Kennesaw State Ushers In New Semester With Annual Cake Celebration

Press release from Kennesaw State University:

Aug 17, 2021

Kennesaw State ushers in new semester with annual cake celebration

Amani Johnson

KENNESAW, Ga.
(Aug 17, 2021) — Pacing a stretch of sidewalk that guides students to Kennesaw State University’s Campus
Green, Amani Johnson greeted her peers with hefty slices of cake in each hand.

The president of Kennesaw State’s Student Government Association, Johnson was participating
in her fourth straight First Day of School Cake celebration, an event held annually
during Kennesaw State’s Week of Welcome as a lighthearted way to usher in the fall semester. Beyond signaling the start of
the new school year, it also presented an opportunity to engage in some comradery
with fellow students between classes, she said.

“It’s been so nice to see everyone’s smiling faces again,” said Johnson, an accounting
major who is also member of the women’s basketball team. “This has been a really fun way to connect with other students and allows me to
dish out advice to incoming freshmen. It has always been a fun tradition we have at
KSU, and I’m glad that I get to play a part in it.”

Kathy Schwaig
The event kicked off on the Kennesaw Campus in the morning with opening remarks from
Interim President Kathy Schwaig. A second event was held on the Marietta Campus in
the afternoon, treating students, faculty and staff inside KSU’s Joe Mack Wilson Student
Center. In all, KSU’s University Dining spent three days preparing 1,200 cupcakes and 17 sheet cakes in preparation for the
First Day of School Cake events. The celebration has been held every fall semester
since 2018.

Elsewhere on the Kennesaw Campus, students Jennifer Ortega and Jasmine Palacios set
aside their cake slices snap a photo at the picturesque KS monument on the Campus
Green. Ortega, one of the more than 8,700 first-year students entering the Fall 2021
semester, had already attended two classes before using her break to indulge a request
from her mother for an on-campus selfie. She relished the opportunity to attend classes
in-person.

“I’m a visual learner, so I’ve really enjoyed being in the classroom setting,” said
Ortega, who is studying psychology. “It has the real college feel that I’ve been looking forward to, and I have the
opportunity to meet new people.”

Though just the first day of classes, Ortega has already set a goal of making the
dean’s list and pushing outside of her comfort zone to experience new things on campus.

Venu Madhan Naik, who is pursuing a master’s degree in information technology, said that he was charmed by the welcoming atmosphere on the Marietta Campus.

“It is such a warm welcome,” he said after finishing a cupcake. “The university is
awesome, and I’m excited to get started.”

Sitting near the globe toward the entrance of the Marietta Campus, mechanical engineering student Abdi Shirwa echoed Naik’s sentiments.

“This is a nice tradition and an excellent way to start the year.”Colleen Brook and Jordan Gingrich took a break on the plaza between the Convocation
Center and the Dr. Betty L. Siegel Student Recreation and Activities Center. The two
sat down on the benches to soak up the buzz on campus from the first day of classes
as music thumped nearby and a steady flow of traffic milled along the sidewalk. Brook
enjoyed a cupcake while Gingrich had a piece of the traditional first-day cake.

“There’s a lot to do today,” said Gingrich, a freshman psychology major. “That’s one
of the things that attracted me to KSU—it seems there’s always something to do.”

– Travis Highfield

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 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.

This press release was produced by Kennesaw State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.