Burruss Building, Kennesaw State University

The Burruss Building is located at 560 Parliament Garden Way NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144. It is a hub for all students of the Cole's College of Business. Located inside the building on the first floor is a McAlister's deli in the atrium with tables and chairs where students frequently socialize. The fourth floor contains computer labs, roleplaying rooms, and other student resources. All other floors contain classrooms and professors offices.

The Burruss Building on the Kennesaw State University campus is a 105,000 square foot postmodern building that was built in 1991.The building is home to the Coles College Of Business which occupies four floors and includes classrooms, conference rooms, sales and business labs, and the Center for Student Success. Located at 560 Parliament Garden Way NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144 the Burruss Building is east section of campusto campus, overlooking the campus green adjacent from the Carmichael Student Center and next to the university’s dining hall, The Commons.

The Burruss building is named in the honor of A.L. Burruss in 1991. A.L. Burruss was a Georgia legislator who played a critical part in Kennesaw State becoming a four year school in the 1970’s. Burruss managed the Busbee Campaign in Cobb County and became the “ear” in the governor's office in which he spoke out about the need to expand the then Kennesaw Junior College.

When the Burruss Building opened its doors to business students in 1991 it was called The School of Business Administration. In 1994 it was renamed after entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael J. Coles, becoming Cole’s College of Business. Michael J. Coles is known for founding the Great American Cookie Company in Atlanta in 1977. He started his relationship with Kennesaw State University in 1990 after meeting former KSU president, Betty Segiel. By 1994, through his charity the Coles-Novak Family Foundation, Coles gave the business school a generous gift. Michael J. Coles received an honorary doctorate from the university in 1999. Today, Coles remains a member of the KSU Foundation Executive Committee and still donates to the school as recently as 2021. 

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In 1996 the Coles School of Business listed in Success magazine's report on "The 25 Best Business Schools for Entrepreneurship" as one of the nation's "Top 10 Up-and- Comers"

Scott, Thomas. Kennesaw State University: The First Fifty Years: 1962-2013. Kennesaw: Kennesaw State University Press, 2013

“About Michael J. Coles.” Coles College of Business, coles.kennesaw.edu/about/michael-j-coles.php.