WHAT: NJIT’s Capstone Showcase in Information Technology (IT) will feature middle and high school student teams—as well as a freshman group— who will detail current or recent projects developed for regional corporate sponsors.  Osama Eljabiri, senior university lecturer at NJIT, founded the program in 2001 for NJIT’s College of Computing Sciences.  Classes operate as virtual companies with students elected as CEOs.  Market-driven training covers everything from business and leadership skills to hands-on technical workshops. A capstone team in a corporation can save, and has saved, many companies hundreds of thousands of dollars.

WHEN: Dec. 5, 2007, 1-5:30 p.m.

WHERE: NJIT’s Campus Center

WHO:  Participants include NJIT freshmen Chris Ojeda, Edison, and Samantha Olaso, Mine Hill.  Participating high schools include Seton Hall Prep, West Orange;  Morris County School of Technology: Academy for Health Care Sciences, Denville; Ridgefield Park High School; Sayreville War Memorial High School and Bio Tech High School, Freehold.   Corporate representatives to include Citigroup, NYC; CBS News Network, NYC; Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick; Newark Beth Israel Hospital of Saint Barnabas Healthcare System and Meridian Health, Neptune.  

BACKGROUND: Since 2001, Eljabiri’s program has become a network of networks of more than 300 value-added industry connections and learning communities-- ranging from sixth grade to doctorates.  Last month the Carnegie Foundation named Eljabiri New Jersey Professor of the Year for developing the program. To date, 350 student teams – more than 2,000 students - have participated in 350 projects.    The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) administers the US Professor of the Year program.  For more information about the award, please visit www.usprofessorsoftheyear.org