# Southern Polytechnic State University

> former state university in Marietta, Georgia, United States

**Wikidata**: [Q3445053](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3445053)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Polytechnic_State_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/southern-polytechnic-state-university

## Summary
Southern Polytechnic State University (often called Southern Poly) was a public university located in Marietta, Georgia, within the United States. Founded in 1948, it was a member of the University System of Georgia and offered four-year and master's level education before its status changed to a former institution.

## Key Facts
- **Location**: 1100 S. Marietta Parkway, Marietta, Georgia, United States (Coordinates: 33.94, -84.52).
- **Founded**: 1948.
- **Type**: Public educational institution of the United States (University).
- **Parent Organization**: University System of Georgia.
- **Carnegie Classification**: Master's colleges and universities: larger programs; also classified as four-year, medium, primarily residential.
- **Athletics**: Southern Poly Runnin' Hornets.
- **Aliases**: Southern Poly.
- **Website**: http://www.spsu.edu/.
- **Postal Code**: 30060-2896.

## FAQs
### Q: Where was Southern Polytechnic State University located?
A: The university was located in Marietta, Georgia, at 1100 S. Marietta Parkway. It was situated in the United States.

### Q: When was the university founded?
A: Southern Polytechnic State University was founded in 1948.

### Q: What kind of institution was Southern Polytechnic State University?
A: It was a public educational institution classified as a university. It was part of the University System of Georgia and was described as a "master's college" with larger programs.

## Why It Matters
Southern Polytechnic State University played a significant role in higher education in Georgia for decades. As a public university within the University System of Georgia, it provided accessible education in applied sciences and technology, indicated by its "polytechnic" designation. Its classification as a "master's college and university" with "larger programs" suggests it had a substantial impact on the regional workforce and academic research. The transition of its status to a "former state university" marks a key moment in the consolidation of Georgia's higher education system. The institution's digital footprint and identifiers (such as its GRID ID and ISNI) remain relevant for historical academic records and library science.

## Notable For
- **Polytechnic Designation**: Specifically named for polytechnic education, implying a focus on applied sciences and technical fields.
- **Former Status**: Uniquely described as a "former" state university, indicating a consolidation or closure that distinguishes it from active peers.
- **Carnegie Classification**: Noted for being a "master's college" with "larger programs" and "very high undergraduate" enrollment characteristics.
- **Athletic Identity**: Maintained a distinct athletic identity as the "Runnin' Hornets."
- **Digital Legacy**: Its active Twitter handle (verified as @kennesawstate) and website redirects suggest a direct lineage or integration with Kennesaw State University.

## Body

### Overview and Classification
Southern Polytechnic State University, also known as Southern Poly, was a university and public educational institution of the United States. Established in 1948, it was located in Marietta, Georgia. The institution fell under the umbrella of the University System of Georgia.

### Location and Contact Details
The physical address of the university was 1100 S. Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA, with the postal code 30060-2896.
- **Coordinates**: 33.94 latitude, -84.52 longitude.
- **Website**: http://www.spsu.edu/.

### Academic and Institutional Data
According to Carnegie Classification data, the university held several designations:
- **Type**: Master's colleges and universities: larger programs.
- **Profile**: Four-year, medium, primarily residential.
- **Focus**: Professions plus arts & sciences, some graduate coexistence.
- **Undergraduate Profile**: Very high undergraduate.

### Athletics and Community
The university's athletic program was named the "Southern Poly Runnin' Hornets." It maintained a social media presence, notably a Twitter account with the handle `kennesawstate` (verified), which had over 63,000 followers in 2020 and continued to track follower counts through 2023.

### Identifiers and Codes
The institution is tracked in numerous academic and governmental databases:
- **ISNI**: 0000000096971776
- **GRID ID**: grid.263872.a
- **ROR ID**: 00cckeg37
- **Ringgold ID**: 15609
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: no2004018566
- **IPEDS ID**: 141097

### Affiliated Persons
- **Christopher L. Simpkins**: A computer scientist, university teacher, and flight instructor (Ph.D. Georgia Institute of Technology 2017) is listed as an affiliated person.

## References

1. [GRID](https://www.grid.ac/institutes/grid.263872.a)
2. Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
3. GRID Release 2017-01-10
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. GeoNames
7. [Source](http://www.spsu.edu/)
8. [Source](http://km.aifb.kit.edu/services/crunchbase/)
9. GRID Release 2015-12-14
10. GRID Release 2016-12-06
11. Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
12. Quora
13. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
14. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph