Scholarship Winners and Donors Come Together in Special Celebration

The 35th annual Scholarship Brunch took place April 12, bringing together generous benefactors who have created scholarships at NJIT with the students benefiting from their support.

The event humanizes and demonstrates the impact of giving back and removing a financial burden to those who need it most. In a unique opportunity, scores of scholars attended with each one proudly representing — and meeting — their donors. 

Zooming out, the aggregate numbers are impressive: $40 million in financial aid was provided for the 2023-2024 academic year. With more than 90% of NJIT’s first-year class eligible for financial assistance, the generosity of NJIT’s alumni, friends and benefactors provides an immense impact.

Looking to ensure that financial roadblocks are removed and the STEM talent pool in the state grows, NJIT founded the Highlander Promise scholarship program. This $30 million fundraising initiative will make an NJIT education 100% tuition-free for all deserving students who come from families in the lowest income brackets.

$40 million in aid for the ‘23/’24 academic year

“We feel that anyone who wants to get an education from NJIT should not be hindered by the fact that there is not enough funding for that. So we continue to march forward towards that goal,” said President Teik C. Lim.

Lim, who related his own story of how education is an engine of opportunity, said much of the student body is in a situation that was similar to his own — a first-generation college student without the means to pay for the education. In touting the university’s recently announced strategic plan (NJIT Makes An Innovation Nexus), Lim connected its bold aspirations to the vital support from alumni and benefactors.

“The Nexus of Innovation is really a physical and an intellectual focal point for ideas, actions and people coming together to develop solutions to practical problems that humanity faces. That's what we want to be. We wouldn't be successful on our own so I'm excited for the future of NJIT with all of you supporting, cheering us on, helping us with your time, talent and treasure,” said Lim. 

It did not come easy for an 11-year-old who had to leave her extended family, friends and childhood behind.

Showcasing the transformative impact of scholarships was the keynote student speaker Camila Calle Astudillo. A senior pursuing a degree in construction engineering technology, she shared her heartfelt and deeply personal journey from Ecuador to the United States.

“My parents’ difficult decision to leave the country they grew up in has changed my life for the better. And I stand here today to thank them,” she said, with her parents in attendance and her extended family watching from Ecuador.

Having overcome language barriers, cultural differences and the New Jersey weather, Camila Calle Astudillo discovered her passion for engineering in high school. It only took one open house for her and her family to decide that NJIT was right.

She immediately embedded herself within the Highlander community. Within weeks of her starting classes, she sought out groups she could identify with, which led her to join NJIT’s chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). Like many students before her, SHPE has provided a strong sense of “familia” and some of the best memories of her time at NJIT, she said. Furthermore, her involvement with the group as event coordinator and secretary has honed her leadership and networking skills.

These skills encouraged her to form the first-ever student chapter of the Professional Women in Construction NJ. Regularly meeting with industry leaders, she is a strong advocate of being involved on campus and during her speech encouraged the women in the room to join the group to grow the support system.

The hard work is paying off as she will be joining Gilbane Building Company in New York upon graduation, with her sights set on becoming a project manager. All of this, however, would not have been possible, she said, without the support of her scholarship, the Padam and Rhoda Khabardar Highlander Promise Scholarship, established by alumnus Percy Khabardar ‘84 in honor of his parents.

“Hailing from a country with limited public resources, this scholarship shines as a ray of my hope for my parents. It grants their daughter the invaluable opportunity to pursue an education — a privilege they were denied themselves, but will be forever thankful for. This scholarship brings me closer to my goal, and my parents’ goal, of earning my degree.”