Black History Month Look Back: NJIT Celebrates Alumni
As Black History Month comes to a close, we celebrate several NJIT alumni who have made their mark as Highlanders. Read their stories below, and submit your own!
Robert Barney Newton, NJIT's first African-American student, arrived at NJIT in 1922 from Cleveland High School. The Bayonne resident excelled at NJIT, both academically and socially. Since that time, the university and its graduates are proud to recognize the strength of its diverse student body, and the extraordinary accomplishments of our African-American graduates.
Lysa Banks '05H is an IBM Distinguished Engineer, and the chief technology officer of Watson Media Cognitive Solutions. At IBM, she is known as the "Mother of Cloud Video" for founding the video business unit within IBM which offers cloud base live and on-demand video processing, streaming, distribution and IPTV/OTT solutions. Listen to Lysa discuss addressing racial injustice with technology.
Robert Okojie '92, '93, '96 was inducted to the NASA Inventors Hall of Fame in 2020. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE, member of the Scientific Research Society (Sigma Xi) and published over twenty peer reviewed papers in scientific journals and conference proceedings relating to his field, and a contributing author to the CRC MEMS Handbook. He currently holds 12 patents relating to high temperature device technology and four pending applications. Read more about Robert's accomplishments here.
Sherry Harris '78 was the first black woman, and the first LGBTQ woman, elected to the Seattle City Council. Harris chaired the Council’s Housing, Health, Human Services and Education Committee and served on the Transportation and Utilities Committees. She also helped to raise over $1 million to fight anti-gay ordinances in the state. Growing up in Newark spurred her to promote downtown Seattle projects like the expansion of the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Read about Sherry's life and accomplishments here.
Clifford Samuel '88, '19HON oversaw Gilead Sciences ongoing development and implementation of innovative manufacturing, distribution and business models to make the company’s HIV, viral hepatitis and fungal medicines available at affordable prices in resource-limited and evolving economies. Read more about Clifford's contributions here.
Quovella Spruill '94 began her law enforcement career in 1998 as an officer with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office in Newark, worked in the Homicide, Special Victims, Juvenile, and Internal Affairs Units, and in 2015 was the first African-American, and the first woman, elevated to chief of detectives, a role in which she managed over 150 detectives while overseeing criminal investigations of financial crimes, homicides, sexual assaults, narcotics, cyber-crimes, and police-involved shootings. She serves on the Executive Board for the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) New Jersey Chapter, among other roles. Read more about Quovella's experience here.
Nadene Taylor '12 joined the Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) program for high-school students, which connects professional mentors in the field with young students, often working together in firm and offices. With a team comprised of architects, engineers and construction professionals, the program immerses students on a real-world project for several consecutive weeks. When presenting her final project work at a local community college, a representative from the Hillier College for Architecture and Design recognizing her talent and potential, and encouraged Nadene to apply. She did apply, and was admitted to the five-year Bachelor of Architecture program. This experience ignited her passion to use architecture and design to help people. Read more about Nadene's contributions here.
Rita L. Thornton, Ph.D. '06 graduated from Monmouth College in 1973 with a double major in chemistry and biology. She worked as a chemist, chaired a secondary school’s science department, and then spent 17 years at New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection in Trenton, rising to become section chief for the Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste, earning a law degree along the way. In 2006, she fulfilled her father’s wish — not with an M.D., but a Ph.D. at NJIT. Her doctoral research in environmental science brought education and cleaner air to underprivileged preschoolers, but her success carries a message for all students: age, race, and disability need not be barriers to higher education. Watch Rita's interview on The Oprah Show.
Anika Dodson '16 gives insights and explores her real world experiences of what it takes to success in construction as a black woman. In “The Truth About Diversity,” Anika discusses diversity in construction and architecture and explores how the industry can improve their diversity and inclusion efforts. Anika Dodson believes a "rising tide lifts all boats," and actively volunteers within the community and her passion is to improve her community through not only service, but construction. She has several years of experience within the construction industry and currently works as a project manager for a local city planning consultancy; in which she provides project management services to municipalities to ensure the completion of their construction projects.
