“Giving back and being part of the NJIT community means supporting the people and groups that have helped me grow. To me, it’s about showing appreciation through involvement, leadership, and service—whether that’s through the clubs I’m part of, volunteering, or helping other students feel welcomed and encouraged. Being active in the community allows me to contribute to something bigger than myself and use my skills and time in meaningful ways. It makes NJIT feel like more than just a school; it becomes a place where I can invest in others, build real connections, and help create a positive environment for everyone.”
– Leah-Marie Boake, ’26H
Our December Scholar of the Month is Leah-Marie Boake, ’26H, a senior industrial design major and recipient of the R-Way Tooling Design Scholarship. A Verona native whose mother inspired her career aspirations, Leah-Marie demonstrates the passion, drive, and creativity essential to success within the Hillier College of Architecture and Design.
Leah-Marie proudly maintains a 4.0 GPA and has participated in the Undergraduate Research Initiative, researching interdisciplinary industrial design studio education in 2023. She is highly involved in leadership positions on campus, serving as a member of the executive board of NJIT’s Chapter of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), where she recently received the Student Achievement Award at their NYC Winter Gala. Her toy design, called Playce, was the Grand Prize Winner for this year’s 2025 Student Innovation Competition hosted by The Formica Group North America, and the company fabricated a full-scale design to display at NeCon in Chicago.
Leah-Marie’s professional experience includes interning at NJII’s COMET at Landing, NJ and EZRED Tools, where she currently works as an Industrial Design Intern. After graduation, she is interested in pursuing a career in either toy design, exhibit design, or User Interface (UI)/User Experience (UX) design.
