One of the benefits of being a delegate on a Choose New Jersey economic mission with the governor is getting a chance to pitch your product to a new, international audience.
Kean University officials did just that during a four-day trip to Canada with Gov. Phil Murphy, working the rooms — both formally and informally — in Toronto and Montreal.
In a speech in Toronto, President Lamont Repollet detailed the university’s commitment to fostering economic development and innovation through collaboration to a group of Toronto-area business leaders, noting several key initiatives:
- Partnering with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to provide certification and business training programs, specifically designed for women, veterans and minority-owned businesses.
“This program is a concrete example of how we’re helping to level the playing field, empower people, and spur economic growth by creating equitable opportunities for entrepreneurship,” he said.
- Working in Trenton through the John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research.
“Students in our public architecture program are working with the community known as the Coalport neighborhood on a revitalization project focused on affordable housing, job creation and public health,” he said.
- Establishing the Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship (known as ILSE), a hub for life science technology acceleration and business incubation.
“ILSE is not just an institute; it is a thriving ecosystem that partners with innovators, academic institutions, and global public-private partnerships, including esteemed organizations like CARB-X and the American Type Culture Collection,” he said.
All of these programs go to Kean’s primary aim, Repollet said in the speech.