Kean’s Cougar Re-entry Program Hosts Successful Career Fair

Kean University's Cougar Re-entry Program recently held its first Jobs Fair  to assist individuals involved in the justice system in reentering the workforce. 

The program partnered with People Ready Staffing Agency to collect information onsite and connect more than a dozen attendees with companies offering long-term employment opportunities. 

The Jobs Fair, held September 8 in Kean Hall, was supported by a portion of a $947,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor to Kean’s Generation 2 Generation (G2G) program.

“The Cougar Re-entry Program embodies Kean University's commitment to equity and social mobility,” said 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, attended the event and received numerous resumes from participants. 

The Cougar Re-entry program is committed to providing equity by breaking down barriers and eliminating stigmas associated with individuals who have been involved in the justice system. By connecting them with potential employers, the program strives to reduce recidivism rates and create a more inclusive and equitable society. 

“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,” said Erik Lowe, program director of Kean’s Cougar Re-entry Program.

Tisan Rasool Dawud, associate director of G2G, who oversees the program’s grant, called the event a success.

“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.