As we begin Fall 2025, I welcome you back to a Stevens community that has demonstrated remarkable strength and adaptability during a transformative period for higher education. While we navigate unprecedented challenges together, our commitment to innovation, excellence and our mission remains unwavering. 

Today, I'm pleased to share updates that reflect both our achievements and our ongoing efforts to position Stevens for continued success. 

The Fall semester kicked off with tremendous energy and enthusiasm, showcasing the spirit that defines Stevens. Here's a snapshot of our welcome events by the numbers:

These impressive numbers tell a story of remarkable coordination and unwavering commitment to our students during a time when such dedication matters more than ever. Led by our Division of Student Affairs, with crucial support from Facilities and Campus Operations, Campus Police and countless volunteers, we once again orchestrated a warm Stevens welcome that demonstrates our community’s strength. My heartfelt thanks go to everyone who contributed! 

As classes begin today, I encourage our students to carry this spirit of community forward. All are invited to join our new undergraduates at the Wittpenn Walk tradition tomorrow, Sept. 3, at 3 p.m., followed by New Undergraduate Student Convocation, where we will welcome the Class of 2029. 

Undergraduate and Graduate Student Enrollment 

I’m delighted to welcome the Class of 2029 to the Stevens community — a truly outstanding cohort that reflects the continued strength of our institution. Selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants representing nearly every U.S. state and territory and 121 countries, the following highlights demonstrate the exceptional quality of our new undergraduate students (please note that these statistics are preliminary and will be finalized at our October census): 

I am proud of our Enrollment Management team for their exceptional work. Their strategic and thoughtful approach has enabled us to attract and enroll students who will thrive at Stevens. 

On the graduate front, we are excited to welcome 1,364 new students, including 86 Ph.D. candidates. These talented individuals represent our continued commitment to graduate education and research excellence. Our total graduate enrollment stands at 4,109. We continue to adapt to evolving challenges with international student enrollment due to students’ difficulties obtaining visas.   

To everyone involved in shaping these incoming classes — from our Enrollment Management and Office of Graduate Education colleagues to our faculty and staff — I extend my heartfelt appreciation. Your dedication has positioned Stevens to continue our mission of educational excellence. 

Strengthening Our Foundation 

This past year has required us to make difficult but necessary decisions to ensure Stevens' long-term financial sustainability. Like many institutions across the country, we have faced significant shifts in federal funding, changes in international enrollment patterns and broader economic pressures affecting higher education. 

In response, we implemented comprehensive cost-reduction measures, including a workforce reduction that affected valued colleagues across our community. These decisions were made with careful deliberation, always prioritizing the preservation of our academic mission and research excellence. While these steps were painful, they position Stevens to continue delivering the transformative education and groundbreaking research that define our institution. 

I want to express my deep gratitude to our entire community for the resilience, understanding and continued dedication you have shown during this challenging period. Your commitment to our students and our mission remains the foundation of everything we accomplish, and it gives me confidence that we will emerge from this period stronger and more focused than ever.  

Student Experience  

At Stevens, we are dedicated to continuously enhancing the student experience through innovative programs and comprehensive support. Recent accomplishments and new initiatives include:  

A graduation rate increase of 1% over the prior year, reaching 89%, and a first-year retention rate reaching an all-time high of 95%. These impressive statistics are a result of the academic caliber of our students and the extensive support network we provide to ensure they succeed. 

SUCCESS Core Curriculum: This fall, we will fully implement our innovative Stevens Undergraduate Core Curriculum: Essential Skills for Success (SUCCESS). Students will be able to take the Frontiers of Technology courses, which explore emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, data science, biotechnology, sustainability and quantum technology. This forward-thinking curriculum is designed to equip our graduates with the essential skills and technological savvy needed to adapt, innovate and lead in our rapidly evolving digital economy. 

Faculty Growth: Our academic community continues to expand. We've welcomed 15 new faculty members this fall — eight tenured/tenure-track and seven non-tenure stream —bringing our full-time faculty count to a record high of 377 (227 tenure stream and 150 non-tenure stream faculty). Their expertise and fresh perspectives will undoubtedly enrich our academic environment.  

College of Professional Education: CPE continues building momentum as we develop this transformative approach to professional learning. Under Dean Arshad Saiyed's leadership, we're strategically designing programs that reflect the comprehensive messaging and positioning work completed this year. The college's dual-track approach — serving both end-learners and corporate clients — represents our commitment to meeting professionals where they are while anticipating where the market is headed. As we move forward, CPE will serve as Stevens' hub for flexible, technology-driven education that bridges the gap between academic excellence and immediate professional application.  

Mental Health Initiatives: Student well-being remains our top priority. We've partnered with the Jed Foundation to assess and enhance our mental health practices. Thanks to the State of New Jersey, our students continue to have access to free teletherapy through Uwill. Additionally, our Student Health Services now provides vaccines and physicals and maintains some prescription medications for common illnesses, further supporting our students’ health needs. 

This fall, Tillie Stella Stevens, our beloved campus therapy dog, officially joins the Stevens community as a member of the Class of 2029. This Goldendoodle has been training since her arrival in February and will now provide regular emotional support, comfort and joy to students, faculty and staff through the Division of Student Affairs. Her name honors our mascot, Attila, while Stella, meaning “star,” reminds us of our motto that through adversity, we reach for the stars. Find her on Instagram @followtillie! 

Living-Learning Communities (LLCs): Nine unique LLCs are available to residential students this year, including three new communities this semester: Emerging Leaders, Stevens Spotlight (focused on the visual and performing arts) and Ducks Around the World (a community based on global connections). These LLCs foster deeper connections among students, faculty and staff around shared interests. 

Stevens Career Center Services for Graduate Students: Our Career Center is pleased to offer expanded support for our graduate students as they explore and pursue a professional path after Stevens. Students are urged to use the Handshake icon on myStevens to schedule an appointment and learn more. 

As we continue to build on these foundations, I'm confident they will strengthen our community and enhance the Stevens experience for all.  

Research Enterprise  

I'm thrilled to announce that Stevens has achieved unprecedented milestones in our research enterprise. In FY25, our research awards reached a record-breaking $77.4 million, with research expenditures exceeding $72.3 million. These extraordinary achievements demonstrate that even in a challenging federal funding environment, Stevens faculty continue to secure support for groundbreaking research across disciplines. 

Our research portfolio addresses critical national priorities, with faculty advancing breakthrough solutions in artificial intelligence, quantum science, national defense and security, health innovation, extreme-weather resilience and critical minerals. The Stevens Institute for Artificial Intelligence serves as our hub for AI research involving nearly 100 faculty members, developing applications from bridge health monitoring to autonomous vehicle navigation and emergency evacuation planning. 

In quantum science — particularly timely as the world recognizes 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology — our Center for Quantum Science and Engineering under Professor Yuping Huang's leadership continues to generate breakthrough innovations. Recent achievements include pathbreaking work in room-temperature quantum computing, quantum security systems that earned prestigious intellectual property awards and a $15 million U.S. Army partnership to bridge quantum theory with field applications. 

Our coastal resilience research continues protecting lives through tools like the Stevens Flood Advisory System, which the U.S. Coast Guard relies on for life-saving missions in New York Harbor. Stevens also advances critical minerals research through innovative phytomining techniques supported by a $1.9 million Department of Energy ARPA-E grant, addressing national supply chain challenges. 

These achievements underscore Stevens' position as a research university whose innovations directly address the challenges that matter most to technological leadership. 

Alumni Engagement and Fundraising  

Our alumni network and broader Stevens community have demonstrated extraordinary confidence in our mission during this pivotal time. In FY25, we achieved remarkable fundraising success with gifts and pledges surpassing $54 million — a stunning 170% increase over the previous year and a new institutional record. This includes transformative gifts such as the $21 million commitment from the Clark Foundation, which will enhance the Clark Scholars Program and name the A. James Clark Residential Tower in the University Center Complex. 

These achievements reflect not only the generosity of our supporters but also their belief in Stevens' trajectory. Our alumni continue to serve as powerful advocates and partners, with StevensConnects facilitating meaningful connections that drive career success for our students. 

This year also marks an important organizational evolution as we strategically consolidated our Division of Development and Alumni Engagement with our Division of University Relations under the newly formed Division of University Advancement, led by Vice President Beth McGrath. This realignment brings together fundraising, alumni engagement, communications, marketing, brand management and corporate, government and community relations under unified leadership. This integrated approach positions us to be nimbler and strategically coordinated in advancing Stevens' reputation and strengthening our relationships across all constituencies. I want to express deep appreciation for the talented teams whose work has strengthened Stevens' visibility, impact, alumni engagement and philanthropic support. 

Athletics Success 

The Stevens Ducks will begin the Fall 2025 season coming off another successful year, earning 36th place in the NCAA Learfield Director’s Cup (15th straight year in the Top 45) among all 442 Division III institutions. Highlights from the last year include:

We all look forward to cheering on the Ducks as they compete this fall! 

Facilities and Campus Operations and Information Technology 

Our campus continues evolving thoughtfully to meet the needs of our academic mission. This past year brought strategic improvements to both our physical and digital infrastructure, creating spaces and systems that enhance learning, research and community engagement while positioning Stevens for continued success. 

We've completed meaningful upgrades across campus, including laboratory renovations in Burchard and McLean halls, classroom technology enhancements in multiple buildings and a comprehensive renovation of our Athletic Training Center gym. The new video wall and sound system in the UCC Tech Flex space exemplifies our commitment to state-of-the-art learning environments. Our restoration work on Walker Gym and the EAS building stairway, along with furniture updates throughout Williams Library, demonstrates our dedication to maintaining and enhancing these spaces that serve our community daily. 

I'm proud that our sustainability efforts have earned Stevens a Gold Rating in the AASHE STARS program, placing us among only three New Jersey universities to achieve this distinction. We've renewed our pledge to source 100% of our electricity from renewable energy, installed new EV charging stations and supported student-led sustainability initiatives through City of Hoboken microgrants. 

Our Division of Information Technology achieved remarkable progress this year, successfully implementing Workday Financials in collaboration with our finance team — an 18-month project that unified our financial, HR and student systems. The expanded High-Performance Computing cluster now supports over 225 users, while our enhanced cybersecurity programs and new AI-powered tools are streamlining operations across campus. With 27 classroom upgrades, support for over 3,100 Canvas course sites and resolution of more than 12,300 support requests, our IT team continues strengthening the technological foundation that enables our academic excellence. 

These targeted improvements reflect our commitment to maximizing impact while maintaining fiscal responsibility. My deep gratitude goes to our Facilities and Campus Operations and Information Technology teams for their outstanding work in strengthening our foundation for the future. 

Rankings and Recognition 

Stevens continues to garner national recognition for exceptional value and academic excellence. We are ranked No. 9 by U.S. News & World Report among “Colleges with Best Return on Investment.” This recognition is further bolstered by our No. 12 ranking on The Princeton Review’s "Top 20 Best Career Placement" list and No. 45 national ranking on the first-ever 2025 LinkedIn Top Colleges list. These accolades, along with our inclusion in The Princeton Review's “The Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition” and Money magazine's recognition as one of America's best universities, reflect the growing recognition of Stevens’ top-tier education that translates into real-world success for our graduates.  

The Stevens School of Business has maintained its position among U.S. News & World Report's top 100 business schools for the fifth consecutive year. Our online programs are also gaining recognition, with our MBA program ranking as the highest in New Jersey for online offerings. 

Our continued recognition as a top institution for return on investment takes on particular significance during these times, demonstrating that a Stevens education remains one of the strongest investments students and families can make. 

Our faculty and colleagues continue to distinguish themselves as thought leaders in prestigious media outlets. From Inside Higher Ed and The AI Journal to USA Today and BBC Science, Stevens experts are shaping conversations on critical topics such as the use of artificial intelligence in classroom settings, civics education for children and young adults and quantum computing. I was honored to contribute to this dialogue, discussing how Stevens prepares our graduates to compete in a challenging employment market rapidly reshaping in response to developments in AI with CBS. 

Beyond these individual contributions, Stevens' overall visibility in the media landscape has grown significantly. Our social media presence experienced a 10% overall follower growth and a remarkable 290% increase in visibility over the last fiscal year. Concurrently, our web presence has strengthened with user engagement and active users increasing by 4% and 5% respectively, compared to last year. The Division of University Relations played a key role in these achievements, effectively raising Stevens' profile in alignment with our strategic plan's reputation goals. 

Our partnerships with government and industry continue to strengthen. We received $4.75 million for institutional priorities through the State of New Jersey's FY26 budget. Corporate relations have become a growing priority at Stevens, and in the past year we have made significant strides to expand strategic engagements with regional industry. Our deepening relationship with Siemens exemplifies this progress, where Stevens alumnus Norman Eng has been instrumental in securing a substantial $2 million in-kind software grant from its Digital Industries Software division. Our collaboration with Pfizer has also expanded significantly, with over 300 professionals enrolled in our Management of AI certificate program in Spring 2025 and more than 130 new participants expected this fall. Earlier this year, Prudential Financial showcased the power of the iSTEM/Launchpad programs by inviting three students to present during an employee town hall attended by more than 2,000 Prudential associates. Johnson & Johnson donated $100,000 to support ACES pre-college scholarships for the summers of 2025 and 2026. Engagements like these are advancing throughout the university and collectively reinforcing Stevens' position as a key player in economic growth in the state and region. 

As we embark on this new academic year, I encourage each of you to engage fully with the Stevens community. Our campus thrives on the open exchange of ideas, respectful debate and the pursuit of knowledge. The achievements and adaptations I've shared today reflect our collective commitment to pushing boundaries in technology, research and education. As we move forward together, let's continue to foster an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and where we can tackle complex challenges with the entrepreneurial spirit that has always defined Stevens. I remain deeply optimistic about our future and excited to see how our community will continue to innovate, grow and make a positive impact in the year ahead. 

Per aspera ad astra.

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