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KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 1, 2023

ÈâÈ⴫ý State scored two victories Thursday night during its football season opener – a definitive 38-7 win over Tusculum and a at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. Making the record attendance more significant was the number of students who came out to cheer the Owls to victory.

Research has shown that students who are engaged in campus life outside the classroom are more likely to have success in their courses, and KSU leaders have made it a priority to provide enriching experiences to encourage student involvement.

More than half of Thursday’s crowd at the home opener were students, a record attendance of 5,415. Of those, about 2,000 were first-year students who ran across the field to start the game dressed in their FLIGHT27 jerseys. Launched in 2022, the FLIGHT: Class-Year Connections program is one of the University’s larger student-engagement initiatives that fosters a sense of community among members of each incoming class of students to form bonds that help them succeed through each year and graduate together four years later.

– Photos by Matt Yung, John Brogan and Judith Pishnery

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, ÈâÈ⴫ý offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. ÈâÈ⴫ý 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. ÈâÈ⴫ý State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.