As student performers at Kennesaw State University, Jay and Trayece Watts shared their first kiss onstage during a production at Stillwell Theatre. “The final scene of the play included a comical slow motion run across the stage that ended in a kiss,” said Trayece Watts, who graduated in 1995. “So I guess there were 25 cast and crew members along with a full audience for our first kiss.”
Their connection to Kennesaw State continued beyond their undergraduate years. After meeting through campus theater, Jay and Trayece married and had three children. Two of their children have since enrolled at KSU.
The Division of Student Affairs recently named the Watts family of Marietta as the recipient of its second annual Family of the Year award. The recognition took place during Saturday’s Owls football game against Arkansas State, where Jay, Trayece, son Paden (class of 2025), daughter M.J., and youngest daughter Nika were honored on the field.
The Family of the Year initiative is part of Parent and Family Programs within Student Affairs. Elisabeth Dilling, associate director of Parent and Family Programs, said the program recognizes families’ contributions to student success and encourages students to appreciate their support systems.
M.J. Watts nominated her family for the award. She highlighted both their ties to KSU and her family’s commitment to supporting one another. “We don’t do things halfway here – you give it your all or you go home,” she said. “It’s always been what we do, and our parents have supported us every step of the way.”
Paden Watts earned his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences last spring and has started law school at Georgia State University.
M.J. is scheduled to graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from the Clarice C. and Leland H. Bagwell College of Education, following her mother into teaching.
Both siblings participated in Keeping Sights Upward Journey Honors College at KSU and completed two study abroad programs each.
Jay and Trayece met as undergraduates at KSU; similarly, both Paden and M.J. became engaged to partners they met during their time at the university.
“Kennesaw State is where good things start. It’s where Jay and I built the foundation for our careers and our relationship,” said Trayece Watts. “Our kids found areas of study and companions for the journey.”
