Kathy Schwaig

Kathy ‘Kat’ Schwaig was named the sixth president of Kennesaw State University on March 16, 2022, following her tenure as interim president.

Under Schwaig’s leadership as president, KSU embarked on a comprehensive student success initiative, established new graduate degrees for in-demand fields such as financial technologies (MS) and computer science (Ph.D.), formalized a targeted strategy for enrollment growth, created a dynamic campus communication plan, and impactfully invested in the University’s research infrastructure. Prioritizing the cultivation of community as a strategic institutional goal, Schwaig relaunched a business incubator for campus and community innovators, created division plans to promote inclusive excellence, extended the capital campaign to include athletics, and launched FLIGHT26, an engagement program for first-year students.

From 2019-2021, Schwaig served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at KSU. During her time as provost, she facilitated the transition to a formal research (R2) institution and developed the R2 Roadmap to enhance undergraduate and graduate education as well as research. Schwaig led an extensive faculty hiring initiative, launched the Double Owl program, expanded the KSU Journey Honors College, and established the Provost Leadership Fellows and the Women’s Leadership Academy.

Prior to serving as provost, Schwaig was the dean of the Michael J. Coles College of Business, where she was named the Dinos Eminent Scholar Chair of Entrepreneurial Management. Schwaig oversaw the creation of the College’s first doctoral program, increased educational opportunities for entrepreneurs, and achieved the top ranking in the state for the College’s MBA programs.

Schwaig is a professor of information systems and her research focused on the strategic and ethical implications of computer technology. She published in key academic journals in her field, including the Journal of Management Information Systems and Information Systems Research.

Schwaig received the Oscar Burnett Award for Distinguished Achievement in Business from the Morris Brown College Foundation, the Cobb Executive Women’s Glass Ceiling Award, and Atlanta Magazine’s Women Making a Mark Award.

She serves on the Executive Committee for the Board of Directors of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and on the Board of Directors for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. She previously served on boards for the Cobb Community Foundation, Mount Paran Christian School, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta - Cobb County, Junior Achievement of Georgia, Engage Scholarship Consortium, and the Alliance for Children Everywhere.

A native of central Texas, Schwaig earned a BBA in Accounting and an MBA in Information Systems from Baylor University, a Master of Liberal Arts from Johns Hopkins University, and a Ph.D. in Information Systems from the University of South Carolina.