NJIT Recognized as an Emerging Influencer in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey have recognized NJIT as an Emerging Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Influencer in the chambers’ annual Trailblazer Awards program.

“This award affirms our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said NJIT President Teik C. Lim. “Our goal is constant improvement as we attract, support and graduate an array of students from all backgrounds, including underrepresented residents in Newark and its surrounding communities. We want to embody the diverse world that we live in.”

Under Lim, top administrative roles are held by people of color, including its chief diversity officer, David E. Jones, who this year was named one of the Top 15 Champions of Diversity by DiversityGlobal magazine. 

Also this year, NJIT earned the federal designation of being an institution that serves Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander students and landed a $1.94 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to ease the transition of such students into college. At the same time, the university’s Hispanic and Latinx Leadership Council is working to enroll more Hispanic and Latinx students as NJIT nears its goal of becoming a Hispanic-serving institution. 

In addition, through academic and administrative programs, NJIT serves underrepresented residents and businesses in its home city of Newark. Its Math Success Initiative, Forensic Science Initiative and STEM Boot Camp prepare high school students for college, and its Profeta Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center and VentureLink unit advise and nurture startups. Also, NJIT partners with the city on a Mayor’s Honors Scholars Program that provides Newark students with scholarships to attend NJIT.

Such efforts enabled the university to welcome its most diverse first-year class ever this fall, with underrepresented minorities comprising half of the class. The number of first-year students identifying as Black has nearly tripled since 2013 and Hispanic first-year enrollment exceeded 30% for the second year in a row. 

NJIT also strives to help underrepresented students find rewarding career paths, with Diversity in Higher Education ranking it top 20 nationally for graduating African American engineers. In September, The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked NJIT No. 19 in the U.S., making it the second-highest ranked public university in the country. That ranking emphasizes student outcomes and feedback from students and alumni.