Stronger Than The Storm
By: Brian Konchalski
In the last five years, Kean University has seen a number of things change and yet a lot has stayed the same.
The university has had championship sports teams like our Men’s Volleyball team that won its conference last year, widely recognized academic programs such as our sustainability and teaching
programs and a groundbreaking ceremony for a Kean campus in Wenzhou, China. Kean has also been in the New Jersey spotlight in the past few years.
In April, Liberty Hall Museum hosted the widely publicized Governor’s Ball that was attended by five former governors and current Governor Chris Christie. Proceeds went to the museum.
“[The governors] came to pay tribute to a national treasure – Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University,” said Dawood Farahi, President of the university, told Kean Xchange. “It was amazing to see all the enthusiasm for Governor Livingston’s old home.”
On October 11, the second-ever Lieutenant Governor’s debate will be held at Kean University in the Wilkins Theatre.
“It’s a great day for Kean University,” said Shane Derris, assistant director of the Center for History, Politics, and Policy.
A Kean grad was even named “Teacher of the Year” – in case you didn’t notice that 30-foot poster on campus about it. Another Kean grad was named “Nurse of the Year” too. And earlier this year, a faculty member won an Academy Award.
All of these events and awards are wonderful and make us proud to be a part of Kean. We have had some great press – and we’re not exactly shy about telling you about it.
Still, in past years, we suffered through some scandals too, not the least of which was a threat that our accreditation by could be revoked Middle States. Thankfully, it didn’t happen.
The scandals left a dark mark on the history of the university, but all the good stuff has countered it: there’s some light shining down onto Kean.
This is not to say problems don’t persist here at Kean.
Our wifi never seems to work properly, the campus trollies are never on time and often overcrowded, and there are never nearby parking spots when you need them the most. Some are such long-standing problems that we think of them as normal and that’s not good. We can do better than that.
However, all this says one thing for sure: like the state we live in, Kean is one tough institution. It has
persevered in the face of its problems. Our faculty, our staff and our students just keep going – everyday and they make us proud. Kean just doesn’t quit. Like the state we live in, Kean is “stronger than the storm.”