English Building, Kennesaw State University

The English Building at Kennesaw State University is a relatively new addition to the school's growing body compared to the school's original eight buildings. The need for a building dedicated to English became apparent as enrollment numbers increased and the number of English students followed closely behind. The creation of the English Building allowed for an expansion in the English Department, allowing for several new classes pertaining to English, such as screenwriting and creative writing classes. The building (the new edition as well as the older half) is made of brick. It is also covered in windows, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The main entrance to the building takes you to the second floor out of the three floors. Just outside the front entrance, next to the English building sign, is the new outside seating area. It offers plaza-style seating as well as tables that offer charging stations for phones and computers.

Construction on the English building began in 2003, and by the 2004 school year, the building was ready to be used by faculty and students alike. The English building houses many different aspects of the KSU body, such as the Writing Center, which provides writing assistance to students who need a helping hand or who just need a fresh set of eyes to look over a paper. Other parts of the building are the Division of Diverse and Inclusive Excellence, currently headed by Sonia J. Toson; the Department of English, headed by John Havard; and the Office of Institutional Equity, headed by Brandi Williams. All the previously mentioned departments are integral to the continued success of the university and are more than able to fulfill their roles in their new home in the English Building.

The total space of the building is 79,767 square feet. In 2019, a new addition was added to the English building that merged the two halves together to form the English building that is still being used today. After expanding enrollment and the University's merger with Southern Polytechnic six years prior, the English department was overdue for an overhaul. While this was the main reason for the renovations, it was also time for a touch-up on the rest of the old building. As it had already been several years old before the English Department moved in, the English Building was in dire need of modern upgrades in order to keep up with the rest of the university. Some of the improvements made to the building included an overhaul of the HVAC system, LED lights added to all of the hallways, and new ceilings. The total cost of the new addition was-$3,959,179 and was completed well within the initial budget of $5 million. The new addition added 13,000 square feet to the older building. The new addition added more study spaces, such as tables, chairs, and sofas, for students to lounge comfortably in while studying. It also added new class rooms (lecture style rooms that seat fifty five students as well as smaller, more traditional classrooms, the new addition also added two computer lab classrooms which allows students without computers to engage with online activity's in real time, as well as added tiered classrooms that are ideal for film classes) and leisure areas with vending machines and couches that students and faculty alike can enjoy before and after classes.

CDH Architecture was the brains behind the new development and expertly combined the two buildings as well as helped renovate the old one. It is near impossible to tell that these buildings were once disconnected. The English Building remains largely the same after its renovations in 2019 and is more than able to accommodate the school's over 43,000 students. As of now, the English Department is the largest department at Kennesaw State University, and enrollment grows every year.

“Message from the Chair.” Department of English. Accessed 2023. https://radow.kennesaw.edu/english/about/message-from-chair.php. 

Kennesaw State University Interactive Map & Virtual Tour. Accessed 2023. https://maps.kennesaw.edu/. 

“Kennesaw State University, English Building.” School Designs, January 12, 2020. https://schooldesigns.com/Projects/kennesaw-state-university-english-building/. 

Scott, Thomas Allan. Kennesaw State University: The First Fifty Years, 1963-2013. Edited by Cathleen Salsburg-Pfund. The Kennesaw State University Press, 2013. https://soar.kennesaw.edu/handle/11360/2134.

KSU/SPSU History Timeline, 1947-2016, Thomas Scott Collection, Bulk 1975-2005, KSU/45/05/003, Kennesaw State University Archives

Gardner, Luke. The Sentinel, April 22, 2019. http://theksusentinel.com/2019/04/22/ksus-kennesaw-campus-through-the-years/. 

Butler, Megan. The Sentinel, January 15, 2018. https://theksusentinel.com/2018/01/15/english-building-renovations-to-continue-through-spring/.