NEWARK, October 11-- Martin J. Torbert, chairman of the National Starch and Chemical Foundation, Inc., Bridgewater, recently presented a $30,000 check to New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) President Robert A. Altenkirch and NJIT Chairman of the Board of Trustees James A. Kennedy. The campaign, which ended this past January, raised over $180 million. Part of National Starch’s recent donation will go towards the NJIT School of Management.

"The gift symbolizes the long-standing and significant partnership between NJIT and National Starch and Chemical Company," says Judy Goss Boyd, NJIT Vice President, Office of University Advancement and director of the campaign.

"Through the years, National Starch has been one of the most generous corporate donors to NJIT. Contributions from this dedicated corporate partner have included gifts to the university’s precollege programs, especially FEMME which introduces young girls to engineering careers. Other beneficiaries include the NJIT School of Management, the chemical engineering department, the Otto H. York Center for Environmental Engineering and Science and most importantly, a significant scholarship endowment for the recruitment and retention of students."

Kennedy, a Bernardsville resident, is the retired chairman and chief executive officer of National Starch and Chemical Co., Inc. and the former vice chairman of the university’s fund-raising campaign.

NJIT is a public, scientific and technological research university enrolling more than 8,800 students. The university offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees to students in 80 degree programs throughout its six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, New Jersey School of Architecture, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, Albert Dorman Honors College and College of Computing Sciences. The division of continuing professional education offers adults eLearning, off campus degrees and short courses. Expertise and research initiatives include architecture and building science, applied mathematics, biomedical engineering, environmental engineering and science, information technology, manufacturing, materials, microelectronics, multimedia, telecommunications, transportation and solar astrophysics. Yahoo! Internet Life magazine cites NJIT as a "perennially most wired" university.

Contact Information:

Sheryl Weinstein Public Relations (973) 596-3346