Spring Semester Address

Last week, we began the spring semester using remote learning and operations wherever possible in order to mitigate the post-holiday spread of COVID on our campus. Next week, we will return to in-person classes and operations throughout our university, so I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you all back to NJIT for the spring. In doing so, I also would like to recap some recent news and noteworthy accomplishments while highlighting a few upcoming milestones.

 

Since my last update in December, there have been several important developments. Most notably, the NJIT Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Teik C. Lim as president-elect of NJIT. Dr. Lim is an accomplished scholar and higher education leader who presently serves as interim president at the University of Texas at Arlington. I have spoken to President-elect Lim on multiple occasions, since his appointment, and am looking forward to working with him to assure continuity and continued progress throughout the presidential transition.

 

In addition to naming its next president, NJIT received other notable recognitions. NJIT, once again, was again recognized as one of the safest places to study, topping the list of safest schools in New Jersey compiled by Yourlocalsecurity.com using the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security Survey and the FBI Uniform Crime Report. VentureLink began taking applications from local business leaders of color to join NJIT's Paul Profeta Entrepreneur-in-Residence program. Selected individuals will receive funding, office space, training, and other resources. The Hispanic and Latinx Leadership Council at NJIT hosted its first Café y Conexiones, or coffee and connections, event on campus. These monthly events will provide students with an opportunity to network with invited speakers and industry professionals, campus support groups, faculty, staff, and one another. 

 

The upcoming semester promises to offer much more good news, as well. On March 10, we will dedicate the Profeta Real Estate Technology, Design, and Innovation Center and Profeta Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. That same day we will launch the Institute for Future Technologies at our Jersey City location, a joint effort with Ben Gurion University in Israel. On March 25, we will host Celebration, our university’s largest annual fundraising event for student scholarships, on campus for the first time in the Wellness and Events Center. Those are just a few of the many positives we have to anticipate this spring.

 

I look forward to seeing our campus full and vibrant again next week, and I encourage each of you to make the most of this semester and the opportunities it will present. Each of you contributes to the success and strength of our university community, and I thank you for your contributions. Welcome back to campus, and best wishes for a productive and enriching semester!

 

Sincerely,

NJIT President Joel S. Bloom