Union County Review

Kean University's Cougar Re-entry Program recently organized its inaugural Jobs Fair to support individuals involved in the justice system in finding employment. The event took place on September 8 in Kean Hall and was backed by funding from a $947,000 grant provided by the New Jersey Department of Labor to Kean’s Generation 2 Generation (G2G) program.

The fair was held in collaboration with People Ready Staffing Agency, which facilitated connections between over a dozen attendees and companies offering long-term job opportunities. "The Cougar Re-entry Program embodies Kean University's commitment to equity and social mobility," stated Sancha K. Gray, Ed.D., senior vice president for entrepreneurial education initiatives and acting dean of the College of Education. "Through this initiative, we want to provide direct pathways for participants to reclaim and rebuild their dignity by ensuring that they are not defined by their mistakes but by their resilience."

Representatives from ABM, Kean’s facilities management vendor, participated in the event and collected resumes from many attendees. The program's aim is to break down barriers and eliminate stigmas associated with justice-involved individuals, thereby reducing recidivism rates and fostering an inclusive society.

Erik Lowe, program director of Kean’s Cougar Re-entry Program, emphasized the importance of providing second chances: “We owe it to ourselves to service the greater community as well as those individuals who paid their debt to society and deserve a true second chance.”

Tisan Rasool Dawud, associate director of G2G who oversees the grant for the program, described the event as successful. “Today our participants are gaining much-needed career skills, such as job training, soft skills and valuable career readiness workshops that will help them obtain the American dream,” Dawud said.

For more information about the Cougar Reentry Program and its initiatives, visit kean.edu/cougar-re-entry-program.