KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 22, 2025

As student performers, Jay and Trayece Watts shared their first kiss under a spotlight onstage at Kennesaw State University’s Stillwell Theatre.

“The final scene of the play included a comical slow motion run across the stage that ended in a kiss,” Trayece Watts ’95 said. “So I guess there were 25 cast and crew members along with a full audience for our first kiss.”

From that time appearing in the play Pseudolus as undergraduates, the two would fall in love, marry, and have three children, two of whom so far have grown up to enroll at a now much bigger KSU.

Recognizing the vital role families play in the lives of their college students, the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) recently awarded the Watts family of Marietta the second annual Family of the Year distinction. At Saturday’s Owls football game hosting Arkansas State, the Watts – Jay; Trayece; son, Paden ’25; and daughter, M.J.; and youngest daughter Nika, who is still in high school – were recognized on-field for the honor.

The Family of the Year initiative, housed within Parent and Family Programs, was launched to recognize the contributions families make toward their students' success. Elisabeth Dilling, associate director of Parent and Family Programs, said it also urges students to reflect and show appreciation to their support systems.

M.J. Watts nominated her family and appreciates their deep connections in the KSU community. She also appreciates her family’s approach to success in higher education and in life.

“We don’t do things halfway here – you give it your all or you go home,” she said. “It’s always been what we do, and our parents have supported us every step of the way.”

Paden graduated last spring with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and is in his first semester of law school at Georgia State University.

M.J. is set to graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from the Clarice C. and Leland H. Bagwell College of Education, following in her mother’s footsteps as a teacher.

Both M.J. and Paden Watts were enrolled in the Keeping Sights Upward Journey Honors College, and each has completed two study abroad programs.

Much like Jay and Trayece, who found each other while attending KSU, the Watts siblings are both engaged and also met their future spouses during their undergraduate years.

“Kennesaw State is where good things start. It’s where Jay and I built the foundation for our careers and our relationship,” Trayece Watts said. “Our kids found areas of study and companions for the journey.”

 – Story by Gary Tanner

Photos submitted

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 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.