KENNESAW, Ga. | May 1, 2024

Kennesaw State University’s Alumni Association received the 2024 Alumni Association Inclusive Excellence Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The Alumni Award honors alumni associations’ programs, culture, and initiatives that encourage and support diversity, inclusion and a sense of belonging for all alumni.

Kennesaw State will be featured, alongside 31 other recipients, in the June 2024 issue of Insight Into Diversity magazine.

“We are beyond thrilled to be selected as one of the top alumni associations for inclusive excellence,” said Frances Beusse, executive director of alumni and constituent engagement. “KSU has grown exponentially, with an alumni base of more than 142,000 representing two universities. It is important to us that everyone feels a sense of belonging and finds their place within the alumni family. It is a great honor to be recognized not only among our peers but also by our own vice president of organizational effectiveness, leadership development and inclusive excellence, Dr. Sonia Toson, who encouraged us to apply.”

Insight Into Diversity magazine selected KSU’s Alumni Association for its ongoing efforts to engage alumni from both KSU and Southern Polytechnic State University. These efforts include the association’s Black Alumni Society, Hornets Homecoming event, and board of directors. The association takes pride in the longevity of the Black Alumni Society, the University’s first affinity group, which celebrated its 24^th anniversary in 2024. Additionally, the KSU Alumni Association and SPSU Alumni Society hosted the inaugural Hornets Homecoming event in 2023, inviting alumni back to the Marietta Campus to celebrate campus traditions and witness how the legacy of SPSU continues following the 2015 consolidation of KSU and SPSU.

Additionally, the KSU Alumni Association Board of Directors has made significant strides to match the representation of its board members with the demographics of the ever-changing and growing student body, demonstrating its commitment to inclusivity.

“We know that alumni associations are not always recognized for their dedication to diversity, inclusion, and belonging,” said Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Diversity magazine. “We are proud to honor these college and university alumni associations as role models for other institutions of higher education.”

A call for nominations for this award was announced in February 2024. For more information about the 2024 Alumni Association Inclusive Excellence Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.

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.