Kean University Foundation Announces Transformative Legacy Gift from Dr. Bernice VanSteyn-Weiss

 Kean University is proud to announce a generous legacy gift from Bernice “Bernie” VanSteyn-Weiss, Ed.D., a longtime state higher education leader and supporter and former first lady of the University. 

VanSteyn-Weiss has committed this significant donation of nearly one-half million dollars through her estate plans, ensuring that her decades-long legacy of dedication to the University will continue to benefit Kean students for generations to come.

A member of the Kean University Foundation Medallion Society, VanSteyn-Weiss ensured her generous gift will be allocated to the University’s most essential needs, as determined by the President’s cabinet. This transformative contribution is a testament to her deep understanding of higher education and her unwavering belief in Kean’s potential to climb ever higher.

“Dr. VanSteyn-Weiss has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the future of Kean University,” said President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. “Her generosity and vision will ensure that Kean continues to provide world-class opportunities for our students. We are immensely grateful for her enduring support.”

William Miller, chief executive officer of the Kean University Foundation, expressed profound gratitude for VanSteyn-Weiss’s gift. 

“Dr. VanSteyn-Weiss’s generosity and lifelong dedication to Kean are truly remarkable,” Miller said. “This gift not only reflects her enduring connection to our University but also her belief in our mission to provide students with the resources they need to thrive.”

VanSteyn-Weiss’s relationship with Kean University spans more than four decades, beginning in the 1970s when she was a rising star in higher education administration. It was during this time that she met the late Nathan Weiss, Ph.D., then president of Kean, while working together on state college collective bargaining teams and professional administrators committees. The professional relationship blossomed into a lifelong partnership when the two married in 1981.

For nine years, VanSteyn-Weiss served as Kean’s first lady, while also advancing her own distinguished career in higher education. She held leadership positions at Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) and Millersville University of Pennsylvania, where she served as vice president for finance and administration.

VanSteyn-Weiss has remained deeply connected to Kean, supporting the University both personally and philanthropically, even after her retirement. Together with President Nathan Weiss, their contributions have impacted critical areas such as the Kean Fund for Excellence, the Steven J. Weiss Memorial Scholarship Endowment and the Skarbnick Endowment Fund. After her husband’s passing, she established the Nathan and Bernice Weiss Graduate Scholarship. 

Her most recent contributions have been in support of the Cougar Pantry. 

“No student should go hungry,” she said. “If universities such as Kean can provide the means to help them, we have a humane responsibility to do so.”

VanSteyn-Weiss said she hopes her gift will inspire others to recognize the challenges faced by many college students.