Good afternoon. I would like to thank today’s speakers for sharing a wealth of information about the history of Newark, the cultural significance of Eberhardt Hall, and their personal experiences as NJIT students and alumni. Much has been said about the past of the building that we rededicate this afternoon as the Eberhardt Hall NJIT Alumni Center, and it is very appropriate to honor that heritage. But in looking back over the interwoven histories of Eberhardt Hall and NJIT, a unique, inspiring awareness of the future has always been a dominant thread in the fabric of this facility.

Consider that it was built to provide a better life for children who would have endured great hardship and possibly died if they weren’t sheltered at the Newark Orphan Asylum. And when ownership passed to the university, Eberhardt Hall came to serve an institution whose mission in education and research has always been focused on building a better future for Newark, the State of New Jersey and our nation.

As a graduate of Newark Technical School, Fred Eberhardt contributed to a future being shaped by technological pioneers like Edison, Ford, and Marconi. In turn, each succeeding class has helped to create the future with cutting-edge technologies of the day. There were NJIT graduates at the forefront of the scientific and technological advances of the 20th century, and young alumni are working on this frontier in the 21st. They will be joined by the women and men studying with us today, and by those who will be students here in decades to come.

So while the Eberhardt Hall NJIT Alumni Center honors the past through its historic restoration, its adaptive renewal to serve our alumni and university community makes it very much a portal to the future. The hope is that current and future alumni will return often in the months and years ahead to experience the vibrant tempo of life on campus, to strengthen their engagement with their alma mater, and remain strong ambassadors for NJIT wherever their lives take them. With that spirit of engagement, please join us for our second annual NJIT Day tomorrow, and enjoy future activities offering intellectual stimulation, recreation, and the opportunity to maintain close ties with your fellow classmates and the university. I also look forward to greeting you at our athletic events as all of our teams make an exciting transition to NCAA Division I so that we are able to align athletically with our academic peers and bring to Newark collegiate athletic competition at the highest level, further strengthening our engagement with the City.

Finally, in cutting the ribbon to open the doors of the Eberhardt Hall NJIT Alumni Center, I invite you to tour this special building today. It welcomes everyone who participates in the life of this great university.