Kean University President Repollet Launches Next Era of AI and Innovation
President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., today launched a new era for Kean University in his annual Opening Day address, embracing artificial intelligence and innovation while reaffirming that human relationships and values remain central to Kean’s mission.
Kean is driving discovery, expanding opportunities and preparing students to lead in a global society, positioning the University to harness the power of AI to “boldly go where no university has gone before,” Repollet said.
Addressing a standing-room-only crowd at Wilkins Theatre, Repollet reflected on the University’s tremendous growth over the first five years of his time as president, including its designation as an R2 research university, record enrollment of nearly 19,000 students this fall, and rising levels of faculty research, grants and publications.
“When I became your president in 2020, I committed to making Kean an R2 global research university,” Repollet said. “It was more than a title. It was a call to action and a shared mission to elevate our research, our teaching, our community partnerships, and our international presence.”
“Today, we stand at the start of a new era. The question is no longer, can we achieve big goals? We’ve done that. The real question now is, what will we do with the momentum we’ve built?”
Repollet outlined plans for the coming years, including building a new hub for public health and advanced research at 1085 Morris Avenue in Union and continued global expansion through partnerships in Brazil, the United Arab Emirates and China.
The University’s footprint in New Jersey will grow, too, as Kean embarks on an agreement to merge with New Jersey City University and create Kean Jersey City.
AI will be central to this new era. This fall, Kean will launch New Jersey’s first Bachelor of Science in artificial intelligence, one of the few nationwide, alongside a Ph.D. in computer science and a new Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence. Faculty are already integrating AI tutors, mentors and research tools into learning, while the University develops its own custom platform, Keanu AI, named for its cougar mascot.
“We are evolving both what we teach and how we teach it to prepare our students for a world where technology, creativity and human ingenuity work hand in hand,” Repollet said.
His vision is captured in Elevate 2030, Kean’s new five-year strategic plan built on the University’s core values of academic excellence, equity, inclusivity, wellness, social mobility and public impact.
“AI runs through the heart of Elevate 2030 as both a transformational research tool and a powerful driver of teaching and learning,” he said. “With our momentum, our mission, and innovation as our fuel, there is no limit to how high we can climb.”
The Opening Day address was well received by both students and faculty.
“I had chills listening to the speech. We have a president who truly cares and is committed to seeing the University grow,” said Nahshon Brown, a Kean University freshman from Newark. “I plan to enroll in the new artificial intelligence program, so I was excited to hear about the innovations in that area as well as the computer science program.”
“I always leave the Opening Day address filled with hope and excitement, but this year was especially inspiring,” said Daniela Shebitz, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Environmental and Sustainability Sciences in the Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics and Technology at Kean University. “There is so much on the horizon and I’m excited to be a part of it.”