin-Macedo, a criminal justice major from Newnan, Ga., is the first recipient of the scholarship.

“I’m the first in my family to graduate high school and the first to attend college,” Olguin-Macedo said. “Because of the Radows' generosity, I am able to attend college without worrying about having enough money to pay for it. Their support has made it possible for me to follow my passion, pursue a meaningful career and ultimately change my family’s lives.”

The Radows' gift also established the Radow Institute for Social Equity (RISE), which will seek to address the challenges of social justice, equity and economic inequality while developing sustainable solutions to address pressing social challenges and produce real change. Renowned scholar Roslyn Satchel serves as the lead researcher for RISE, and she will produce scholarly work at a national level to advance the understanding and impacts of economic, political and social inequality in the commitment to social justice.

“Humanities and social sciences, historically the first and most important of the applied sciences, can create a new generation of thoughtful, educated and enlightened leaders who can help bridge our divides, encourage us to find consensus and lead us into a brighter future as a unified, civilized nation,” said Norman J. Radow, the founder and chief executive officer of The RADCO Companies, who also served as the chairman of the Kennesaw State University Foundation Board of Trustees. “That is why Lindy and I have decided that Kennesaw State is the largest, most robust social sciences college in the state and a beacon in the region and nation, and it deserves our commitment as never before.”

In addition to his many years of service to the University and the KSU Foundation, including countless hours of volunteerism and vision, Radow has also been a generous donor to other parts of the University. He has personally endowed three named scholarships in the past, including one to benefit students in the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, in honor of his father, Paul Radow. The Lindy Radow Scholarship and the Paul Radow Scholarship represent two of the largest student endowments from a single donor in the history of the University.

– Tiffany Capuano

Photos by Jason Getz

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 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 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.