Community: Mayor’s Honors Scholars

COMMUNITY

Mayor’s Honors Scholars Program

Samara Augustin, Samantha Augustin, and Kiaja Jones were selected as Mayor’s Honors Scholars from the high school class of 2019.

NJIT President Joel S. Bloom and Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka officially announced the three students selected as Mayor’s Honors Scholars from the high school class of 2019 on June 28, 2019, in NJIT’s Albert Dorman Honors College (ADHC).

In his introductory remarks, Bloom described how students enrolled at the ADHC have a wealth of opportunities to optimize their own educational path.

“You have a palette here that you can fill however you want to proceed,” he said.

Natasha Rogers, interim deputy mayor/ director of Economic and Housing Development and COO of the city of Newark, explained that the goal of this partnership is to become more familiar with residents of the community and incorporate issues of public concern.

“You are exemplary models to follow,” she said. “We hope that you will be inspired to work at City Hall.”

In February 2019, NJIT, the city of Newark and the Newark Public Schools announced the Mayor’s Honors Scholars Program at NJIT, which was designed to create a pipeline from the Newark Public Schools to NJIT’s prestigious and top-ranked ADHC. Each year, NJIT will work with the Newark Public Schools to select Mayor’s Honors Scholars for admission to ADHC. These students will receive full scholarships as well as paid internships with the city of Newark during the summer months. The first recipients are:

Samara and Samantha Augustin are twins whose parents immigrated to the United States from Haiti. They lost their father seven years ago in an accident. They both are graduates of Science Park High School. Samantha was a member of the robotics, environmental science and UNICEF clubs. She was a Governor’s STEM Scholar and president of the National Honor Society, as well as a member of the track team. At NJIT, she is majoring in biomedical engineering, and her career goal is to establish her own ophthalmology practice in Newark. Samara was a member of the Pay It Forward, Honoring Our Elders and UNICEF clubs. She was a Governor’s STEM Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society who also ran track. She is studying computer science at NJIT and hopes to become the CIO for a major corporation.

Kiaja Jones is a graduate of Technology High School. She is a soprano, trombonist and bowler, was a member of the Math Club and was a Sadie Nash Fellow working on gender and social justice issues. She is majoring in computer science and hopes to study abroad while at NJIT.

This fall, the Honors College welcomed three new Mayor's Scholars: Okyere Boateng, Dequan Marshall and Priestly Ogbonna.

Albert Dorman Honors College Turns 25!

Aquarter of a century ago, a generous endowment from NJIT alumnus Albert Dorman ’45, ’99 HON not only named the Honors College, but also enabled it to more than triple enrollment and expand its curriculum to include research, colloquia and community service. Today the college encourages, challenges and provides a strong educational foundation to over 700 students annually. Dorman Scholars have gone on to pursue careers at notable companies in a variety of industries, as well as continue their education at prestigious medical and law schools.

Here, in celebration of the Honors College’s 25th anniversary, are the sentiments of those for whom the college holds a special place in their hearts.

“I want to challenge all of you to become committed; to augment your technical skills with other skills; to make it a lifelong duty to help define and achieve important social as well as scientific goals; and to help inform the nonscientific segment of the body politic. … Learn and, more importantly, practice the skills of synthesis. Learn to manage controversy so that it may lead to consensus. Learn to meld strongly-held differing opinions into an action plan for the common good.” - Dr. Albert Dorman Dedicatory Address at the founding of Albert Dorman Honors College, Oct. 4, 1994

“It is very fitting that we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Albert Dorman Honors College at this time. We are currently fraught with multiple complex challenges which require interdisciplinary solutions based in the sciences, technology, human behavior, economics, history, religion and more. Having met Albert Dorman some 25 years ago and having had the absolute pleasure of engaging with him these many years, learning of his vast intellect, many interests, remarkable achievements and determination to succeed in making the world, particularly the designed and built environment, significantly better, I know that Al envisioned that the Honors College would prepare students to work on the solutions to complex challenges, like pandemics, degradation of the environment, natural disasters, famine and racial-genderfinancial inequality. Al has been a visionary his entire life, and a legacy for this college. On its 25th anniversary, Albert Dorman Honors College shall embrace and commit to contributing to solutions of the grand and complex challenges confronting our world.” - President Joel S. Bloom, Founding Dean of Albert Dorman Honors College

“At the 25th anniversary of the founding of Albert Dorman Honors College, we rededicate ourselves to our founding commitment to an interdisciplinary education that will allow us to best deploy our expertise for the good of society. As the beneficiaries of the generous spirit of the Dorman family and so many alumni and friends who have come before us, we are more determined than ever to pay forward that debt. We are proud of our legacy of academic and industrial achievement, but prouder still of our commitment to the communities we serve, here in Newark and around the world. We strive to be scientists and citizens to our fullest capacity, to become leaders resolving humanity's greatest challenges.” - Dean Louis I. Hamilton Albert Dorman Honors College

“Lessons I learned at NJIT helped me succeed in medical school and my residency. I am eternally grateful to have had access to wonderful academic programs and generous scholarship packages at Albert Dorman Honors College. …Prospective students seeking a college experience that fosters personal and professional growth should consider the incredible, affordable public universities of New Jersey. Albert Dorman Honors College at NJIT is the crown jewel of the system.” - Biren A. Bhatt, M.D. ’05

“In my past two years in the Honors College, not only have I been able to explore exciting academic and professional prospects, but I have also had the amazing opportunity of learning to grow. Through a multidisciplinary education, I met people with entirely different worldviews and skill sets from me, and worked to pursue both old and recently discovered passions. The most important moment of growth for me, however, was learning the power that exists in moments of kindness, which was encouraged through the emphasis the Honors College places on service. I hope to carry these moments of growth into all aspects of my life, and use these skills of empathy and collaboration to encourage change in our society.” - Elizabeth Kowalchuk ’23