Parker Honored By Kennesaw State Alumni Association
Friday, January 31st, 2025
Dalton City Administrator Andrew Parker has been honored as one of Kennesaw State's "40 Owls Under 40". The inaugural group of outstanding Kennesaw State alumni includes leaders and innovators working in more than 18 Georgia cities and also across the country.
Parker is a 2010 graduate of Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) which later became part of Kennesaw State University in 2015. Parker graduated with a degree in civil engineering. The "40 Owls Under 40" class includes five SPSU graduates.
Caption: Dalton city administrator Andrew Parker
"It's an honor to be selected alongside the other incredible alumni who are making contributions to their communities throughout Georgia and throughout the country," Parker said. "It's a really incredible list of alumni that were selected, and it's really special to be part of the inaugural group."
After graduating from SPSU, Parker returned to the Dalton Public Works Department where he'd started working during his summers as a Murray County High School student. Starting work in 2010 as a project manager, he was promoted to assistant director in 2014 and then to department director in 2019. Two years later, he was named city administrator. In addition to his engineering degree, he holds a number of advanced and specialized engineering and public works management certifications including being a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Georgia. He's a graduate of Leadership Dalton-Whitfield and Leadership Georgia.
"On behalf of the City Council, we could not be more proud of Andrew and we are so pleased that Kennesaw State is acknowledging him," said Mayor Annalee Sams. "We couldn't be more pleased with the work that he does. The educational preparedness that Andrew Parker received from Southern Polytechnic, which is now Kennesaw State, has really paid dividends to the City of Dalton and we're so fortunate to have the expertise that he brings to the job."
While the honor is an individual award, Parker was quick to point out that the recognition actually shines a spotlight on the work that the City of Dalton has done as a team. The networking opportunities that come from being part of the "40 Owls Under 40" class will be valuable for the City moving forward.
"It's a great thing to be able to bring some recognition to the exciting things that we have going in Dalton as part of my role, and also to what a great community we have that supports the projects and initiatives we're working on," Parker said. "I'm excited to meet the other alumni who have been selected."
With nearly half of KSU’s alumni under the age of 40, approximately 47,000 KSU and SPSU graduates were eligible for the 40 Owls Under 40 Class of 2025. The honorees were selected through a competitive nomination process, with candidates evaluated on their professional achievements, community involvement, and commitment to the university. Throughout Fall 2024, the KSU Alumni Association collected over 400 nominations.
“The true measure of value for any university lies in the impact of its alumni,” said KSU President Kathy S. Schwaig. “This first class of 40 Owls Under 40 is filled with leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, civil servants, and innovators. We are proud to call them our own and know they will continue to have great impact through their work and service.”
Representing a wide range of organizations, the class includes alumni from AT&T, NASA, Lockheed Martin, NBA Digital, and the U.S. Navy, among others. The 40 honorees include alumni from each of KSU's 11 colleges, 18 Georgia cities, six states, and the District of Columbia.
To learn more about the "40 Owls Under 40" program and to learn more about the 40 individuals being honored, click here.
Material from Kennesaw State's press release on the "40 Owls Under 40" is included in this story
