He graduated from Christian Brothers College High School in 1959,[1] before attending Saint Louis University, where he earned a BS and an MBA in Economics.

[2] He worked briefly for General Motors and the Brown Shoe Company before becoming a faculty member and president of Southwestern Illinois College's Granite City Campus.

[3][4] Kassing joined San Jose State University in 1993 as the Vice President for Administration.

In July 2004, president Paul Yu resigned after only two weeks in the position, which Kassing was then appointed to fulfill on an interim basis.

[6] He was additionally lauded for his fundraising capabilities, raising a record breaking $100 million over his tenure, which earned the University a WealthEngine Award issued by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.