Kean University President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., delivers his Opening Day address, calling on the University community to “Rise and Climb Higher.”

UNION, N.J. - Kean University President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., today called on the University community to build on years of transformative growth and embrace the opportunities and responsibilities of the new unified Kean system during his annual Opening Day address. 

Speaking to a crowd gathered in Wilkins Theatre and audiences watching across Kean’s locations, Repollet reflected on Kean’s transformation over the past six years, including achieving Carnegie R2 research university status, expanding research and academic programs, launching New Jersey’s first Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence and merging with New Jersey City University to form Kean Jersey City.

“R2, research growth, student outcomes, artificial intelligence and our expanded presence through Wenzhou, Ocean, Global and Jersey City are not isolated accomplishments,” Repollet said. “Together they demonstrate something far more significant: Kean University itself has changed.”

Repollet highlighted the launch of Kean Jersey City as the beginning of a new chapter for a University.

“July 1st gave us a university system, but July 1st alone did not make us a unified university system,” Repollet said. “Unity is created through people, culture, trust and shared purpose.”

Repollet said the goal is to connect the distinct strengths of Kean’s main campus in Union, Kean Ocean, Wenzhou-Kean University, Kean Global and Kean Jersey City so students can benefit from the resources and opportunities of the entire University, regardless of where they begin their Kean experience.

Kean Jersey City was a central focus of the address. Repollet described the merger as an example of Kean putting its role as an anchor institution into action by preserving access to public higher education and creating new opportunities for students and communities in Jersey City and Hudson County.

“If we were going to describe ourselves as an anchor institution, we had to be prepared to anchor when a community needed stability,” Repollet said.

He emphasized that the merger brings together two institutional histories and said the work of creating a unified culture will continue well beyond the merger’s completion.

“Our responsibility was to create something strong enough to carry the best of both forward,” Repollet said. “Unification is not erasure; it is addition.”

Looking ahead, Repollet said Kean’s growing research enterprise and global reach must ultimately translate into greater opportunities for students. He highlighted research, global learning, career preparation and belonging as critical to preparing students for a rapidly changing world.

“The address talked a lot about building a community, especially after the merger,” said Annabelle Valencia, senior captain of the Kean women’s volleyball team. “It gave everyone the vision of the unity Kean is looking for, and it was exciting to see all the things Kean has to offer.”

Repollet closed by introducing “Rise and Climb Higher” as a call for Kean to build on its momentum while recognizing that greater institutional strength brings greater expectations.

“Our next chapter begins from a higher place, which means the expectations must rise with it,” Repollet said. “Rising describes what has happened through years of sustained work. Climbing describes what we choose to do.”

“The presentation defined the future of where we're going, how we're doing so across all the campuses and how we're going to work, unified as one,” said Tisan Rasool Dawud, associate director of the Generation 2 Generation program at Kean. “President Repollet is a true visionary.”

Repollet challenged the Kean community to continue building a University prepared to serve students and communities for generations to come.

“A university cannot credibly ask students to Climb Higher while the institution remains standing still,” Repollet said. “Kean must climb with them.”