Kennesaw State University Celebrates Opening of Hornet Hub
KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 18, 2026 – Kennesaw State University (KSU) marked a significant milestone in hands-on learning with the grand opening of the Hornet Hub on its Marietta Campus. This new 12,000-square-foot facility is designed to support student competition teams dedicated to designing and building projects for various regional and national competitions.
Located near KSU’s Engineering Technology Center, the Hornet Hub offers essential amenities including six competition team bays, six team rooms, a conference room, and specialized areas like a 1,280-square-foot machine shop and a 725-square-foot digital fabrication lab.
Teams that will benefit from this facility include KSU Motorsports, Night Owl Racing, and the Aerial Robotics Competition Team, among others. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 18, university leaders and community members gathered to celebrate the opening and enjoyed tours of the new space, along with a drone show that highlighted KSU’s innovative spirit.
KSU President Kathy S. Schwaig emphasized the importance of such facilities: “The Hornet Hub gives our students the space, tools, and resources to discover what they are capable of… preparing Owls to contribute as industries and the Georgia economy evolve.”
Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, noted that the building reflects both the future of KSU’s competition teams and a longstanding tradition that dates back over 50 years on the Marietta Campus. “It creates an environment where students can collaborate across disciplines, apply what they learn in the classroom, and develop professional skills,” Whitman remarked.
The Hornet Hub continues the legacy of competitive spirit that began at the former Southern Polytechnic State University, where students historically raced cast-iron tubs on campus.
Previously, competition teams were housed in outdated facilities from the 1970s and 1980s. The Hornet Hub consolidates resources and allows students to navigate easily between different workspaces and fabrication areas, enhancing collaboration and efficiency.
Kennesaw Motorsports recently achieved a top-five finish in the Cost Event with its electric vehicle, showcasing the success of KSU’s competitive teams. Senior mechatronics major Nicholas Montana, president of KSU’s Electric Vehicle Team, highlighted the benefits of the shared environment, saying, “This building will allow every competition team here to thrive.”
About Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, a leader in innovative teaching and learning, offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to over 51,000 students. As a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), KSU is recognized among the top 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities. For more details, visit kennesaw.edu.
