1,700 to Graduate from Kennesaw State

More than 1,700 students will receive their undergraduate or graduate degree from Kennesaw State University today and Friday.

Fall commencement begins at 2 p.m. today with the ceremony for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and concludes at 3 p.m. Friday with the ceremony for the College of the Arts, WellStar College of Health & Human Services, the College of Science and Mathematics, and the University College.

All ceremonies will take place at the Kennesaw Convocation Center, 1000 Chastain Rd.

The class of 2012 includes an athletic star who enjoys working with special needs children in Acworth and a 48-year-old woman who started college more than 20 years ago, but left to join the Army, according to Robert Godlewski, spokesman for the university.

KSU GRADUATE SNAPSHOPTS

The university provided snapshots of a few of the members of the class of 2012:

• Donna LaShay Flippen, a 48-year-old retired Army sergeant first class began college more than twenty years ago at the University of Maryland, but left to join the Army. Flippen credits the Army with teaching her many life skills and preparing her for a career in human resources, but she knew she wanted to complete her education. Flippen, who will graduate KSU with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services, works as a transition coordinator in the University’s Veterans Resource Center and created Project Shelter, an organization that helps homeless student-veterans.
• Brian Graham, 22, is a star athlete having broken University and Atlantic Sun Conference records in track and field for Kennesaw State.His accomplishments at KSU extend to his academics, Graham has been on both the Dean’s and President’s List. A competitor in the decathlon, he can send a javelin sailing half the distance of a football field. The former Mill Creek High School standout from Gwinnett County entered KSU on a track and field scholarship. A computer science major, he hopes one day to work in the film industry. He enjoys working with special needs children in Acworth.
• Katheryne Castro, born in South America, moved to Australia when she was seven. A graduate of Campbell High School in south Cobb County, she is chapter president of Lambda Theta Alpha, the first Latin sorority in the nation. A runner-up for 2012 Homecoming queen, Castro participated in many campus volunteer activities and is graduating early. An exercise and health science major, her goal is to eventually go to medical school to become a pediatric cardiologist.

THE CEREMONIES

• College of Humanities and Social Sciences: 2 p.m. today
• All Doctorate, Specialist and Master’s Degrees: 7 p.m. today
• Coles College of Business and Bagwell College of Education: 10 a.m. Friday
• College of the Arts, WellStar College of Health & Human Services, College of Science and Mathematics and University College: 3 p.m. Friday