Willingham Hall, Kennesaw State University

Construction on Willingham Hall began in 1963 but was not used until 1967 when the school admitted students. Its classification as one of the “original eight” is in reference to it being a part of the original campus. Originally used to house the humanities and social sciences, its current occupants are the advising center, Radow and Journey Honor college, and the MA in Integrated Global Communications program. It is located between the Social Sciences building and University Hall, surrounding the “quad” of the 1967 original campus. 

The charter for what would eventually become Kennesaw State University was established in 1963, and classes began in 1967. The original campus was confined to eight buildings surrounding a central quad, one of these buildings is what we now call Willingham Hall. Before it was given its designation, the building was simply referred to as the “Humanities Building,” the reason being that it housed all the humanities and social science classes. However, as Kennesaw Junior College grew from a two-year college to a four-year college and eventually a state sanctioned university, it gained more students which resulted in the need for more space than a single small building could accommodate. This created the need for more buildings to be built (such as the Social Science building) and some to be repurposed (University Hall), this trio of buildings is collectively referred to as the “Social Sciences Complex.” 

In 2002 the “Humanities Building” received the new official title of “Willingham Hall”, honoring Harold Willingham, an outspoken advocate for the founding of Kennesaw Junior College. This was done in a ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by Betty Siegel (then President of Kennesaw State University), with various guests of relevance, including the Governor of Georgia and Harold Willingham Jr.’s son. Willingham Jr. Was nominated for this honor due to his commitment to the creation, continuation, and improvement of what is now known as Kennesaw State University. 

 Born in 1916, Harold Willingham Jr. led a life dedicated to service. First in the military, then as a lawyer, and finally as an advocate for the establishment of higher education to be created to serve his well-loved community. Even after he succeeded in his goal of gathering enough support to petition for the creation of this college, he continued to influence its development as an academic institution. The previously mentioned influence that Willingham Jr. held over the college is attributed to both his involvement in the formation of Kennesaw Junior College (its original name) as well as his constant petitions and please directed to the Board of Regents. Unfortunately, Harold Willingham Jr. passed away in 2000, before he could receive a building nomination. However, two years later he would be memorialized upon the previously named Humanities building. 

CHSS undergraduate advising center. Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://radow.kennesaw.edu/uac/index.php 

Hale, Beverly D, and Harold S Willingham. Interview with Harold Stephens Willingham, Jr. Cobb County Oral History Series No. 11, July 11, 1987. 

Scott, Thomas A. “History of Kennesaw State University.” Kennesaw State University, 1998. https://archives.kennesaw.edu/ksuhistory.pdf. 

Social Science Building, 1992-1999, undated. University Relations. Images. Campus Buildings and Landscapes (1966-2001 and undated), KSU-29-05-002. Kennesaw State University Archives.

Talisman 1995, Montage and Talisman yearbooks, 1967 - 1995, 11-020, Kennesaw State University Archives.