Scholar of the Month

“Giving back means helping people who are in the position you once were. Being part of the NJIT community means belonging to a space where individuals can be their authentic selves and connect with others who share similar interests. It's a diverse and inclusive environment where people from all over the world come together to pursue their goals in their respective STEM-related fields.”

– Manan Raval, ’26

Our November Scholar of the Month is Manan Raval, ’26, a senior data science major (computing option) and recipient of the Ava Simons Heuer Scholarship in Mathematics. Commuting from Passaic as a first-generation student, Manan consistently approaches every endeavor with dedication and enthusiasm, inspiring those around him with his motivation to learn, strong work ethic, and commitment to giving back to his community.

Maintaining an impressive 3.98 GPA, Manan has also shared his knowledge and strategies for time management and studying with students both inside and outside of his program. He has served as a teaching assistant for CS 301 – Introduction to Data Science, providing additional support to fellow Data Science majors. For the past three years, he has contributed to the Jordan Hu College of Science and Liberal Arts as a Peer Mentor, offering guidance and practical tools to help students navigate their academic programs.

In addition to his on-campus contributions, Manan has gained valuable internship experience, including research at the National Energy Technology Laboratory in Morganton, West Virginia, and work in data analytics and insights at Brother USA. He regularly volunteers with MoreThanBootstraps, supporting low-income, first-generation high school students preparing for college, and serves as a Duty Officer for the American Red Cross, managing cases, collaborating with clients, and coordinating with the Disaster Action Team.

Manan is on track to graduate with high honors this December. He hopes to pursue a career as a data scientist on a product team at a major company, tackling complex, real-world problems with innovative solutions.

To learn more about the impact that scholarships have on NJIT's students, please watch our 2025 Scholarship Thank You video.

To support students like Manan, kindly visit www.njit.edu/givenow today.