A Tribute to Dr. Stephen Kubow at Kean-Ocean

By Elaine Amico, Francheska Kubacki | Published Feb 28, 2022

In the last few weeks of his life, Dr. Stephen Kubow, Associate Vice President of Kean-Ocean, had a meeting with President Lamont O. Repollet.   His request: “Don’t forget about Kean Ocean.” 

Dr. Kubow died on May 3 after a long illness, but he is not forgotten. The Associate Vice President of Kean Ocean left permanent footprints on the Kean-Ocean campus, a sentiment that was expressed deeply by the many faculty, staff, and students who gathered at an emotional service in November to dedicate a tree and a bench in his honor.

“In his last breath, he was thinking about Kean,” said Dr. Jessica Adams, acting associate dean and executive director of Kean Ocean. “He considered Kean University and Kean Ocean his family.” 

Dr. Kubow served Kean for 28 years. In his early academic days, Kubow graduated from the University of Buffalo with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and earned his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry, as a Silbert graduate fellow.

He first started working at Kean in September of 1993, where he was a professor of Chemistry. He moved on to become the director of the first-year seminar program and co-director for the Center for Academic Success at Kean, and in 2004, he eventually was promoted to main director. Kubow focused on student enrollment, registration, and the Kean orientation process.

In his office decorated with Star Trek memorabilia and mementos from his trip to the Wenzhou, China campus,  Dr. Kubow was known to stay extra hours. He would buy dinner for staff and students, and always had his door open for both large and small questions.

The tree that was planted in his honor is a dogwood, symbolizing his love for plants that bloom, a metaphor for his constant efforts to help  Kean University students and staff reach their potential too. 

 “There are no words to describe him,” said Assistant Vice President International Programs with Ocean County College Dr. Maysa Hayword. “As vice president, there was no more that you could ask for from him, as he gave everything he did at Kean his all.” 

Friends said Dr. Kubow was caring, empathetic, creative, and compassionate — work that was rewarded in June 2013 when he became associate vice president of Kean Ocean. He was in charge of overseeing and managing the campus to make sure it was running in a smooth and orderly fashion. His time and leadership continues to be instrumental in the success of the Kean Ocean campus.

“We go back a very long time,” said Patti Martino, executive secretary to the president.  “He loved flowers and believed that diplomacy works. Most importantly, he taught me that kindness was contagious.”

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