At Convocation, NJIT Alum Asks First-Year Students, 'Will You Be a Helper?'

Published: Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Gabrielle Rejouis '15

Quoting Fred Rogers and poet Audre Lorde, NJIT alumna Gabrielle Rejouis urged members of the Class of 2024 to be helpers and foster communities during the university’s annual convocation, which was held online on Wed., Sep. 9, 2020.
 
“You all have a contribution to make,” said Rejouis ‘15, an Albert Dorman Honors College scholar who majored in history and now is a senior policy manager at Color of Change. “Your contribution might be a new program or policy at NJIT. It might be winning an election or getting a research grant. On the other hand, your contribution might be backing up a classmate during class discussion. It might be affirming someone’s expression or identity. Your contribution might be building a friendship.” 

“The latter contributions don’t get you interviewed or win awards. But they are remembered and make a difference,” she added. “You have the potential to change lives with your skills and your kindness.”

Rejouis concluded by saying, “We’re in a moment where we need positive changes. The next generation will look to us for help. When the time comes, will you be a helper?”


President Joel S. Bloom celebrated the 1,316 students entering NJIT, noting their diversity and academic achievement, including a collective high school grade point average of 3.6. They come from 17 countries and 24 states. Like Rejouis, Bloom encouraged them to bond.   

“You’ll spend the coming years with people who are driven, talented and diverse. Embrace the opportunity you have to learn from one another and support one another,” he said. “Class of 2024--everything and everyone you need to reach your goals is here. I welcome you to NJIT.”

Provost Fadi Deek ‘85 ‘86 ‘97, Dean of Students and Campus Life Marybeth Boger and Alumni Association President Ralph Jimenez ‘02 also spoke at the ceremony, during which professors and students were honored with awards and promotions. Here’s the full convocation, followed by a list of honorees.

 

 

Award Winners

 

Presidential Leadership Award 

  • Ayushi Sangoi ‘20 (undergraduate) NCE, Biomedical Engineering and Computer Engineering
  • William Ho (graduate) NCE, Chemical Engineering
     

Promotions to Master Teachers

  • Cesar Bandera, Martin Tuchman School of Management
  • Ecevit Bilgili, Chemicals and Materials Engineering
  • Stephen Pemberton, Federated History
     

Excellence in Research from Schools & Colleges

  • Qiang Tang, Computer Science, Ying Wu College of Computing
  • Xiaoyang Xu, Chemical and Materials Engineering, Newark College of Engineering 
     

Excellence in Research From Schools and Colleges

  • Maurie Cohen, Humanities, College of Science and Liberal Arts
  • Wenda Cao, Physics, College of Science and Liberal Arts
  • Haisu Zhang, Martin Tuchman School of Management
  • Gabrielle Esperdy, Hillier College of Architecture and Design
     

Overseers Excellence in Research Prize & Medal

  • Namas Chandra, Biomedical Engineering  
  • Lou Kondic, Mathematical Sciences
     

Overseers Excellence in Service Award

  • Michael Ehrlich, Martin Tuchman School of Management
  • Blake Haggerty, Nicole Bosca, Cassandra Sardo and Amal Shah, Office of Digital Learning
     

Constance A. Murray Diversity Award

  • James Geller, Computer Sciences
     

Promotion to Distinguished Professor

  • Treena Arinzeh, Biomedical Engineering
     

Promotions to Professor

  • Shahriar Afkhami, Mathematical Sciences
  • Bruce Bukiet, Mathematical Sciences
  • Gabrielle Esperdy, Hillier College of Architecture and Design
  • Iulian Neamtiu, Computer Science
  • Xianqin Wang, Chemical and Material Engineering
  • Zhipeng Yan, Martin Tuchman School of Management
     

Promotions to Associate Professor with Tenure

  • Sagnik Basuray, Chemical and Material Engineering
  • Brittany Hamfeldt, Mathematical Sciences
  • J. Britt Holbrook, Humanities
  • Dong-Kyun Ko, Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Xuan Liu, Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Hieu Pham Trung Nguyen, Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • David Shirokoff, Mathematical Sciences
  • Daphne Soares, Biological Sciences
  • Roman Voronov, Chemical and Material Engineering
  • Donghee Yvette Wohn, Informatics
  • Xiaoyang Xu, Chemical and Material Engineering
     

Promotion to Associate Professor

  • Mengyan Li, Chemistry and Environmental Science
     

Promotions to Tenure

  • Esra Buyuktahtakin Toy, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
  • Xiaobo Li, Biomedical Engineering
     

Promotions to Senior University Lecturer

  • John Egan, Humanities
  • Narendra-Neel Khichi Jr., Humanities
  • Stephanie Santos, Civil and Environmental Engineering 
  • Jaskirat Sodhi, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
  • Louis Wells, Humanities