Presidential Announcements

March 24, 2023 - Wenzhou Kean University

March 17, 2023 - International Education

March 10, 2023 - Women's History Month

March 3, 2023 - Mid-Year Convocation

February 24, 2023 - Campus Safety 

February 17, 2023 - Strength in Numbers

February 10, 2023 - Ola from Brazil

February 3, 2023 - Black History Month

January 27, 2023 - Give Back to Kean

January 20, 2023 - Welcome back, Cougars!

January 16, 2023 - President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., Reflects on the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Dear Kean Community,

Nǐ hǎo (hello) and happy Spring, Cougars! This was a historic week for Kean University. My senior team and I traveled to Wenzhou-Kean University for the first time during my presidency while our Government Affairs team led a delegation to Washington, D.C. for our first Kean Day on Capitol Hill. This international and national presence reflects the University’s growing profile since being designated as a national university and the state’s first urban research university. The impact of both trips will be felt for years to come.

At WKU, I was struck by the similarities between our Kean USA campuses and our China campus. We are on parallel tracks on opposite sides of the globe. The WKU research footprint is growing with more published research and grants, much the same as Kean USA. The China campus is also growing in enrollment, and on both sides of the world, our University is strongly supported by the local governments.

In Wenzhou, I had the opportunity to meet with Wenzhou Party Secretary Shuji Liu Xiaotao, Wenzhou Mayor Zhang Zhenfeng, Vice Mayor Chen Yingxu and others to discuss the role of WKU as an anchor institution for their local community. I also participated in media interviews to share this vision. For the first time, I had a chance to explore the city itself and get a real sense of our partners and their history.

On campus, I visited with students at the Spring Arts Festival and a club fair. I also attended the grand opening of the new One-Stop Center launched by the Dean of Students, Dr. Haina Zhu. Kudos to her and the rest of the WKU team for such great work.

We also met with the leadership of NYU Shanghai to discuss a joint consortium for research. This kind of cross collaboration will allow us to solidify the impact of our institutions in the communities we serve, whether in China or the United States. We are excited about the potential of this collaboration and look forward to further discussions. Shout out to our WKU team members who worked so hard to support our delegation while we were in China: Jin Lusong, Zhu Sida, Chen Bin, Xu Kai, Wang Shu and Lu Lisu. A special thank you to my friend and Wenzhou-Kean Chairman Frank Wang Beijiao and his team for their hospitality. We look forward to returning the favor on our campus soon.

I took a break from our itinerary to FaceTime with the Government Affairs delegation in Washington, D.C. to share my support despite the thousands of miles between us. Our students met with Rep. Tom Kean Jr., as well as staff from U.S. senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker as well as Rep. Frank Pallone’s offices. Shout out to graduate students Jason Pleitez, Julia Stasil and Felipe Peralta as well as undergraduates Amir Gallashaw, Riley Heesters and Chevon Williams. They asked tough questions and represented Kean students on important issues such as student loan debt and career preparation. We are so proud of you.

Many of our deans and administrators joined the students in Washington for some productive sessions with various agencies. They learned about many opportunities for collaboration and opportunities for jobs and internships for our students. Kudos to Chief Government Affairs Officer Kellie LeDet, Director Craig Coughlin and the rest of the GA team for organizing such a productive trip.

Before I sign off, I remind students that you still have time to register for the Spring Career and Internship Fair for all majors on Tuesday, April 4 along Cougar Walk. It’s an incredible opportunity to meet with employers across a wide range of industries who are looking to diversify and strengthen their workforce.

On the occasion of Ramadan, may your fast be peaceful and profound. I wish you abundance, good health and joy. 

Sincerely,

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D.
President

Dear Kean Community, 

I leave for China tomorrow on my first visit to Wenzhou-Kean University as president of our global institution. I’ve been looking forward to making this trip for a couple of years and am grateful that post-pandemic conditions now allow our small Kean delegation the opportunity to see the progress and growth at WKU in person. When I last visited Wenzhou as a Board of Trustees member in 2017, I spoke to the University’s second graduating class. Since then, thousands more students from China and elsewhere have enrolled at WKU – a record of 3,982 in Fall 2022 – because they seek the benefits of an American-style education in China. This growth is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team at WKU, and I can’t wait to visit with them and see the beautiful campus again.

Last week my wife Darlene and I had dinner with Chinese Consul General Huang Ping, and his wife, Zhang Aiping, in New York. My thanks to the Consul General for his support in coordinating our trip to China. In these times of political uncertainties among nations, the visit reminded me why our joint educational initiative at WKU is so important. Students from both of our countries benefit from the cultural exchange that is part of our partnership. Many students from WKU are currently studying on our Union campus, and we look forward to sending more Kean students back to study at WKU in Fall 2023. And this international education extends beyond China. More than 115 Kean students participated in TraveLearn experiences across eight countries and the U.S./Mexico border during Spring Break, experiencing valuable academic and cultural lessons and expanding their own horizons. That is what a Kean education is all about.

While I’m in China next week, a Government Affairs delegation led by Kellie LeDet, our chief government affairs officer, and Director Craig Coughlin Jr., will be traveling to Washington, D.C. for our first Kean Day on Capitol Hill. This important initiative will allow students to share their personal Kean stories in meetings with lawmakers and others. Members of our administration also will talk with our federal partners about further opportunities for research, student internships and collaboration. Kean is becoming well known in our nation’s capital and among senior lawmakers as a national university on the rise.

I thank Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. David Birdsell and the members of our General Education Task Force for their hard work thus far in recreating the GE curriculum at Kean. As many of you learned at yesterday’s GE presentation, this group is working diligently to create an inquiry- and place-based experiential learning curriculum that is unique among our peers and prepares our students for their majors. Look for more information about this process in the months to come.

As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, I shout out six women who contribute to our success from many corners of our campus: Felice Vazquez, senior vice president for planning and special counsel to the president; Karen Smith, vice president of University Relations; Kristin Ganley, chief university counsel; Professor Frances Stavola-Daly from the School of Health and Human Performance; CWA President Dawn Worley; and Sandra Espinal, assistant director for student leadership and development.

It is also Disability Awareness Month, and I encourage all of you to attend some of the exciting events on campus designed to amplify the lived experiences, contributions and talent of people with all types of disabilities. For the first time, ReelAbilities New Jersey Film Festival will be hybrid. You can experience award-winning short and feature-length films both in-person at NAAB and online, from Thursday, March 30 through Saturday, April 1. Also, Tony Award-winner Ali Stroker will perform at Enlow Hall on April 1, and Premiere Stages will bring Plays by People, a partnership with Matheny’s Arts Access program, to the stage on Sunday, April 2.

Lastly, we’ve got exactly four weeks to go until Founders Day on Friday, April 14. Please consider donating to help us raise $100,000 in honor of the 168th anniversary of the founding of Kean’s predecessor, the Newark Normal School, and get your sneakers ready for the  inaugural Founders 5K on Saturday, April 15. Watch this video to get in the Founders Day spirit. Thanks in advance for your support.

Sincerely, 

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D.
President

Dear Kean Community, 

I hope you all had a restorative, relaxing Spring Break and you’re ready to finish the academic year strong. I have missed your energy on campus this week, Cougars, even though there’s been lots of activity while you were gone. On Tuesday, Kean welcomed more than 1,300 students from across the region to campus for the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling Regional College Fair. Attendees and their families met with representatives from nearly 120 colleges and universities, including Kean. It is always exciting to share the great things about Kean as students search for the college that’s right for them.

Also this week, hundreds of job seekers from across the state came to campus to meet with – and be recruited by – representatives from federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement agencies. Kean partnered with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office to host the second-annual Law Enforcement Recruitment Fair to further expand and diversify this critical workforce. We’re really proud of our criminal justice program and the Kean graduates who are serving their communities in law enforcement.

During Women’s History Month and always, I respect and honor the women leaders with whom I have the privilege to work. Today, I want to recognize the women who serve on the Kean Board of Trustees: Vice Chair Linda Lewis, Bertha Little-Mathews, former Chair Ada Morell ’97 and Barbara Sobel ’71. The extraordinary leadership, intelligence, insight and innovation of these women, along with my remarkable Chief of Staff Audrey Kelly, executive director of the Board of Trustees, and Associate Director Michelle Freestone, are invaluable. Thank you to all of them for their incredible work and unwavering commitment to this University.

As we spring forward to daylight saving time this weekend, the signs of Spring are beginning to show. These seasonal changes are also reminders – students, it’s time to schedule a meeting with your CAPS advisor ahead of Summer and Fall registration, tentatively scheduled to begin with priority registration on Monday, April 3. Graduating seniors, now is the time to prepare for Commencement and make sure you’ve got everything in order for this milestone event in your life. Visit the Commencement web page for the latest updates and information about the Graduate Fairs on Wednesday, May 3 and Thursday, May 4. You’ll be finished before you know it!

I look forward to seeing you all back on campus next week as we finish out the Spring semester in true Cougar style! Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. 
President

Dear Kean Community,

Thank you to everyone who joined me yesterday at the Miron Student Center for our first-ever Mid-Year Convocation. As I looked out into the full theatre, I was struck by how many of you came to share data, learn from one another and see how far we’ve come in addressing equity gaps in higher education. There’s strength in our numbers, as so many of you saw in the Data Gallery Walk, where 25 colleges and offices across the University highlighted their successes and goals. It was invigorating to see so many of you engaging in conversation and collaboration to bring forth new ideas and plans of action. There’s more work to be done, but I am confident that we’re on the right track.

While DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) efforts across the country are under fire as smoke-and-mirror – words without meaningful action – it’s clear that’s not what we’re doing here at Kean. We are making an impact. Yesterday was further proof that we are a strong community, committed to working together to close equity gaps – starting right here with our Kean students and expanding our efforts across higher education and beyond.

I thank the leadership team from the Division of Administration and SADI (Strategic Analytics and Data Illumination), including Senior Vice President Dr. Mike Salvatore, Vice President Dr. Carlos Rodriguez and Assistant Vice President Dr. Neva Lozada, for bringing us together to reflect on the progress we’ve made and set the stage for next steps. My appreciation also to the leadership and staff of University Relations, Conference and Events Services, Kean Stage, MSC and Computer and Information Services for your valuable contributions, both to the University’s vision and to the success of the Convocation.

Equity was also center stage this week as we kicked off Women’s History Month with two important events spearheaded by Dr. Consuelo Bonillas, coordinator of our Women’s and Gender Studies program, and Dr. Tamika Quick, executive director of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. My wife, Darlene, joined students and advocates for a crucial conversation and call to action around Black maternal-infant health outcomes inspired by the My Black Health is Beautiful curriculum. Participants then heard from more great speakers at a Period Party. Shout out to Drs. Bonillas and Quick, as well as Dr. Barbara George Johnson, vice president of external affairs and urban policy and research, Dr. Patricia Morreale, chair of the Department of Computer Science and Technology, and the many other women on campus for the tremendous work you do to support and empower women. Keep an eye out for more campus events celebrating Women’s History and Disability Awareness in March.

Today is Employee Appreciation Day, and I want you to know how much I appreciate the great team we have here at Kean. Cougars, enjoy your Spring Break next week. Make the most of your well-deserved days off, take time for self-care. I look forward to seeing you when you get back — rejuvenated and ready to finish out the semester strong.

I hope to see some of you at the Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, March 6.

Sincerely,

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. 
President

Dear Kean Community,

This week I had the opportunity to meet with the leaders of other Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the country as well as the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in Washington, D.C. to discuss one of the most important issues on our campuses: safety. The recent shooting at Michigan State University was fresh on everyone’s mind, but we all know it is only the latest incident of school and workplace violence in our country. We have a great deal of work to do as a nation to address hate and gun violence. The good news is we are already doing the work here at Kean to ensure our open campus is a place where we can all feel safe and secure. 

As I shared with my fellow college presidents, Kean is focused on risk mitigation and emergency preparedness. What does that mean for all of you? Kean’s Department of Public Safety is working to address potential threats before they escalate and to be prepared to respond in the event of an emergency. Our team engages with law enforcement across the state to make sure we are trained in both community policing and emergency response. In the near future, we will be conducting an emergency preparedness drill to further those efforts. Please be reassured that drills are simply part of our safety strategy and not cause for alarm.
It takes a village to keep us all safe. I want to thank University Police Acting Director Anthony Monticello and Acting Associate Director Jerome Hatfield for their work and collaboration with other divisions on campus. I also want to thank students, particularly the members of my President’s Advisory Council, for identifying areas for improvement, such as lighting upgrades and the addition of new blue emergency phones.

I am grateful to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities for hosting all of us in Washington, D.C. yesterday to facilitate these important conversations. I got the chance to engage with the Department of Homeland Security about internships for students and professional learning. I was also able to share Kean’s great work in the field of cybersecurity. As many of you know, the Kean University Center for Cybersecurity was designated last year as an NSA Center for Academic Excellence - Cyber Defense. This is crucial work, and it was great to showcase it on a national stage.

As we come to the end of Black History Month, I shout out four individuals: William Burton, managing assistant director in the Office of Computer and Information Services, keeps many important meetings and presentations running smoothly; Kerrin Lyles, assistant vice president for student affairs, brings his expertise to running the Miron Student Center and other programs; Dr. Louis Beaugris is a longstanding leader in the Department of Mathematical Sciences; and Sandra Mazara-Wheeler, director of undergraduate admissions, keeps our student recruitment going strong. We are grateful to all of them for their service to Kean.

Congratulations to swimmer Naomee Miller for being chosen to participate in the 2023 NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship next month in North Carolina. Good luck, Naomee. We are all cheering you on. I also remind you to RSVP by Monday for our inaugural Mid-Year Convocation on Thursday, March 2 at 3:30 p.m. in the Little Theatre at Miron Student Center. We are excited to share Kean’s “Strength in Numbers” through the work our divisions are doing to address equity gaps in higher education. See you there.

Sincerely,

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. 
President

Dear Kean Community,

My trip to Brazil with a Kean delegation last week was productive and enlightening, but it’s nice to be back on campus. This week I jumped back into meetings and strategy sessions to plan for the remainder of this semester and beyond. There are many exciting things in the works, so stay tuned.

Our Well-Being at Work yoga session yesterday was very relaxing. It prepared my mind and body to finish out the week and head into the weekend feeling good. My gratitude to Tara Bogota, program coordinator for Kean’s Yoga Teacher Training Center in the College of Health Professions and Human Services, and students and staff from the School of Health and Human Performance, for offering us the time and space to center and re-energize ourselves.

I had the pleasure of Walking Through Black History with Kean P.U.L.S.E. this week as well. The work student-leaders Hannah Tull, Kayla Vares and Sarai Rodriguez are doing to ensure their fellow students have a safe, welcoming, fun and educational community to belong to here at Kean is truly remarkable.

The Cougars’ championship ring is getting bigger and bigger. Congrats to Coach Chris Swenson and the 14 members of the women’s swimming team for earning a spot on the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association (CSCAA) Scholar All-America Team. They are currently competing in the Metropolitan Conference Championships. The entire team has worked very hard to achieve this level of success and I couldn’t be more proud. There are plenty of opportunities to cheer on our fellow Cougars here on their home turf this weekend. Men’s volleyball is playing in three sets, men’s baseball will take on a doubleheader, and the men’s basketball team enters the quarterfinals of the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament. Visit the Athletics website for schedule details.

Let’s all take a page from our athletes and start preparing for the inaugural Kean University Founders Day 5K in April. My wife, Darlene, and I will be participating and want to see all of you running, walking or rolling alongside us, so head on over to register. Since we’re off on Monday for Presidents’ Day, we can all get a head start on training.

Before we leave for the weekend, I invite you all to reserve a seat at our first Mid-Year Convocation on Thursday, March 2, at 3:30 p.m. at the MSC Little Theatre. My leadership team and I will be sharing updates on how the University is using data to close equity gaps in higher education – in alignment with Kean’s recent Moon Shot for Equity partnership – and how you can help contribute to our forward progress.

Enjoy the three-day weekend.

Sincerely,

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. 
President

Dear Kean Community,

Ola! Boa tarde! I’m writing as I wrap up my trip to Brazil as site visit chair of the Middle States Self-Study Team for Buffalo State University. This week, I was fortunate to visit Brasília and see some of the amazing programs being offered at the School of the Nations, an international school. I’m also leading a Kean delegation that is focused on expanding our reach here in Brazil, both in terms of educational partnerships for students as well as research and industry connections.

The delegation held meetings in Brasília and São Paulo. On Thursday morning, Cultural Affairs Officer Todd Miyahira and Senior Education Outreach Specialist Leonardo Nardon, both from the U.S. Embassy in Brasília, facilitated a meeting with Dr. Frederico Lamego, superintendent for international business at SENAI. SENAI is Brazil’s primary vehicle for technical education. It partners extensively with industry to develop a skilled workforce, and foster research and development through 27 Innovation Centers around the country. We discussed several ways to collaborate as SENAI seeks to grow its base of partners in areas of research and instruction, such as the biosciences and cyber security, where Kean has deep expertise.

We also want to bring Brazilian students to Kean for some or all of their studies. Our team met with officials at the EducationUSA office in Brasília to make sure that Kean’s growing roster of faculty and degree programs is well understood by the key agency fostering inbound student mobility on behalf of the U.S. government. Our focus on urban research serves us well as we seek to attract students and faculty from around the world interested in urban issues. The group also visited Mackenzie Presbyterian University, FAAP - Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado, and the Fulbright Commission.

My thanks to Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. David Birdsell, Senior Vice President and Special Counsel Felice Vazquez, Deputy Chief of Staff Itunu Balogun, Acting Associate Director of Public Safety Jerome Hatfield and Kean Study Abroad Coordinator Brittany Bursa for joining me in this important outreach. Special thanks also to Board of Trustee member Barbara Sobel and her husband, former U.S. ambassador to Brazil Clifford Sobel, for their time and advice in designing such a productive visit. Outreach of this kind is an opportunity for us to learn as well as to advance our partnerships. The U.S. has no monopoly on good ideas. Just as we encourage our students to engage globally and look to the whole world for inspiration, the University applies that same spirit of learning and exploration to our efforts to expand our global footprint.

Back at home, we continue to celebrate Black History Month. Today I want to recognize Athletic Director Kelly Williams, who has transformed our Athletic Department since he joined Kean a few years ago. He is inspiring our athletes and many of us across the University. I encourage you to take a look at the department’s new video series celebrating Black History Month.

Before I sign off, let me point out two exciting opportunities for our students. I encourage all of you to sign up for our Greek Life Alumni Student Networking event on Wednesday, February 15. We have dozens of alumni who are coming to meet and discuss their careers with you. This is a great opportunity to expand your network, and it’s open to everyone, not just members of Greek organizations. I also encourage all of our students who are fluent Spanish speakers, and I know we have many, to submit an audition tape to be a star in our newest Amazon video series The College Tour en Español. This is a chance to share your Kean story with the world in your native language.

As the people of Turkey and Syria continue to face the aftermath of powerful earthquakes that claimed more than 22,000 lives and injured thousands, I extend my deepest sympathies to people in the region. I encourage every member of the Kean family to dig deep and consider making a donation to the relief efforts — CNN today offered some ways to support the cause, and other organizations are also collecting donations.

See you all back on campus next week. 

Sincerely,
 

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D.
President 

Dear Kean Community,

Black History Month has begun and so has the celebration at Kean. We proudly take this time to recognize the contributions of Black Americans to our nation’s culture and society, with our eyes firmly set on a future nourished by the principles of fairness, equity and justice.

It was an honor to kick off the month’s festivities with an award from the Union County Board of Commissioners. I received Union County’s Humanitarian Award named for Chester Holmes — a respected businessman and civic leader who, for years, selflessly served Union County and our country. I am grateful to the Board, including Chairman Sergio Granados, a two-time Kean alumnus, and fellow alumnus state Senate President Nicholas Scutari, for their support at the Union County Performing Arts Center event on Tuesday. I also thank the many Kean colleagues who joined me.

As I told the audience, there is a great responsibility that comes with being first, something that hits home for me as the first Black president of Kean. If you look at those in history who were the first, you will see people who had the courage not to accept the status quo. You will see people who fought for civil rights as basic rights. You will see true leaders. I’m acutely aware of my place in the history of Kean, one of the most diverse universities in the country, and my obligation to you and all future generations of students. Carter G. Woodson, the “Father of Black History,” once said, “No man knows what he can do until he tries.” I remind all of you to keep trying, to be champions for equity and justice. I will be right there with you.

Black history is, in some ways, a misnomer because Black history is not only something that happened in the past; it’s evolving right now and always, with Black leaders throughout our society, some of them right here at Kean. People like Dr. Roxie James, a biology professor and alumna who has been teaching since 1978. Through her mentorship and leadership roles over her many years of service, Dr. James continues to build a legacy as someone who is always there for her students. We thank you, Dr. James, for setting an example for others to follow.

I was reminded of the power of our diverse alumni this week when I met with the leadership team of the Alumni Association. They are eager to support our students and the growth of this institution. I shared our plans for celebrating Black History Month, including the exhibit from the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum in Baltimore that was on display at the Miron Student Center earlier this week. I hope you were able to catch it.

Kean’s diversity, of course, is enriched by the many Chinese and international students enrolled at Wenzhou-Kean University. Many of those students and alumni joined me yesterday, along with Kean USA students and alumni, my executive leadership team and Kean employees, at the Chinese consulate in New York for a spectacular Lantern Festival. It marked not only the end of the new year celebration but also, the continuation of our innovative educational partnership with Wenzhou. With travel to China opening up, there are big things ahead.

One of our top priorities at Kean is doing our part to end equity gaps that have deep roots in higher education. With that in mind, I’m pleased to announce that you’re all invited to our Mid-Year Convocation on Thursday, March 2, where we will highlight the important work we’re doing as part of the national Moon Shot for Equity initiative. The event will focus on our strength in numbers, showcasing data from units across Kean that illustrate how we’re working together to address equity. Mark your calendars for the event from 3:30 - 5 p.m. at the Miron Student Center and look for more details in the coming weeks. I hope to see you there.

Stay warm this weekend. It’s going to have a chilly start. 

Sincerely,

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D.
President

Dear Kean Community,

This past week has been one marked by appreciation and optimism. In the spirit of appreciation, Bill Miller, CEO of the Kean University Foundation, and I were fortunate to spend time with Diane G. Miron ’61, ’18H, and her husband Bob, on Thursday in Sarasota, Florida. Words cannot express my gratitude to the Miron family for their continued commitment and generosity to Kean University. I am happy to share that Diane has been elected as Distinguished Lifetime Emerita for the Kean University Foundation. The Emeritus distinction is the highest honor the Foundation’s Board of Directors can bestow upon former members.

Since joining the Board in November 2015, Diane has demonstrated long-term dedication and support for the Foundation and its mission. She has inspired others to take action and has demonstrated an aspirational level of service and engagement. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to offer Diane this special recognition in honor of her significant leadership contributions. I’m also grateful to Foundation Chair William “Bill” Loehning '70, '15H, and his wife Doris, Christine '73 and Tony '71 Sa, as well as Sandra '69 '78 M.A. and Art Williams for their support and fellowship along this journey.

As we look forward to the second half of this academic year, I also feel inspired. Philanthropy, after all, is an act of optimism. Philanthropic support enables investment in so many wonderful initiatives and strengthens Kean’s fundamental ability to grow in quality and prestige. Generosity comes in many forms, and it's often the best way for us to support important causes that matter the most in our lives. When we give back to Kean, we help enhance the campus experience for students and strengthen our teaching, research and service.

We’re already busy planning for Founders Day on Friday, April 14, which provides an excellent opportunity for us all to make a difference. I hope you will consider making a gift of any size to support the Kean University Foundation. These funds allow us the flexibility to meet the most pressing needs of our students, needs that have changed post-pandemic. More information on Founders Day will be shared in the months ahead as we develop a competition among the colleges to help generate support and a bit of fun. In the meantime, I thank each and every one of our treasured donors for your continued passion and enthusiasm.

Also contributing to my optimism and the University’s outstanding progress is the work being done by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP), under the leadership of Acting Director Reenat Munshi. Through ORSP, the University has secured more than $10 million ​in grant funding over the last year alone. These grants are funding research and programs that help students succeed and cement Kean’s role as New Jersey’s urban research university.

Let me tell you about a few of the grants. Assistant Professor Dr. Aaron Gubi received a $4.5 million U.S. Department of Education grant to promote diversity among school psychologists, provide internships and externships to our psychology students and strengthen mental health programs in Belleville Public Schools. A $2.7 million federal grant to the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program (CCAMPIS), gives eligible student-parents at Kean financial support to enroll their children in Kean’s Child Care and Development Center. Over at Hennings College, Dr. Matthew Niepielko was awarded an $829,000 CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation for research on the fertility of fruit flies that will involve graduate, undergraduate and high school students. Finally, Equity in Action Fellow Dr. Saran Nurse is using a nearly $400,000 grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to research the resiliency of Black-owned businesses faced with economic disruptions. Congratulations, and thank you, to our faculty and to ORSP for prioritizing equity and academic excellence in research.

Before I close, I give a shoutout to Shannon McCoy ’23 from the women’s basketball team who is having an incredible season and had one heck of a week. She scored a career-high 41 points in Kean's win over William Paterson, with 10 three-pointers, tying Kean’s single-game record. Shannon’s exploits on the court are being noticed. She earned U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Player of the Week, D3hoops.com Team of the Week and New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors. Wow! Keep up the great work, Shannon, and good luck as you pursue your second degree at Kean.

And on this Friday, with the weekend ahead, I end my message to you by recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day today, with quiet reflection on the lives lost and hope for an end to anti-semitism, racism and all forms of hate.

Sincerely, 

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D.
President

Dear Kean Community,

Welcome back, Cougars! I trust you had a restful and reinvigorating winter break and are ready to embrace the new opportunities that await you this semester. It gives me great joy to see the campus full again with new and returning students, faculty and staff. And, as we celebrate the Lunar New Year, I am also pleased to welcome nearly 100 students from Wenzhou-Kean University to our Kean USA community.

Kean University wouldn’t be what it is without the collaborative effort of so many people across various divisions. Today I give a shoutout to University Registrar Scott Snowden ’07, ’08 MPA. He and his staff have done an incredible job streamlining and facilitating the student registration process. Scott, a Kean alum, is an extraordinary example of how Cougars Climb Higher and help others do the same.

Our magnificent campus got even better this week. As part of our ongoing focus on well-being, we unveiled the new and improved Kean Fitness Center in the D’Angola Gym. The revamped space is equipped with new equipment and workout spaces to help our students and employees honor their new year’s resolutions and self-care practices all semester long. Thanks to Adam Varava and the team in Facilities and Campus Planning for getting the new fitness center ready in time for the start of the Spring semester.

Congratulations to the women's swimming team, the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Champions! For nearly 40 years, two schools — Rowan and TCNJ — have dominated the league, but Kean turned history on its head this year. The team’s first-ever championship win came at the end of an undefeated run in conference competition and only six years after the swimming program restarted at Kean. I couldn’t be more proud of the athletes and grateful to Coach Chris Swenson for leading the women to this historic milestone. Go Cougars!

Over at Harwood Arena this week, I had the chance to stop by the lively Meet the Greeks event and see the camaraderie and positive energy that the members of our Greek Life community bring to the Kean family. It contributed to my feelings of gratitude for our great Cougar Nation and optimism about the semester ahead as we continue to climb higher, together, in our commitment to equity, research and academic excellence.

I wish you all a happy and prosperous Year of the Rabbit. Have a terrific semester, everyone!

Sincerely, 

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D.
President

Dear Kean Community,

Today we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national day of service for our country. It is a time to reflect on the legacy of the great civil rights leader and how we can put the ideals he championed so bravely and selflessly into action in our own lives. Dr. King showed us the power of peaceful protest, of committing ourselves wholly to equity for all. He was more than an inspiration; he was a changemaker. But Dr. King’s work is not done. Racism and discrimination still exist and more must be done to achieve equity for Black, brown and other marginalized people in our country.

We cannot wait for others to drive this change. It is through our own service that we can become changemakers ourselves. Dr. King did not help usher in federal civil rights and voting rights legislation in the 1960s on his own. People like you and me joined the fight and made their voices heard. Dr. King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is ‘What are you doing for others?’” I challenge all of us to answer that question in our own way.

Here at Kean, we’ve made equity and access to higher education a priority. From our new Entrepreneurial Education Initiatives division to our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, we have laid the path of educational access and equity for students across New Jersey. As individuals at Kean, each of us has the opportunity to serve others through the University’s many initiatives and service projects on campus and in our communities.

When I traveled to the South on a Civil Rights Travelearn last year, I was struck by just how much the advocacy of Dr. King and his contemporaries back in the 1960s still shapes our world today. I am grateful to Dr. King and the many civil rights pioneers who carved a path for me, a Black man, to become the leader of this great institution. As we embark on a new semester this week, I encourage all of you to take a lesson from Dr. King and create the change you wish to see in this world.

See you on campus tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D.
President