Alumnus Endows the Janet McIntosh Riley Scholarship at NJIT
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) proudly announces the establishment and endowment of the Janet McIntosh Riley Scholarship. Funded by a generous gift from alumnus Darryl P. Riley '83 and his wife Katrin, this scholarship will help cover tuition, fees and room and board for Black and African American undergraduate students who have financial need and are pursuing degrees in chemical engineering or architecture.
The primary criteria for awards also includes a strong preference for participation in NJIT's Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), a state-funded initiative for New Jersey students who are from low-income backgrounds and who are greatly underrepresented in the STEM fields and the professions related to them. Today, thanks to significant institutional investments supplementing support from Trenton, EOP at NJIT serves more than 700 students, providing academic, social, and other wraparound support services designed to enhance student success.
"The Janet McIntosh Riley Scholarship embodies NJIT's dedication to fostering diversity and supporting students in their pursuit of academic excellence,” said President Teik Lim. “This scholarship not only provides crucial financial assistance but also creates a supportive community for the recipients, fostering mentorship and networking opportunities.”
The scholarship is named after Darryl’s late mother, Janet Riley, who worked at NJIT as an administrative assistant, initially in the School of Architecture and then in the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering department. She was a Panamanian immigrant to the U.S. and became a magnet, especially to students from Central America and Asia, as well as local Black and Latino students.
Darryl graduated from NJIT with a degree in chemical engineering and has gone on to a successful career in various food and beverage organizations, including Kraft Heinz and Kellogg Company. He most recently served as senior vice president, chief sustainability officer at Hostess Brands, where he worked to expand the company’s capabilities to develop and execute strategies to drive its corporate responsibility portfolio, including environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives and initiatives.
When asked why he and his wife decided to endow the Janet McIntosh Riley Scholarship, Darryl shared that they created this scholarship for several reasons. “First, we wanted to honor my mother’s memory as a “surrogate Mom” for so many diverse students experiencing university life and being away from their home for the first time. We also recognize the unique opportunity to help students navigate the financial challenges associated with pursuing a valuable STEM education at NJIT. Finally, we created this scholarship to encourage other NJIT alumni to ‘pay it forward’ by giving back to their alma mater.”
The Janet McIntosh Riley Scholarship will further contribute towards inclusivity and academic empowerment at NJIT, reflecting the institution's dedication to providing opportunities for all students to thrive in their educational journey. The scholarship was originally established as an annual scholarship in 2007, funded by gifts made by Darryl and Katrin each year. It will be awarded for the first time, as an endowed scholarship, in fall 2024.