On Saturday, November 21, 2015, countless members of the Kean community gathered in Vaughn-Eames for Theatre Alumni Networking Night. Kean University Alumni Association, who hosted the event along with the theatre department, came together to show off one of Kean University’s newest additions.

Holly Logue, coordinator and professor of the theatre department, states, “The primary reason for the event was initially was to celebrate the opening of this new area, to tour the addition to the building, kind of cracking a symbolic bottle of the champagne to show alumni how Kean has grown and how their program has grown.” Attendees were able to get a tour of the new scene shop, costume shop and dance studio.

The alumni event was scheduled around the production of Children of Eden. This new production of the theatre department transforms the first nine chapters of the Book of Genesis into an entertaining and riveting musical number of the 21st century.

Students and cast take a break from performing  
(From left to right: David Paul, Sebastian Madrigal, Teshaina Abernathy, Kevin DeCastro, Dan Montealegre, Jesse Dorfman and Connor McKenna​
Photo courtesy of Kean University Alumni Association 

“I would say the event was a success in that it brought together students from as far back as the 1970s to students who graduated more recently like 2015…we had 40 years of theatre alumni present

The Alumni Association at Kean University is governed by a 24-member executive board. This condensed  subdivision is able to be broadly representative of the entire alumni population. As an organization within an educational institution, the primary purpose of the Alumni Association is to promote growth; they act as a liaison between the alumni and the university community by planning programs that foster alumni loyalty and support. Logue explains how events such as this one can inspire such support.

“Going back t​​o your college campus ​can rekindle memories, and ​those ​good memories can prompt you to want to give back,” Logue states, “College is an important chapter in everybody's life so when you ​return and remember ​the impact that that time had on you as a person it hopefully would encourage you to want to​ pay it forward​ in some way.”

Additionally, through the Alumni Association, Kean University sees substantial success in continued alumni involvement. Through a wide variety of programs, activities and services, alumni are encouraged to maintain a strong personal and professional relationship with the university and its students, programs and events.

The theatre department at Kean University is renowned. Whether students are interested in performing, designing, directing, teaching, producing or other work in theatre, it guides students to their goals. An education within the theatre department is ​comprehensive​,  designed to educate students to enter the realm of professional theatre, theatre education or other liberal arts related careers. The curriculum includes various courses that develop students’ talents. In the program students learn to balance their love of the arts and educational pursuits. For many, they are investing their time in turning their passion into a profession.

Kean University commits its resources to the multidimensional growth of students, faculty and staff. By nurturing intellectual, cultural and personal growth, their constituents can then thrive as contributing members of their communities. The university is unwavering in its dedication to maintaining a student-centered educational environment wherein students are being prepared to adapt to changing social, economic and technological environments of the real world.

The Alumni Association is a place where students can connect with their predecessors who are already there. Logue explains further, “...networking is a great opportunity for current students and meeting other alums who might afford the students with chances to work for them, to meet somebody they know, to learn from them, to be mentored by them.”

​Professor Logue greets alumna Amy Gilbert with ​smiles and hugs
Photo courtesy of Kean University Alumni Association 

Pursuing a degree in any area is frequently taxing and demanding. The years are long, finances are strained and the stress is unrelenting. Consequently, it is very easy to get discouraged. Alumni remind students of their goal and that, while considerably challenging, college is also tremendously rewarding.

Alumni are typically an institution's most loyal supporters. Those that really take pride in their university's accomplishments dedicate themselves to supporting the generations succeeding them. Logue states, “there are many great contributions alumni can make...one is raising awareness of Kean and its wonderful programs, another is connecting with current students and offering them opportunities beyond the walls of the university, and they can certainly support programs if they are well off and want to sponsor a student or an activity at the university.”

Over the course of their lives, alumni have amassed a considerable amount of wisdom. Often times, they can offer invaluable insights from their personal life experiences. Therefore, collaborating with alumni has the potential to create a critical connection that could change the direction of a student’s life. Completing college is no small feat, and alumni understand this. With that in mind, they can offer crucial information that will help students in the future. Despite its cost and challenges, college experiences enrich one’s life in a unique and inimitable way, and both alumni and current students can celebrate that.

Any questions about the Alumni Association can be directed towards the Office of Alumni Relations at (908) 737-2586 or alumni@kean.edu

Kean University supports Kean and one another
Photo courtesy of Kean University Alumni Association