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Division of Student Affairs Leadership Team

Name
Position

  • Dr. Eric Arneson.

    Vice President, Student Affairs & Part-Time Assistant Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs

    earneso1@kennesaw.edu
    (470) 578-6310
    KH 4413

    As the Vice President of Student Affairs (VPSA), Dr. Arneson provides leadership and direction for much of the co-curricular student experience at KSU.  He serves as the chief student advocate and expert on campus and provides direct counsel to President Kathy Schwaig and other key leaders in championing student success.  Dr. Arneson will foster student engagement and success by oversight of divisional departments; Dean of Students, Cultural and Community Centers, Counseling and Psychological Services, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student-Athlete Support Services, Sports and Recreation, CARE Services, Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery, Military and Veteran Services, Parent and Family Programs, Student Leadership and Services, among other areas all dedicate to creating engaging, inclusive, and supportive communities for our students.

    Dr. Arneson joins KSU after serving as the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Climate at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.  He previously worked in high level Student Affairs positions at Florida International University, University of Miami, University of Illinois and others.  He has been very involved in professional associations in leadership positions and has facilitated workshops and trainings nationally on Student Affairs related topics such as leadership development, communication, creating inclusive communities, and navigating career progression.  He is recognized as an expert in Student Affairs and student engagement. 

    Dr. Arneson holds a doctorate in Higher Education from Florida International University, a Masters of Arts in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. 

  • Dr. Ronald Briggs.

    Associate Vice President, Student Affairs and Dean of Students & Part-Time Assistant Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs

    rbriggs6@kennesaw.edu
    (470) 578-2422
    KH 4416

    Dr. Ronald Briggs, Jr. was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and recently lived in Phoenix, Arizona for 12 years. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from the University of Toledo and earned his doctoral degree in Higher Education from Arizona State University.In 2008, Dr. Briggs began his tenure at Arizona State University and has served in multiple roles including Executive Director of TRIO programs, Assistant Dean of Students, and Associate Dean of Students. Prior to joining ÈâÈ⴫ý, Dr. Briggs served at Arizona State University as the Sr. Director of Residential Life where he assisted students in their transition into college and beyond. Dr. Briggs has experience working in student development, organizational development, federal compliance, crisis intervention, and management.  Dr. Briggs also worked in residence life at Morehouse University, here in metro Atlanta.

    Dr. Briggs entered the field of higher education due to his passion in helping students find their purpose, passion, and achieve their personal and professional goals. His inspiration for serving others and working with students came from his student organization involvement as an undergraduate.  

    Because of his involvement as an undergraduate and graduate student, Dr. Briggs has had the pleasure to advise various student organizations for the over a decade. Dr. Briggs continues to live out his purpose in assisting students find their purpose and passion.

  • Dr. Gloria Laureano.

    Senior Associate Vice President, Student Affairs

    glaurean@kennesaw.edu
    (470) 578-2739
    KH 4418

    Dr. Gloria Laureano is the Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at ÈâÈ⴫ý where she has oversight of Marietta Student Affairs which includes: ,  ,  and Women's Resource Center;  ; and Student Centers.  Her portfolio also includes Strategic Planning, Assessment and Analysis; and Student Athlete Success Services.  

    Our Student Affairs Marietta units focus on student engagement and helping students create a sense of belonging.  Students participate in activities like Pumpkin Launch, Geek Week, OwlCon, GameOn KSU, Engineers Week, Weeks of Welcome, Homecoming, heritage month celebrations, and other opportunities that bring awareness to the communities we serve.

    For more information about our programs and services, please visit our .

  • Dr. Cara Ray.

    Assistant Vice President, Student Affairs & Part-Time Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership

    cray63@kennesaw.edu
    (470) 578-6290
    KH 4415

    Dr. Cara Ray is the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and currently works with Cultural and Community Centers, Military and Veteran Student Services, and Student Leadership and Service as well as serving on a number of committees.

    Prior to joining KSU in 2018, Dr. Ray spent almost 12 years at the University of North Georgia (formerly Gainesville State College), as the Director of Student Life and then as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students for the Gainesville and Cumming Campuses. During these years, she supervised staff and programs in Student Life, Counseling, Career Services, Disability Services, Orientation, Health Services, Multicultural Student Affairs, Student Money Management Center, Student Conduct, and Testing. Dr. Ray has also worked in student life at Georgia Tech and at North Carolina Wesleyan College.

    Dr. Ray earned her Ph. D. in College Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia in 2009.  Her research focused on how academically underprepared college students utilized their social connections to navigate the academic and social transition to college. Dr. Ray also holds an M.A. Ed. In Higher Education and Student Affairs from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a B.A. in Political Science from Guilford College.

  • Marcy Stidum

    Assistant Vice President, Student Affairs

    mstidum@kennesaw.edu
    (470) 578-7565
    KH 4411

    Marcy Stidum, LCSW, MPA is the Assistant Vice President for Student Wellbeing and currently oversees Advocacy and Prevention, Campus Awareness, Resource and Empowerment (CARE) Services, the Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery, Counseling and Psychological Service, Health Promotion and Wellness and Sport and Recreation.   
    Marcy’s efforts in supporting students at KSU has earned Marcy numerous state and regional awards including the Georgia College Counseling Association’s 2011-2012 Clinical Program of the Year Award, Atlanta Magazine’s 2014 Innovation Index Award, KSU Department of Residence Life’s 2014-2015 SOAR Award, the 2017 Cobb Community Collaborative Policy Council on Homelessness William E. (Bill) Hanson Collaboration Award and most recently, the 2021 KSU Positive Impact/Service to the Community Staff Award. 
     
    Marcy has been involved in several national organizations committed to helping homeless and foster care youth. She served as chair of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) Higher Education Committee, served as the co-chair of the Community on Homeless & Foster Care for NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, she served as chair for the Marietta/Cobb Housing and Urban Development Continuum of Care (HUD CoC), and currently a member of the Embark Georgia statewide conference steering committee where she serves as the conference curriculum co-chair.  
    A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Marcy Stidum founded ÈâÈ⴫ý’s (KSU) CARE Services, which provides four Basic Needs Insecurity programs to support KSU students. Marcy also formerly served as the Associate Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at ÈâÈ⴫ý State, where she oversaw outreach programming and the coordination of resources on and off campus for KSU students with complex treatment needs.

    Prior to joining ÈâÈ⴫ý State in 2010, Marcy Served as the Mental Health County Manager for Carroll and Heard Counties. For 10 years she served in this senior-level management position and spent five of those years as a surveyor for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. Prior to that Marcy was the Project Coordinator for the Valdosta State University Division of Social Work Project Healthy Grandparents Grant. 
     
    She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brewton-Parker College and Master’s Degrees in Social Work and Public Administration from Valdosta State University.

  • Candace Hall.

    Director, Strategic Initiatives and Operations, STA

    chall189@kennesaw.edu
    (470) 578-2263
    KH 3429

    Candace Hall serves as the strategic and financial advisor for the Division of Student Affairs. She supervises the Central Business Team, created in 2019 to meet the distinct financial needs of Student Affairs by providing expertise with budget management, purchasing, contracts, and Human Resources.

    Candace has spent most of her career in higher education within financial management. Prior to joining the Division of Student Affairs in 2015, Candace worked at the University of Denver as the Fiscal Officer for the University Libraries. Candace served as the Business Manager for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at ÈâÈ⴫ý State University from 2001-2011. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Professional Writing from ÈâÈ⴫ý, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stetson University.