KENNESAW, Ga. | Feb 3, 2026

Kennesaw State University’s Supplemental Instruction program has earned accreditation from the International Center for Supplemental Instruction (ICSI), becoming the largest program in the United States with that designation.

KSU’s Supplemental Instruction (SI) program offers free weekly study sessions for students enrolled in targeted courses. The voluntary sessions are led by trained peer leaders who guide students through collaborative activities that reinforce the material taught in class and develop effective learning strategies.

The program strives to raise student grades and retention within historically difficult courses and increase Kennesaw State’s overall graduation rates. Mandy McGrew, KSU’s director of supplemental instruction, described ICSI accreditation as “the gold standard for Supplemental Instruction programs worldwide,” recognizing excellence in program design, training, and outcomes.

“This milestone affirms that our SI team has built a program that not only meets but exceeds international standards for supplemental instruction,” McGrew said. “We look forward to seeing the impact it will have on KSU students for years to come.”

Kennesaw State hosts between 60 and 80 SI sessions a day across both campuses and online, according to McGrew. Last year the program assisted nearly 3,400 students, who attended study sessions about 14,000 times in the Spring 2025 semester and more than 13,000 times in Fall 2025.

Facilitating the weekly sessions are 140 Kennesaw State undergraduate students who are trained SI leaders, the most of any ICSI-accredited program in the country. SI leaders host study sessions for classes they have previously taken and earned an “A,” and they share their insight on how to study effectively and learn the material for that specific course. In addition, the peer leaders form relationships with their students and connect them with other KSU resources that may be beneficial.

“We try to be holistic and support our students in a way that goes beyond, ‘How do I solve this math problem?’” McGrew said. “We have found that students who come to at least one SI session in a semester are finishing their classes an entire letter grade higher than their peers who are not coming to any SI sessions, so we do see the correlation that students who are attending are doing better in their classes.”

Accounting major Mellayne Richards has seen the benefits of KSU’s Supplemental Instruction program from two perspectives, beginning as a freshman when she sought SI support with the first accounting class she was taking. Richards said that the SI sessions “made accounting not only understandable but genuinely enjoyable,” and she earned a high “A” in the class.

The experience inspired Richards to become an SI leader last year, enabling her to support students in the same way the program supported her. Richards said that being a peer leader also has helped her become more comfortable with public speaking and more confident leading a room, while strengthening her proficiency in accounting since she reinforces the concepts every week.

“The SI Department at KSU has truly transformed my college experience and the experiences of countless other students, and I’m grateful to be part of a program that makes a difference,” Richards said. “Being able to support students, encourage them, and watch them grow has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my time at KSU.”

For Richards and the other peer leaders, the Supplemental Instruction program provides jobs for students and professional development opportunities. Kennesaw State receives National Institute for Student Success (NISS) grant funding to help support SI leader positions.

“SI is having a broad impact for the students who attend these 14,000 sessions each semester, but it’s also having a really deep impact with the students who are working here,” McGrew 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.