Siegel Student Recreation Center, Kennesaw State University

Constructed in 1967 as a Physical Education building for Kennesaw Junior College, the 55,000 sq. ft. building was one of the original eight buildings on the campus. The Physical Education building housed various sporting events, classes, and recreation opportunities for students, until the building was scheduled for renovation in 2013 to update its look for a new era. The building began renovations in 2013 and was renamed for Betty L. Siegel due to her contributions to Kennesaw State University during her twenty-five years as president. Renovation on the building would not be completed until September 2015, when it was then open for student enjoyment and recreation on campus.

The original Physical Education building was approved to be built by the Thompson & Street Company of Atlanta in September 1965 for Kennesaw Junior College. The building was to have a modern aesthetic, with twenty-three hundred seats, an indoor pool, and various equipment for indoor and outdoor use. The building also housed physical education courses, intramural contests, and other college sponsored activities. It was a pillar of social and recreational activity on the campus. The Physical Education building did not undergo many changes to its existing structure until it was set to be renovated in 2013 by various architectural and construction groups.

Renovations began on the Physical Education building in 2013, with plans to expand the building to a total area of 174,392 sq. ft. The renovation cost $38,700,000 and was carried out by the Hughes Group Architects and the associated firm Cooper Cray. With these two groups working on the renovation, construction was completed in September 2015. One article on the building notes changes made to the west façade of the building to give an open look to the activities occurring within the facility. The newly renovated Siegel Student Recreation Center allowed for forty-six unique program elements and one hundred and fifty activity choices for students to participate in. These activities include basketball, tennis, racquetball, soccer, and volleyball within the facility. The Siegel Student Recreation Center also hosts weightlifting equipment, cardio equipment, a bike shop, a climbing wall, and a twenty-five yard indoor swimming pool. There is no shortage of activities to try within the recreation center. With the additional activities and completed renovations, the new facility needed a name, and the University chose to name it after Betty L. Siegel.

The University’s former president Betty L. Siegel was a driving force in creating Kennesaw State University as it is known today. Under her direction the University grew dramatically in terms of degree programs and student enrollment. In 1981 University enrollment was at 3,500 students, but in Siegel’s twenty-five years at the university, the numbers grew to 18,000 students as of her retirement in 2006. With the growth in student enrollment, more programs of study came into the university, as well as options for masters' programs, because of Siegel’s work in expanding the university. The Student Center was named after her to honor her legacy and the work she did for the university. In August of 1981 the Board of Regents officially selected Betty L. Siegel as the new President of the university, with this selection Siegel became the first female university president in Georgia. President Betty L. Siegel retired in July of 2006 after years of tireless work to improve the university. 

The work done by Siegel will not be forgotten, especially within the student recreation center, as there is an exhibit paying homage to Siegel’s accomplishments. This exhibit can be found on the ground floor of the facility and features five panels with memorable quotes and accomplishments from Siegel. The panels are broken into three acts, Act I highlights Siegel’s journey into the Georgia University System, Act II focuses of Siegel’s efforts to create more leadership opportunities for women and more career opportunities for students within the university, and Act III showcases Siegel’s work after her retirement and how she continued to be a pillar within the community and advocated for education.

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Betty L. Siegel at the Siegel Student Recreation Center groundbreaking, 2013, Betty L. Siegel. photographs and images, 1973-2017, KSU/03/03/016, Kennesaw State University Archives.

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