KENNESAW, Ga. | Dec 4, 2025

Kennesaw State University’s Lawrence Whitman was installed as the inaugural Dale and Ann Heatherington Endowed Chair of Engineering and Engineering Technology in a ceremony on Thursday at the Engineering Technology Center.

The endowed chair  – the highest honor a university can bestow upon a faculty member – recognizes Whitman’s leadership as dean of the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SPCEET) and his steadfast commitment to advancing STEM education and research at KSU. The endowment was made possible by a $2 million gift from longtime KSU benefactor and retired research scientist Ann Heatherington. The gift was made in memory of her late husband, Dale Heatherington, a 1969 graduate of Southern Tech.

As part of the celebration, Kennesaw State also introduced the newly named Heatherington Engineering Lab Building. The nearly 35,000-square-foot facility, originally built in 1962 as part of the Southern Technical Institute, has long served as an important space for collaboration and hands-on learning. Dale Heatherington took several of his classes in the building during his time on campus, and today it houses the Senior Capstone Lab, academic advising offices, a large 3D print farm, and several advanced research labs that support the next generation of engineers.

The gift allows Whitman and all future deans to use annual allocations from the chair to support high-priority needs of the college and its students, faculty, and staff. Additionally, it strengthens Kennesaw State’s ability to expand engineering education, support faculty excellence, and create meaningful learning opportunities for students, further solidifying SPCEET’s role as a leading contributor to Georgia’s engineering community.

“We are incredibly grateful for the continued generosity of Ann Heatherington and the late Dale Heatherington, whose legacy is marked by a deep commitment to advancing engineering education,” said President Kathy S. Schwaig. “We are honored to install Dr. Whitman as the inaugural Dale and Ann Heatherington Endowed Chair of Engineering and Engineering Technology and look forward to the transformative impact this endowment will have on our students, faculty, and the future of innovation at KSU.”

Dale and Ann Heatherington have strong connections to the University, having given more than $3.4 million over a period that spans decades.

Dale Heatherington ’69, best known as one of the co-founders of Hayes Microcomputer Products, received his associate’s degree in electrical engineering technology from the former Southern Technical Institute, now Kennesaw State. He was posthumously inducted into the SPCEET College Academy and the Computer Museum of America Hall of Fame. Ann Heatherington embarked on an equally accomplished career, earning her Ph.D. in computer science and mathematics from Vanderbilt University and serving as a senior research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute.

“As Dale’s wife, I am proud to honor his life and accomplishments by endowing the Southern Polytechnic School of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Kennesaw State University with the Dale and Ann Heatherington Chair of Engineering and Engineering Technology, and with the naming of the building where Dale took classes as the Heatherington Engineering Lab Building. I have met Dr. Larry Whitman, dean of Engineering and Engineering Technology, who is the first occupant of the chair, and feel confident that he will be a worthy representative of Dale’s alma mater. I know Dale would share in my hope for the future, which is that our contributions play some small role in providing education for the engineers, computer scientists, and mathematicians of the future.”

Following his passing in 2021, Dale Heatherington’s estate gave $1.2 million to the KSU Foundation to establish the Heatherington Engineering Endowed Scholarship and to support the Dale Heatherington Mechatronics Lab in the Engineering Technology Center. In 2024, Ann Heatherington made an additional gift of $2 million to establish the endowed chair and expand the scholarship program.

In recognition of their continued philanthropic support, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia earlier this year approved the naming of the Heatherington Engineering Lab Building on KSU’s Marietta Campus.

“The endowed chair reflects an extraordinary commitment to engineering education and to the academic mission of Kennesaw State University,” said Lance Burchett, vice president for University Advancement and CEO of the KSU Foundation. “Building on their longtime support of Kennesaw State, the generosity of Dale and Ann Heatherington ensures that SPCEET has the resources to innovate, drive student success, and advance the technological excellence that distinguishes the college on a national level.”

Since July 2024, Whitman has provided strategic direction for Georgia’s second-largest engineering college with more than 6,700 students and 18 degree programs. Under his leadership, KSU has grown its research profile and launched a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering to address growing workforce demands for the state’s bustling aerospace industry.

Prior to KSU, Whitman served as dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he helped secure a significant gift for engineering and expanded industry partnerships. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and has secured more than $2.6 million in scientific funding throughout his academic career.

“I am truly honored to be installed as the inaugural Dale and Ann Heatherington Endowed Chair of Engineering and Engineering Technology,” Whitman said. “This investment represents a strong vote of confidence in our mission. Ann Heatherington’s generosity allows us to elevate research, expand opportunities for students, and continue the work of a college making a meaningful impact in Georgia and beyond.”

As a way to pay it forward, Dean Whitman announced on Thursday a $100,000 planned gift to Kennesaw State University that will establish the “Dean Lawrence Whitman Scholarship in Engineering.” The scholarship will be for sophomores, juniors and seniors in SPCEET.

Whitman earned a doctorate in industrial engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. He also holds a master’s degree in industrial engineering and management and bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering design technology from Oklahoma State University.

– Story by Raynard Churchwell

Photo by Darnell Wilburn

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.