Welcome

Good afternoon. The awards we present today recognize the achievements of individuals who have a very special bond with NJIT — a bond forged as alumni, members of the faculty and staff, and as current students.

They are outstanding teachers, researchers and student leaders who serve our university with notable distinction. We will also acknowledge the outstanding career of one of our alumni, and recognize the great potential of some of our students. We are fortunate at NJIT in having a remarkably diverse and talented university community.

Once again, welcome to today’s ceremony and thank you for joining us in honoring today’s award recipients.

Weston Medal Remarks

The Edward F. Weston Medal for Professional Achievement is given to an alumnus who has gone on to a distinguished career. This year we recognize GEORGE NEWCOMBE of the Class of 1969 and ask him to come forward at this time.

George Newcombe, this year’s recipient of the Edward F. Weston Medal for Professional Achievement, has indeed built a career marked by exceptional success. Since 1983 he has been a partner in the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, one of the nation’s oldest, largest and most prestigious law firms. He left the New York City headquarters in 2000 to head a new Palo Alto, California office specializing in Silicon Valley corporate financing matters, representing clients such as Intel, JDS Uniphase, WorldCom, Agilent Technologies, NEC Corporation and Avistar Communications.

A Newark native, he received his BS magna cum laude in chemical engineering from NJIT in 1969. As a student, he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and Omicron Delta Kappa honor society. After graduation, he entered the Army Engineering Management Training program at the Logistics Management Center in Texas. After his tour of duty, he worked in developing air and water pollution control technology for industry and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency before being designated a James Kent Scholar for studies at Columbia University School of Law, where he was founding editor of the Columbia Journal of Environmental Law and in 1975 received his JD cum laude.

He received the Alumni Achievement Award in 1999 and currently serves as a member of NJIT’s Board of Overseers.  He has been a consistent supporter of NJIT, and in 2000, he and his wife Joan, who joins George here today, established the Mr. and Mrs. George M. Newcombe Endowed Scholarship Fund.  And, very recently, he made an additional, significant financial commitment to NJIT for which we are all very thankful. In addition to Joan, George is joined today by his mother Mary who is 92 years young.

For his continued accomplishments and in recognition of his leadership in the field of corporate litigation and intellectual property, NJIT is pleased to present the Edward F. Weston Medal for Distinguished Professional Achievement by an Alumnus to George M. Newcombe.