Student For A Day

Kean University’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions hosted a special on-campus visit program, Student for a Day (SFAD), over a two-week period in November and December. The program provided 37 prospective students and their parents an opportunity to learn about academic programs and life at Kean.

“Our goal today is to provide prospective students direct access to the Kean community through real-world experiences,” said Charlotte Diakite, coordinator of SFAD and assistant director of Undergraduate Admissions. Diakite also stressed

the importance of learning from peers. She added that the SFAD program aims to encourage students to consider Kean as their college of choice. Since 2005, more than 50 percent of SFAD participants completed Kean’s application and enrollment process.

As part of the program, students attended classes in their academic area of interest, networked with faculty and current students, toured the campus, and enjoyed lunch with Kean alumni. A special class for parents, Meet Kean Faculty, offered an opportunity to interact with faculty, discuss scholarship and financial aid opportunities

and the admission/enrollment process.

“We want Kean University to be a place that students are going to be proud of when they come here, but more importantly, when they graduate,” said Philip Connelly, vice president for Administration and Finance.

Eric Cruz, a second-year education major at Kean and former SFAD attendee, addressed the students and parents. “The truth of the matter is there is nothing you cannot accomplish when you are committed to achieving a goal,” Cruz said. “You must notice

what is working and what is not, and continue changing your approach as you achieve it,

using whatever life gives you along the way.” SFAD volunteers, hosts and ambassadors escorted their guests to what would be, for many, their first college experience.

The program offered prospective students the opportunity to sit in on a college class. Andrew Schaeffer, SFAD attendee, observed an international marketing course. “I want to major in business marketing, so attending the class helped me get a feel for the program,” Schaeffer added. “Being a student for a day gives me the college experience I need before I get to college.”

Parents stayed behind for their very own course, Meet Kean Faculty, designed to assist parents in coping with the life-changing experience they would soon embark. Dr. Fred Fitch, assistant professor for the Department of Communications, comforted parents and reassured them that their anxieties were normal and that letting go was a natural part of the transition. “But, your job is not done,” he explained. “You must be aware of the opportunities Kean offers your child, listen to them as they transition into adulthood and, most importantly, love them unconditionally.” He then illustrated Kean faculty’s commitment to providing information to students and teaching them life skills.

In an effort to enrich the programs offering, SFAD concluded with a very special lunch with Kean alumni. In collaboration with the Office of Alumni Relations, this lunch afforded alumni a chance to participate in promoting the University and recruiting future students. Wendy Lee, director of Alumni Relations, said the interaction with Kean alumni offers students insights into the value of a Kean education and what is possible. “It is also crucial for parents to see the positive impacts and successes associated with graduating from Kean University,” Lee added.

SFAD ended with inspirational words from two of Kean’s leading alumni. Cyndi Polanco, agency owner of Allstate Insurance Company, graduated from Kean in 1993 with a B.A. in English. She remembers the small classroom sizes being one of the greatest things about Kean. “The personal attention from professors taught me respect and self-confidence. The way I treat my clients is how I remember my teachers treating m,” she added. “They made me really believe that I am someone special.” Brett Dunlap graduated from Kean in 1997 with a B.A. in Sociology and is now an athletic coach in Pennsylvania. He advised the audience of the many resources available at Kean and encouraged students to take full advantage of them. “You can learn anywhere, but the real education is in the family atmosphere - meeting people from all walks of life, that is what Kean University exemplifies,” Dunlap said. The future of the SFAD program is bright and its vision is clear - to continue to grow in terms of numbers and become the benchmark of on-campus programs for prospective students.