Dr. Teik C. Lim Officially Inaugurated as Ninth President of NJIT
Dr. Teik C. Lim was installed as NJIT’s ninth president in a ceremony that welcomed students, alumni, faculty, staff, elected officials, family and friends to NJIT’s Wellness and Event Center.
“The inauguration of a new president is a milestone occasion in the life of any institution of higher education – and NJIT is certainly no exception,” said Mistress of Ceremonies Marybeth Boger, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. “Today’s ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate our university’s history and heritage, to reaffirm the uniqueness of our mission and to highlight our new president’s vision and priorities for NJIT’s future.”
In his speech, Lim expressed deep gratitude for all of those who made his success possible since he immigrated to the United States in 1983 as a teenager to pursue an education and became the first in his family to earn a degree.
“No one among us accomplishes our goals without the help of others, and I would not be in this position today without these significant people,” Lim said.
Lim’s career has spanned the private sector as an engineer at Structural Dynamics Research Corporation, to academia starting out as a research assistant at The Ohio State University. Lim ascended, and most recently led the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) as interim president after serving as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at UTA prior to joining NJIT. Lim, a patent-holding engineer, will also serve as a distinguished professor of mechanical engineering.
What they said
New Jersey State Senator and NJIT alumnus Paul Sarlo ’92, ’95:
“Today, Dr. Lim begins his journey with NJIT, his journey starts with his own accomplished, professional and academic career. His journey also starts on a rock solid foundation built by thousands of past and present NJIT students, faculty and administrators, including our retiring President Dr. Joel Bloom. Dr. Lim will be supported in his journey as president by the greatest asset that NJIT has, its stellar reputation. NJIT’s reputation in New Jersey is second to none.”
President of Newark City Council LaMonica R. McIver:
“On behalf of our amazing Mayor Ras Baraka and the entire city council, we are excited to celebrate today. We're part of NJIT's family, but really this is about the city of Newark too, and this amazing university that sits right here in the heart of the city. And how NJIT has really become a part of Newark's community and Newark’s community is a part of NJIT. We're excited to continue the partnership that we have with NJIT and continue all the great work.”
President of University of Michigan Santa J. Ono:
“Today, he brings that wisdom, all of his talents and wholehearted commitment here to all of you. We're absolutely confident that he's going to be a fantastic president. But as proud as I am of Teik’s leadership and professional achievements, I'm even more proud of him as a father and husband. He and his wife Gina have raised three amazing children.”
President Emeritus of University of Texas at Arlington James D. Spaniolo:
“In March of 2020, he was appointed Interim President of UTA. Suddenly, he was the man in the arena, confronted by a pandemic, and so much more. For two years, he was the calm in the storm, a reassuring leader who kept the university moving forward. And throughout those challenging days, Teik and his wife Gina, they brought energy, optimism, and goodwill to the campus community and the surrounding city and region.”
Inauguration Fanfare
The investiture ceremony culminated a week of celebrations that honored exceptional students, impactful alumni and NJIT’s prolific researchers.
A marquee event during Inauguration Week was the Scholarship Reception and Networking event, which invites generous benefactors who have created scholarships at the university to engage directly with the student beneficiaries at a celebratory luncheon.
The event provided a unique opportunity to humanize and demonstrate the impact of giving back and removing a financial burden to those who may need it most. It featured Maria Pepper, an exceptional undergraduate student who has recently launched her own biomedical engineering consulting firm after an aggressive scoliosis diagnosis as a teenager inspired her to pursue a career in the medical field.
Students at HighlanderFest, held every spring on the campus green, said they are enthusiastic about the new president's academic and cultural background.
Zoe Coughlan, a junior from Great Mills, Md. studying computer science and information technology, came to NJIT to join the Albert Dorman Honors College. When informed that Lim is an engineer holding multiple patents, "It's nice, as someone studying something very STEM, to have a president who will understand," she said. "He does have grounding in STEM, so having a lot more support toward that, I think would be really great."
Lim is also NJIT's first president of color. "It's showing inclusion, which is always a plus. It gives hope for a lot of people that you could be basically anything you want to be," said Webster Genus, a senior from East Orange, majoring in mechanical engineering technology.
Ruby Kapoor, a junior computer science major from the Iselin, said she is involved in various clubs and is glad to see Lim becoming part of the NJIT community so quickly. "I think he's pretty cool. He comes out to a lot of student events. It's nice to see him a lot on campus," she said. She is hopeful that he will increase support for student groups, add more academic advisors and focus on student happiness.
Also part of the inauguration festivities was a faculty and alumni research symposium, “Sustainability in a Changing World,” which featured university faculty, alumni business leaders, researchers and government officials to discuss ideas and policies in the quest for sustainability.
Innovation, collaboration, legislation and recognizing the implications of our actions are key to achieving sustainability, according to Shawn LaTourette, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
“Despite the challenges of rising seas and extreme weather, of wildfire risk, I think we are charting a new course for the future, with a stronger and more just environment at its center — where it belongs. Part of the calculus. Not intention with the opportunity, but necessary for the opportunity,” LaTourette said.
I was drawn to NJIT by its amazing trajectory.
In lauding NJIT’s recent accolades, Lim emphasized that his vision is to build upon the university’s incredible history and success. Robert C. Cohen, chair of NJIT’s Board of Trustees who led the investiture ceremony on stage, characterized Lim’s immediate engagement with the community as a “hitting the ground sprinting.”
Through this engagement, Lim laid out the six priority areas for the university strategic plan: student advancement and success; faculty success; research, innovation and entrepreneurship; digital transformation; engaged community; and investing in our future.
“Many of you know that I was drawn to NJIT by its amazing trajectory, its vibrant community of learners and scholars, and its history of delivering social and economic impact while producing alumni who are leaders in their fields,” said Lim. “I am an extremely fortunate person, honored to be given the extraordinary opportunity to lead the next phase in NJIT’s impressive history. Thank you all for being my partners and I thank God for His grace and wisdom on this exciting journey.
