Balancing the responsibilities of a Division I athlete and a demanding academic schedule, Grant Crabtree, a graduating senior at Kennesaw State University (KSU), has demonstrated discipline in both his athletic and academic pursuits.
Crabtree, originally from Panama City, Florida, and raised in Douglasville, Georgia, began running competitively as a child. He joined the “Road Runners” youth track team in elementary school and continued through high school. “Over time, I continued to get better,” Crabtree said. “I figured it was something I could do at the collegiate level.”
Initially enrolling at Augusta University as a biology major, Crabtree later transferred to KSU to pursue mechanical engineering after discovering an interest in building and problem-solving. At KSU’s Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SPCEET), he walked on to the men’s cross country and track and field teams.
“I knew I could be a good runner, but I also knew engineering was where I wanted to be,” he said. “Walking on at KSU meant proving myself in both places, and I was ready for that challenge.”
During his three years at KSU, Crabtree became one of the top distance runners in program history. He set multiple school records—including those for the indoor 3000-meter, outdoor 5000-meter, indoor distance medley relay—and tied the outdoor 1500-meter record. He earned ASUN Conference All-Academic Honors and contributed to the Owls’ victories in both indoor and outdoor ASUN Conference championships in 2024.
“It was surreal,” he said. “To win the conference championship and be part of something that special makes me proud of my teammates. We all put in the hard work together.”
Crabtree managed athletics alongside academics by planning carefully and maintaining communication with professors when traveling for competitions. His senior design project involved developing a roadside wind turbine system designed to convert airflow from passing vehicles into energy for roadway safety signals.
“Our engineering students run through labs, collaborate on real-world design projects, and tackle rigorous coursework,” SPCEET Dean Lawrence Whitman said. “Grant accomplished all of this while competing at the highest level of collegiate athletics.”
Outside academics, Crabtree served as an ambassador for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), speaking with younger students about licensure’s importance.
He credits his teammates and coaches for their support throughout his college career: “There are going to be hard times, but it gets easier,” he said. “As long as you stay consistent, organized, and dedicated, it will all pan out.”
Crabtree has started working as an assistant project manager with Cleveland Electric and plans to continue his career in electrical contracting after graduation.
