Core Collaborators and Current Projects
Kean's Center for Economic and Workforce Development, Social Entrepreneurship, and Innovation (Kean USEDA Center) is a designated US Economic Development Administration University Center. Our mission is to promote community development by creating a supportive relationship between researchers at Kean and public policies and programs. We accomplish our mission in the following ways.
Translating Entrepreneurship Research Into Policies and Practices
Affiliated Faculty: Dr. Saran Nurse, Dr. Kisha Dasent
We co-produce research with entrepreneurs to better understand their support systems and identify policy and program interventions leading to productive entrepreneurship outcomes for individual entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Research Highlight
One of the greatest outcomes of our research to date has been the formation of JET, a supportive group run by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. In just over a year, JET has produced more than $80,000 in business between members and issued over $10,000 in forgivable loans.
Lifting Up Student Entrepreneurs
Affiliated Faculty: Dr. Shanggeun Rhee, Dr. Saran Nurse, Dr. Dongge Zhou, Martine Cadet, and Bruce Waltuck
Kean serves students throughout New Jersey that are both global and local entrepreneurs striving to meet people's daily needs. To achieve this, we help student entrepreneurs develop, refine, and present business models to funders and other supporters.
Program Highlight
Learn more about the accomplishments of businesses that participated in the Kean University Business Plan Competition in the video below.
2025 Business Plan Compitition - Replay
Contact us to learn more about how we build lifelong entrepreneurship skills at Kean
Social Enterprise
Affiliated Faculty: Bruce Waltuck
Kean consults with organizations interested in business activities that advance the triple bottom line - people, planet, and profit.
Contact us to learn more about social enterprise consulting
Catalyzing Industrial Redevelopment
Affiliated Faculty: Nina Rappaport
The Center for Urban Industry is a partnership between the Kean USEDA Center, the School for Public Architecture, and Vertical Urban Factory focused on redeveloping industrial buildings into multi-purpose community assets.
See more of our work by reviewing Regernating Trenton's Industrial Fabric, a publication made to support Trenton Developer's Day in April 2024. (this is the where the PDF goes)
Learn more about the Center for Urban Industry at our dedicated website
Stormwater Management Skills in the Landscape and Construction Workforce
Affiliated Partners: Climate Ready NJ
Stormwater management is a quality-of-life issue, significantly impacting local well-being. We're partnering with 15 other institutions in New Jersey to help coastal communities prevent stormwater damage by installing stormwater management features designed by Rutgers University in two ways.
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We train young professionals and experienced workers in how to install and maintain stormwater infrastructure, leading to certifications from the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program and Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Program.
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We help business compete for public construction contracts by increasing workforce skills and linking to community financial institutions, surety bond programs, and prime contractors.
Contact Project Coordinator Darimar Weert to learn more
Urban Conservation Planning
Affiliated Faculty: Dr. Galia Shokry, Stephanie Sang Delgado, Fabio Castellanos
Affiliated Partners: Jeff Everett, Emilio Panasci
We help communities plan where to put parks, gardens, and other lands dedicated to natural resources.
This is an emerging focus area of the Kean USEDA Center. Contact us to learn more about our plans.
Current Funders:
US Economic Development Administration