Kalafer Family Continues University Support Through Endowed Scholarship

Business leader, entrepreneur, and minor league baseball team owner Steven B. Kalafer HON ’20 and his wife Suzanne have made a million dollar gift to endow a scholarship that will support students throughout their pursuit of an undergraduate degree at the university.

The new Kalafer Family Scholarship will pay tuition, room and board, and associated fees for high-achieving student-athletes who have demonstrated financial need.

NJIT President Joel S. Bloom said, “We are honored by the generosity of Steve and his family and their belief that an NJIT education can transform lives. The Kalafers have been friends of NJIT for many years and have seen what an NJIT education can mean to students and their entire families. Through this gift, the Kalafers will be supporting student-athletes who excel in the classroom and in their chosen sport.”

In recognition of this generous commitment, NJIT will name the “Kalafer Family Academic Learning Studio” in the Wellness and Events Center (WEC). This space is critically important to Highlander athletes, as it serves as a location for academic advising, tutoring, skill-building and mentoring.

“We are thankful to Steve, his wife Suzanne, and the rest of their family for making such a generous investment in our talented and hardworking D-I scholar-athletes,” said Kenneth Alexo, Jr., vice president for Development & Alumni Relations and president of the NJIT Foundation. “This latest and very significant gift is a testament to the Kalafer family’s enduring dedication to NJIT and their advocacy on behalf of our students. We are profoundly grateful for their continued leadership, service, and support.”

A member of the NJIT Board of Overseers since 2014, Steve shared that he and his family “are delighted to establish this new scholarship in support of student-athletes who are pursuing a world-class NJIT education.” He went on to explain, “The university has a long and distinguished record of launching young people into very successful careers as engineers, scientists, teachers, architects, and leaders, and we are excited to do our part to sustain and strengthen this tradition.” 

Steve Kalafer is an entrepreneur, businessman, film producer and philanthropist. Since 1973, he has built and maintained one of the most respected and successful automotive franchises in the United States, growing to include 16 brands in eight locations. As chairman, his leadership has earned him national recognition for community involvement and customer service.

In addition to founding several businesses in health care and communications, Kalafer is a founding director of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and founding chairman of the Somerset Patriots—the New York Yankees double-A affiliate beginning this season.

“Steve Kalafer is a renaissance man who has been successful across numerous ventures and has consistently given back and enabled others to pursue success themselves,” Bloom continued. “His support of NJIT, as well as the support of the entire Kalafer family, are deeply appreciated and will positively affect countless students.”