What is the Kean Ocean Mentoring Program?
The Kean Ocean Mentoring Program concluded with its last session on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 and over the past 11 years Kean University and Kean Ocean has shown camaraderie and respect for each other.
Kean University and Ocean County College (OCC) have established a partnership to provide higher education in Ocean County beyond the level of the associate’s degree.
Students completing their associate’s degree can continue on with their study for a Kean bachelor’s degree with Kean courses offered on the OCC campus.
"Building relationships and fostering growth in others were our main objectives when we started our 2017 program down in Toms River, and this year was once again a success in accomplishing these goals," said Kean University Alumni Relations Director Stella Maher.
It is important to build relationships and to have respect for each other when working towards goals and that was what the mentoring program set out to achieve.
In February, the program's first session was held at the Gateway Building in Toms River, N.J.
The goal was an expansion of the mentoring program that first started at Kean University's main campus in Union in spring 2016.
Just like everything that begins there needs to be an expansion in order to better both the campuses.
"Each year we grow our mentoring programs even more, enabling us to provide more opportunities to do more. It's also so encouraging to see more and more alumni getting involved to help their fellow Cougars," Maher explained.
The alumni play a huge role in the development for the students and the betterment of the program.
The following nine alumni lead the mentoring session:
- Kimberly A. Bace, class of 2010, Master's of Business Administration (MBA), key account manager in Shell Oil Company
- Brian T. Duffy, class of 2003, vice president of financial service at RSI Bank
- Joseph A. LaDuca, class of 1980, senior vice president and controller at Ocean First Bank
- David P. Leta, class of 1980, marketing manager and creative consultant of The Business Image
- Frank J. Lineberry, class of 1970 and 1974, clinical instructor at Kean University
- William A. Lauria, class of 2011, accountant at Ocean Partnership for Children
- Vivian Lombard, class of 2010, Master's of Arts (M.A.), Ocean County College Foundation
- M.J Rioux, class of 2015, summa cum laude graduate and full-time M.A. counseling education student
- Andrew A. Rowan, class of 2014, financial and portfolio advisor of Merrill Lynch
Dr. Sut Sakchtchawan, an assistant professor of management at Kean, advised four students of the Entrepreneurship Club to embrace leadership roles in developing the program.
- John Civardi, president
- Jacob Brisbin, vice president
- Tonya Chuderski, treasurer
- Skyelar Hayden, secretary
Kean Ocean celebrated its 10th anniversary, which was a first of its kind in 2016.
The partnership with Kean University and Ocean County College has set the bar for other schools to follow by providing affordable opportunities without sacrificing county college students their education.
Over past 10 years, Kean Ocean has grown from 11 to 33 degree completion programs, seven master's degree programs, one Ph.D. program in nursing and online options as well.
For anyone who is interested in this program and other alumni programs visit www.keanalumni.org and www.kean.edu/keanocean for more information about Kean Ocean.
