Who is Albert Dorman?

In 1985, NJIT established an Honors Program to encourage and challenge its brightest and most motivated students. Dr. Richard Sher, Professor of History and Associate Dean of the College of Science and Liberal Arts, was selected as the first director.  The approach taken was to stimulate students intellectually with a thorough and well balanced education. Special activities, rigorous courses, lectures and a colloquium series made up the program.

The first official Freshmen and Sophomore Honors Class of twenty-eight students began their studies in the Fall of 1985. Although the number of students was few, by 1990 the program had grown to 160 and the first graduates had succeeded academically and obtained jobs in prominent corporations or chose to further their education by entering graduate training or schools of medicine or law.

In 1991, Dr. Sher returned to the Humanities Department. Ms. Ruth Baker was then named Director of the Honors Program. She succeeded in increasing the size of the freshmen class from fewer than fifty in the incoming class of 1991 to ninety-two in 1996. Under Ms. Baker's direction, and with the assistance of Dr. Dennis Donahue as Faculty Coordinator and Honors Advisor, she worked with President Saul K. Fenster, Dr. William Mech of the National Collegiate Honors Council, deans, and faculty to formulate the Honors College.

President Fenster engaged Albert Dorman, class of '45, in the development of NJIT's fifth college.  Mr. Dorman's special interest and generous endowment helped to create the Albert Dorman Honors College in 1995. Mr. Dorman's endowment, along with other gifts, allowed the Honors College to attract a greater number of students, growing from 230 in 1995 to over 500 students today.   Honors scholarships were created, and a strong educational foundation was fashioned.

Dr. Joel Bloom, Vice President for Academic & Student Services, was named the first Dean of the Honors College, Dr. Dennis Donahue the Associate Dean, and Ms. Lois Chipepo-Hodges Assistant to the Dean.  Other changes included a stronger and more active Honors student council and a greater variety of colloquium lectures, research activities, and publications.  A new emphasis on developing leadership has helped add an additional focus.

In January 2001 the Albert Dorman Honors College achieved a milestone with the enrollment of over 500 students.  In the same year,  Dr. David Reibstein became the second Associate Dean.  In the 2000-01 school year, with the continued growth of the college, the new position of Assistant Dean for Recruitment was created, and Maria Kihiczak filled this crucial position. By the 2003-04 year, the Honors College had seen major increases in the number of honors courses offered and the amount of research and projects undertaken by its students.  New programs, including new accelerated programs in medicine, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, and law, an Honors Management minor and Honors BS/MS  in Management, and an honors articulation agreement with Bergen County College, added to the diversity of offerings.

In 2001 a five-year Strategic Plan was adopted by the Board of Visitors. In 2006 work has begun on the creation of a new Strategic Plan to carry the College to the year 2011. In November 2005 the Honors College celebrated its tenth anniversary as a college.

From its start of twenty-eight students in 1985 to nearly 600 Honors Scholars in Fall 2006, there have been many changes in the Honors Program.  The Albert Dorman Honors College now looks forward to many more years of innovation and leadership.