Kean’s T. Itunu Balogun Named to 2022 Emerging Education Leaders Program

Kean University Deputy Chief of Staff T. Itunu Balogun has been named an Emerging Leader by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and will be participating in the organization’s Emerging Leaders Program.

Balogun, who works in the office of Kean President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., is one of 36 mid-career academic and administrative leaders from across the country selected.

“Itunu is a key member of our Kean leadership team and without her, the President’s Office at Kean University would not be as successful and productive as it is,” Repollet said. “I am thrilled that she has been selected for this honor, and I know she will return to Kean with valuable skills that will allow our University to climb even higher.”

Balogun, who joined Kean University in 2020 after working at the New Jersey Department of Education, received her master’s degree in public administration from Rutgers University and her bachelor’s degree in theater management/Africana studies from New York University.

She said she is “honored to represent Kean University on a national stage and excited for this opportunity to learn alongside emerging leaders from our peer institutions.

“Participating in this program will allow me to grow and give back to Kean in new and meaningful ways,” she said. “I'm grateful to AASCU for selecting me and to Dr. Repollet for supporting me in this endeavor, and I look forward to using the skills and knowledge I gain to benefit our University community.”

The Emerging Leaders Program was created in 2015. The class of 2022 members are “diverse and motivated campus leaders” who “reflect the strength and value of what happens when the ASSCU network comes together,” said Charles L. Welch, Ed.D., president of the Arkansas State University System, former chair of the AASCU Board of Directors. He said the new cohort will travel to Washington, D.C., for three days of in-person programming, then will meet monthly for virtual workshops and small-group sessions. Each attendee is also expected to lead an on-campus project or initiative at their institution.