NJIT Celebrates Historic Renaming of College of Science and Liberal Arts

NJIT commemorated the official naming of the Jordan Hu College of Science and Liberal Arts, honoring a historic gift recently made by alumnus Jordan Hu '89, founder and CEO of RiskVal Financial Solutions, LLC.

The dedication, held inside NJIT's Campus Center Atrium on Sept. 6, brought together university leadership, faculty, students and distinguished governmental figures from Hu's native country of Taiwan to celebrate the milestone.

Opening remarks from Hu College's Dean Kevin Belfield and NJIT President Teik Lim both highlighted the significance of the occasion and transformational power of Hu's gift - the largest ever made by an NJIT alumnus - to the university and its students.

"The naming of a college is a milestone event in any university's lifetime. It's an occasion that encourages us to simultaneously look to the future while reflecting back on our history," said Belfield. "This is really an unprecedented contribution for our college that's going to affect future students, students that will have access to enhanced resources and opportunities that were instrumental in shaping Jordan's extraordinary career."

"Jordan's gift is vitally important to all of NJIT, and to the many hardworking, talented students with us today and in the future," said Lim. "The programs, the initiative, the experiences - your support will prepare these young men and women to become tomorrow's innovators and leaders like yourself. On behalf of everyone at NJIT, especially the students who will benefit from your immense generosity, I wholeheartedly say thank you."

Among the event's special guest speakers was Deputy Director-General Li-Shan Chang from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York City, who praised Hu as a role model for the Taiwanese community and beyond.

"There's a Chinese saying 飲水思源 'yǐn shuǐ sī yuan,' which means when you drink water, think of its source. This is to encourage people to never forget where they are from and to pay back to society... Jordan's contribution to his alma mater is a perfect example and will inspire generations to come."

However, the afternoon's attention belonged to Hu, who reflected on his journey to pursue a master's degree in computer science at NJIT in the 1980s, and the impact it had on his extraordinary career success in the financial industry years later.

"Thirty-seven years ago, I was a poor international student from Taiwan who was fortunate to be able to travel to the U.S. with my wife and begin my graduate studies through a scholarship from NJIT … My time here extended my thinking, providing the fundamentals that I rely on to this day," said Hu.

"Recently, my entrepreneurial career came to a critical junction, and I realized that there was an important thing I needed to fulfill to complete my American dream - to give back to where this dream began," Hu added.

Jordan Hu Endowments

Hu's contribution establishes two endowments - one supporting students and a separate endowment funding scholarships, curricular development, and research enhancements across the entire Hu College of Science and Liberal Arts.

NJIT students Julia Collin '25 and Tzu-Chun Hsu '25, offered heartfelt sentiments of gratitude to Hu while sharing their success stories at NJIT.

Julia Collin, a senior mathematics major who has already secured a job with Prudential this spring after graduation, spoke about how Hu's contribution will further empower students like herself, by bridging academic learning and professional success at NJIT. "This generous contribution provides future students with even greater opportunities to succeed ... it will enhance our curriculum and provide invaluable support for career planning, ensuring students are prepared for challenges they face post-graduation."

Hsu, a junior in information technology from Taiwan, noted the support he's received at NJIT through his education and participation in Taiwanese student organizations on campus. He also emphasized the future impact of Hu's philanthropy on other international students.

"I'm deeply appreciative of the support from the university, and for the Jordan Hu Taiwan Scholarship, which will ensure that Taiwanese students can continue to benefit from NJIT's exceptional curriculum and progress."

The event culminated in the unveiling of the new Jordan Hu College of Science gonfalon flag, symbolizing a new and powerful message for the next generation of students - the power of paying it forward.

"Giving back to my alma mater has always been what I wanted to do most," said Hu. "I want to thank NJIT for giving me the opportunity to bring my American dream full circle."

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