Graduate scholarship in data sciences endowed by Kennesaw State faculty member
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Kennesaw State University has a newly endowed scholarship thanks to faculty member Jennifer Priestley and her husband Stephen. The couple established the J. Stephen and Jennifer Lewis Priestley Doctoral Endowed Scholarship upon providing a $26,000 gift to Kennesaw State University. This scholarship represents KSU’s first for a Ph.D. The funds are earmarked for students pursuing a Ph.D. in Analytics and Data Science.
Priestley joined the university in 2004. Thanks to the advocacy of Priestley and others who have nurtured the development of this area of study at the university, KSU has a stellar reputation in computational sciences. Priestley’s love for data science and analytics quickly inspired her to collaborate with fellow faculty members to establish a new program that soon became the Department of Applied Statistics and Analytical Sciences. That led to Priestley aiding the launch of a minor program and a Master of Science in Applied Statistics and Analytics.
After 17 years of exemplary service to KSU, Priestley is primed to retire from the school soon, but not before leaving her mark on what she has labored on for nearly two decades. The scholarship endowment represents the couple’s continued commitment to education.
During her tenure at KSU, Priestley established a tradition of helping students attend research conferences, oftentimes using her own money to finance these trips because the learning offered at these conferences were invaluable to her student’s education.