KENNESAW, Ga. | May 16, 2025

Research has shown that students benefit from having their families involved in their educational journey. Kennesaw State University’s Parent and Family Programs department continues to make that a priority, adding to its initiatives that equip students and their families to succeed.

The Parent and Family Advisory Council, a collaboration between University Advancement and Parent and Family Programs, is welcoming new members as it begins its second year of serving as ambassadors to KSU families. The council also oversees the Parent and Family Grant Program, which supports Kennesaw State’s registered student organizations through a grant application process reviewed by the council and other KSU staff.

The Parent and Family Grant Program funds are raised by selling commemorative bricks that line walkways on the Kennesaw and Marietta campuses. The Leave a Legacy brick campaign generated more than $16,000 in its inaugural year, and student organizations will be able to apply for funding this fall.

“Parents, families, and supporters are making an impact at Kennesaw State,” said Elisabeth Dilling, associate director of Parent and Family Programs. “Whether they are giving philanthropically or volunteering at events on campus, parents and other family members are contributing to students’ thriving at KSU and staying on track to earn their degrees.”

Joining the Parent and Family Advisory Council was a natural fit for Colin Morris, a certified life coach who works with empty-nesters whose young-adult children are transitioning into the “real world.” In fact, Morris was the guest speaker in March at the Parent and Family Association’s monthly meeting, offering tips to parents on reintegrating their college student into the family household after they’ve been living independently during the school year.

Morris’ son Patrick is a junior majoring in sport management at Kennesaw State, and her daughter Micaela earned a psychology degree from KSU in 2023. Morris’ experiences with her own college-age children, combined with her familiarity with KSU, is something she can share with other parents.

“I wanted to be connected as my kids left the nest, but as your kid pulls away, you don't always want to be connected the same way that you always have,” Morris said. “Helping other KSU parents and family members get connected, while still giving my student the space that he and she needed, was a comfort to me and made me feel like I was still a part of what they were doing.”

Case in point, Morris didn’t see her own son on the first day of fall semester classes in August, but she said that day is still one of her favorite moments as a member of the Parent and Family Advisory Council. She and a few other mothers manned the Parent and Family Programs information booth on the Campus Green and took photos of students as they smiled and posed with oversized picture frames.

“I loved seeing that I could be the mom for somebody else,” Morris said. “Maybe somebody’s mom was out of town, or they don't live geographically close to their mom, and I was able to kind of be a mom face in that moment and share that first day of school with them.”

As with Morris, Lezlie Renee’ Pipes was an ideal choice for the Parent and Family Advisory Council. She is accustomed to helping in the community through her philanthropic work with the Pipes Family Foundation, and she has become familiar with KSU Parent and Family Programs during her daughter Sydney’s time as a Kennesaw State student. The Pipes Family Foundation directly supported KSU’s 2025 Giving Day, making a dollar-for-dollar match of the $1,000 in donations that were earmarked for Parent and Family Programs.

Sydney, the Pipes’ third child to attend college, earned a bachelor’s degree in modern language and culture in 2023 and now is in the accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. While pursuing two degrees from KSU, Sydney has lived both on and off campus. Along the way, her mom has gleaned a wealth of experience and information that she can pass along to other parents.

“I know that parents are anxious about college, what their role is, what it should be and shouldn’t be,” Pipes said. “Students thrive when parents coach them, not do it for them. The support network at KSU can help parents transition to being parents of adults and coach their students as needed.”

An inaugural member of the Parent and Family Advisory Council, Pipes fondly recalls volunteering at KSU’s new student orientation sessions last summer, where she answered parents’ questions and encouraged them to sign up for the Parent and Family newsletter. Any type of interaction like that, she said, is a step toward helping students succeed – especially Kennesaw State’s many first-generation college students.

“If you are the parent of a first-generation student, you don’t know what you don’t know,” Pipes said. “I want parents to have that place at KSU where they can share experiences and challenges openly with other parents, and I want KSU to be the place families want to be a part of. We have this opportunity to help these parents and supporters be the best at getting their students across that stage at graduation.”

As the name indicates, the Parent and Family Association isn’t just for parents of Kennesaw State students – it’s open to any family member. Advisory Council newcomer Ruby Carbajal is connected to the university through her brother Abraham, who is wrapping up his first year as a KSU student.

“Families come in different shapes and sizes, and as a big sister I take on the role of support,” Carbajal said. “If other families can relate, I hope to be of assistance. These young adults are starting their path, and I am sure that any support we can give them makes a great difference.”

– Story by Paul Floeckher

Photos by Matt Yung and Darnell Wilburn

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.