NJIT alumni Nick Fuentes-Zuluaga ’19 and Daniel Vargas ’15 have been named to Negocios Now’s NYC Tri-State Latinos 40 Under 40 Class of 2026, joining a group of emerging Latino leaders making an impact across the region. Both serve as co-chairs of NJIT’s Hispanic and Latinx Leadership Council (HLLC).
The 2026 class includes corporate executives, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, artists and other professionals. Launched in Chicago in 2015, the recognition program has honored more than 900 young leaders across the country, with editions in cities including New York, Los Angeles and Houston.
Clemente Nicado, publisher and editor-in-chief of Negocios Now, described the honorees as “a generation of talented Latinos” who are “already making a difference today, in the present.”
Fuentes-Zuluaga, a mechanical engineering graduate, is a forward deployed engineer at Medable, a company that develops technology for clinical trials. Born in Colombia and a first-generation college graduate, he helped establish NJIT’s First Fellows organization to support first-generation students. He has continued to give back through student mentoring and career development workshops.
“Being nominated alongside such an inspiring group of leaders is an honor,” said Fuentes-Zuluaga. “My biggest hope is that others look beyond the fancy titles and accomplishments and truly absorb just how far consistency, hard work and passion can take them.”
Vargas, who earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, is a systems safety engineer at NVIDIA, where he works on the safety of autonomous vehicle technology. A first-generation college graduate born to Guatemalan parents, he established the Vargas Family Highlander Promise Scholarship at NJIT to help low-income students pursue engineering degrees.
“I didn’t take a straight road into engineering, and I’m grateful for every detour,” said Vargas. “Your starting point is not your ceiling, so keep going, especially when the path doesn’t look like everyone else’s.”
Through the HLLC, both alumni support a council that connects NJIT with Hispanic and Latinx students, alumni, businesses and community organizations.
