KENNESAW, Ga. | Jan 15, 2026

Billy Hayes’ journey with Kennesaw State University began in 1999 when he enrolled in the Executive MBA program. Overcoming a significant health setback midway through his studies, Billy missed a month of coursework while working in South Georgia and traveling to Kennesaw every other weekend for classes. His professors accommodated him by allowing remote completion of missed assignments—a rare practice at the time. This support left a lasting impression on Billy, who went on to earn his degree in 2001 and was later named KSU’s 2006 Alumni of the Year.

“The professors could have easily required me to restart the program, but they worked with me to catch up,” said Billy, now a KSU Foundation trustee. “That experience fostered a deep connection and gratitude for KSU that I still carry today.”

Billy and his wife, Wanda Hayes, continue to find inspiration at KSU. During a KSU baseball game last year, they met a nursing student who shared how a scholarship fueled his determination to succeed.

“He spoke with such pride about the support he received, which made him want to achieve even more,” Wanda recalled. “That conversation solidified our decision to establish a scholarship.”

Through a $100,000 gift to the Campaign for Kennesaw State, the Hayes family created the Excellence in Healthcare Scholarship. This award supports students in the Michael J. Coles College of Business or the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services who are pursuing careers in the clinical or business aspects of healthcare.

“If we can change even one person’s life the way that student described, it will be our best investment ever,” Billy said.

The Hayes family has been a steadfast supporter of KSU, contributing to the KSU Alumni Association, President’s Parliament, KSU Athletics, and other initiatives. Establishing the scholarship aligns with Billy’s lifelong career in healthcare, including his role as CEO of Northside Hospital-Cherokee since 2004.

His leadership at KSU includes serving on the Coles College of Business advisory board at the invitation of then-dean, now KSU President Kathy S. Schwaig, and joining the KSU Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2010.

For Billy, KSU is more than an institution, it’s a family. This fall, his children, Bailey and Bryson, and Billy and Wanda’s granddaughter, Ivey, enrolled as KSU students. Once Bailey and Bryson graduate, all seven children in the couple’s blended family will hold college degrees.

“We deeply value higher education, and Kennesaw State embodies the excellence we want to support,” Billy said.

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.