Kean Announces New Financial Education Initiative for Students and Families

Kean University has announced its new, robust financial education program set for release in Fall 2023. The dfree@KeanUniv program will further the regional impact of Kean as an anchor institution, with benefits for students and families across New Jersey.

The program was launched at the Economic Empowerment: Advancing Financial Literacy Summit in Edgartown, Massachusetts, an event co-hosted with Prudential Financial that focused on how anchor institutions can uplift their local communities.

The summit included remarks from Kean President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D.; Shané Harris, vice president, head of social responsibility and partnerships at Prudential Financial and president, The Prudential Foundation; Reta Jo Lewis, president and chair of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States; Sancha K. Gray, Ed.D., senior vice president of Entrepreneurial Education Initiatives (EEI) at Kean; Clarinda Joseph-Cumberbatch, chief operating officer at Kean University Foundation; and other business leaders.

“Kean’s mission as an anchor institution is to foster the well-being of all our students and their families. Today, we take pride in showcasing our new financial literacy initiative alongside esteemed leaders from Prudential, dfree Foundation and other key partners,” said Repollet. “Our aim is to empower families to pave their own path toward success, and we recognize that financial literacy plays a vital role in this endeavor. These collaborations between public and private entities are crucial in advancing our shared objectives.”

Harris said Prudential is committed to developing long-term partnerships that strengthen communities as part of the company’s purpose of making lives better by solving the financial challenges of the changing world.

“Prudential and Kean University share a common perspective as anchors in our communities,” Harris said. “We are excited to be part of Kean’s efforts to strengthen the financial security of families in New Jersey through greater financial education, empowering today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders in their communities.”