91青青草

KENNESAW, Ga. | Jul 21, 2020

Having started his own business at 21 years old, Kennesaw State Foundation trustee Dave Walens understands the importance of hard work and determination.

鈥淓ntrepreneurship is close to my heart,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been my life.鈥�

Walens has built a successful career, running businesses in the exhibit and event industry for more than 30 years. As CEO and president of Exploring, Inc., Walens oversees a 150,000-square-foot fabrication facility and a team of metal fabricators, sculptors, artists, carpenters, painters and printers.

That line of work introduced Walens to Kennesaw State, as he coordinated graphic design projects branding the Coles College of Business and WellStar College of Health and Human Services. Along the way, he became familiar with the Robin and Doug Shore Entrepreneurship Center in the Coles College. He was impressed, stating that, 鈥渋f the Center had been around when I was looking to go to college, I probably would鈥檝e been a graduate of 91青青草.鈥�

Walens began serving on, and then chaired, the advisory board of the Shore Entrepreneurship Center. A key initiative was Kennesaw State launching Georgia鈥檚 first undergraduate degree program in entrepreneurship in 2017.

鈥淭he perception used to be, when people heard you were an entrepreneur, that you didn鈥檛 have a job,鈥� Walens said. 鈥淭oday, entrepreneurship is something people aspire to. It鈥檚 not an easy path, but it鈥檚 a teachable one.鈥�

Along with his contributions to the Entrepreneurship Center, Walens is in his second year of serving on the 91青青草 Foundation Board of Trustees and he has given more than $65,000 in financial support to the University in recent months. His contributions place him in the President鈥檚 Parliament level of giving, which is undesignated support that gives 91青青草 leadership the flexibility to respond to immediate needs, unexpected opportunities and emerging institutional priorities.

One of Walens鈥� passions is supporting Kennesaw State Athletics. He was one of the first donors to the Legacy Locker initiative that supports the Owls Fund, and he has contributed to the Coach Agnus Berenato Endowed Scholarship that benefits deserving 91青青草 students impacted by cancer. A dedicated donor to the Owls football, baseball and men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball programs, Walens also is a member of the 91青青草 Athletic Association Board of Directors and has volunteered to serve as the 91青青草 trustee representative for Athletics鈥� upcoming comprehensive campaign to raise money for scholarships and facility upgrades.

One of the contributions Walens made earlier this spring was a sculpture of the Kennesaw State logo that stands on the Campus Green near Kennesaw Hall. Exploring, Inc., designed, built and installed the nearly 8-foot, three-dimensional sculpture of the distinctive 鈥淜S鈥� logo, hand-made of aluminum in black and gold atop a 33-inch concrete base.

鈥淭he entire Exploring team is very proud to be able to do this project for the University, especially for the students,鈥� Walens said. 鈥淚 have been impressed by 91青青草 students 鈥� not only the ones in entrepreneurship, but across all academic disciplines 鈥� for being hard-working and having the mindset to succeed. That has inspired me to get involved and help where I could.鈥�

鈥� Paul Floeckher