Kean University Featured on Amazon Show

Steven-Ross Bugayung | Published April 10, 2023

Now available through Amazon Prime and the Roku channels, “The College Tour” episode featuring Kean University and its students is now available to stream.

“The College Tour” is a television series created by multi-award-winning producers Lisa Hennesy and Burton Roberts and hosted by television personality Alex Boylan. The purpose of the show is to tell the stories of colleges and universities worldwide. During the summer of 2022, the show filmed current and former Kean students on its Union Campus. 

The students who participated in the show were chosen through audition tapes from a casting call sent out to the student body in the spring 2022 semester by university relations. Students were asked to tell their personal stories about how Kean University helped them in their academic careers through their audition tapes. Eventually, the casting directors chose 10 students from vast backgrounds who they believed best represented the diversity of Kean University.

Tatiana Donovan, a senior majoring in psychology, gained interest in auditioning for the show from her untraditional journey to college.

“I wanted those that shared my feeling of entering college as an underdog to understand that despite their struggles, they will find success,” Donovan said.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel Lyles, a Kean alumni, said he kept getting information about auditions from fellow students and staff members, telling him he should audition. 

“I kept getting sent the audition info from fellow students and staff members telling me I should do this,” Lyles said. “When I found out I was cast in the role, I was excited to book another job.”

The producers selected the casted students because they all have a particular aspect of them that makes their stories unique. The producers looked for students who lived on campus, did research for the school, have studied abroad, or are first-generation college students, and so on. 

Taha Sheikh, a senior majoring in Communication, believes he was chosen based on his dedication to living his dreams.

“I feel like my story was chosen because it’s about a kid that grew up in a post 9/11 world in New York and still went about his life with nothing but love and didn’t let the negativity get in the way of him following his dreams,” Sheikh said.

Once the cast was chosen, the students were given lines and dates to film their scenes during the first week of June 2022 on the Kean Union campus. For most students featured on the show and extras, it was their first time experiencing a professional television set. 

Hana Abouhaib, a junior majoring in biology, found the experience amazing.

 “The crew members were hilarious. We had a great time overall and just joked in between shots,” Abouhaib said. “They were also really forgiving when I forgot a line or two and needed to refilm.”

Like Adouhaib, Donovan also found the shooting experience to be a positive one.

“I am incredibly thankful to the crew for creating a comfortable environment on set as the thought of being vulnerable, especially in front of lights and cameras, can be daunting,” Donovan said. “It was evident the College Tour crew cared deeply about showcasing my story, and Kean, in the best light possible. “

The episode is a 30 min representation of Kean University. It’s an insight into what to expect from future students that want to attend Kean. Currently, “The College Tour” is casting Kean students for a Spanish version of the show, with filming starting in the second week of April 2023 and releasing the episode later in the summer.  For the cast that participated in the show, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they would never forget. 

“I hope that they can get a sense of motivation from the show, not just from me but from the other students that were a part of it, that Kean is a nice stepping stone to getting where you want to get to in your career,” Sheikh said.

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