KSU is about to become a major arts training hub. Here’s why.

Ivan Pulinkala, Kennesaw State University (KSU) provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, has stated that the KSU Arts District will soon become one of the largest arts training facilities in the Southeast, thanks to a recent windfall.

As of January 2025, the College of the Arts at KSU is known as the Robert S. Geer Family College of the Arts pursuant to the bequeathal of the entire estate of the late Robert “Bob” S. Geer, valued at over $10 million.

“Home to the disciplines of music, theater, dance and art and design,” said Pulinkala in an email, “the KSU Arts District at Chastain Pointe will include state-of-the-art design and performance studios, rehearsal halls, classrooms, offices, outdoor performance venues, costume shops, scene shops, art galleries, a 100-seat recital hall, auxiliary spaces and multiple community gathering venues.”

Bob Geer announced his decision to donate his estate to the College of the Arts at the ArtsKSU Gala in October 2022, according to a press statement.

“This redheaded, freckled farm boy grew up very poor but with a passion for art, music — piano in particular — and dance,” said Geer, in a video shared during the gala. “One of my goals has always been the love of learning, to see that sense of achievement that comes through learning.”

“Bob’s journey epitomized the values of hard work, perseverance, and a love of learning,” said KSU President Kathy S. Schwaig in the press release. “Like so many of our students at KSU, he came from very humble beginnings. His story was one of remarkable achievement and great commitment, resulting in a transformational impact on the College of the Arts.”

After serving in the military during World War II and attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Geer worked at the company that became Norfolk Southern Railroad, eventually serving as its vice president. When he retired in 1985, he spent his time volunteering with organizations like the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Steinway Society. At a volunteering event, Geer met and formed friendships with Pulinkala and Joseph Meeks, founding dean of the College of the Arts. 

“What started as a professional connection became a friendship that I will cherish forever,” said Pulinkala in the press statement. “Bob was a brilliant and accomplished patriot who cared deeply about the arts. Learning about his life journey was inspirational, and I am grateful that his legacy will live on through ArtsKSU.”

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Mitali Singh is an Atlanta-based writer who is passionate about exploring the intersections between the arts and culture. She is currently a student at Emory University, studying English and creative writing. Her poems have been published in Eunoia Review and FEED.