Devin Armstrong '26

Student Name: Devin Armstrong
Grad Year: 2026 
Major: B.A. in Law, Technology, and Culture – Summa Cum Laude … Graduate Certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship

What inspires you most as a student, and how does it influence your academic and personal growth? What inspires me most as a student is trying to focus more on the process than the goal itself. While earning good grades, producing stellar projects, and committing to meaningful academic research is the end goal, I know that these things don’t just happen on their own – they are the result of staying committed to a process that is long, grueling, and sometimes painful. While it may be difficult at times, I try to appreciate the daily efforts my studies require of me. In the end, I’ve found that success naturally comes with the commitment to this overall process. Perhaps it is a nod to my background as a student-athlete, but appreciating the grind instead of running from it has certainly inspired me to keep pushing through those long nights and early mornings of studying!

Can you share something you are currently working on in your studies and why it is meaningful to you? This past semester, my studies have shifted from my Bachelor of Arts to Graduate School in the Martin Tuchman School of Management where I am currently expanding my academic profile by learning about Innovation and Entrepreneurship. My current favorite course is about managing change within organizations and learning how to lead others through periods of change and uncertainty. I have a great appreciation for this course because it directly applies to my life both in the classroom and on the field. As a Division 1 student athlete, I’ve experienced firsthand the importance of adaptation and how beneficial a leader can be in those times. While I aspire to attend law school and become an attorney, I know that being able to understand people, communicate clearly, and lead others will be valuable tools regardless of the career path I ultimately pursue!

What challenges have you experienced during your time as a student, and how have you worked to overcome them? My studies and athletic ambitions have led me all over the country. I began my undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and then found myself at the University of Akron for my sophomore year. It wasn’t until my junior year that I found my permanent home here at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Moving between universities while simultaneously travelling all over the nation for competitions required me to continuously adapt to new environments and communities. Changing majors every time I switched schools added another layer of difficulty, as it required me to reevaluate my degree plan each time while still maintaining my athletic responsibilities. Nevertheless, I found stability in my own personal identity and the standard which I’ve set for myself. Despite these challenging experiences, I learned that success is less about where you are and more about the mindset you bring with yourself wherever you go. Embracing these new environments, rather than running from them, made transitioning between institutions much smoother. In hindsight, these challenges ultimately led me to understand the type of studies I wanted to pursue and my eventual career path. Most importantly, though, they showed me that regardless of where I find myself, I know I can adapt, grow, and conquer my surroundings!

How has receiving scholarship support impacted your experience as a student? Receiving scholarship support has been incredibly meaningful because it has shown me that my impact at this university is valued.  Being generously granted a scholarship has been humbling and affirming of my process. It serves as a reminder that commitment and discipline always prevail. While I’ve had the privilege to attend Wake Forest University and the University of Akron prior to my arrival in Newark, I will always call NJIT home. My appreciation and pride in representing this university on the national stage is immeasurable, and I cannot thank my donors enough for supporting my ambitions as a student athlete at this prestigious university!