Jerry J. Rij, BSEE ’72 and MSEE ’73, Ensures That Future NJIT Students Have the Resources to Soar

By the time he enrolled in Newark College of Engineering (NCE), Jerry Rij had already spent many hours reading his father’s electrical engineering textbooks that had been kept in their home. His passion for electrical engineering resulted in two NJIT degrees, an officer’s commission through the ROTC program, a 20-year military career culminating as a lieutenant colonel, USAF (Ret.), a successful civilian career achieving recognition as a principal systems engineer and an openness to engage in new and challenging opportunities.

“While I was a cadet in the Air Force ROTC 490th Detachment, I chose to be in the Highland Air Commando Squadron,” Jerry recalls. “After a three-year training program not only did I earn the coveted air commando blue beret, but I was promoted to be the squadron commander in my senior year.”

Jerry also took a turn as a teaching fellow at NJIT while pursuing a master’s degree in electrical engineering. “I will never forget my initial experience as a recent graduate standing up in front of a class full of students, carefully introducing class material while trying not to look foolish by making a mistake,” he says with a laugh. “Surprisingly, I found my ability to teach and actually enjoyed the experience!”

During his notable military career, Jerry was selected as one of the original Manned Spaceflight Engineers to support launch and deployment of unique space systems on the Space Shuttle. Although the program was discontinued after the Challenger accident, preparation for the mission provided a once-in-a-lifetime experience—including training on all Space Shuttle systems and underwater neutral buoyancy training simulating a zero-gravity environment using Cmdr. Jim Lovell’s space suit from the ill-fated Apollo 13 Mission.

Following retirement from the Air Force, Jerry’s experience as a civilian systems engineer included management and technical roles supporting multiple national agencies at Geodynamics/Ultrasystems, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman/TASC. These days, however, he can be found volunteering for his community’s Architectural Control Committee and thinking about how he can help the next wave of electrical engineers studying at NJIT.

Jerry encourages students to learn the fundamentals of their discipline, to seek mentors at school and in the workplace, to ask questions and to be adventurous. He also supports them through an endowed scholarship he created as part of his estate plan. The Jerry J. Rij Endowed Scholarship will provide financial assistance to talented undergraduates majoring in electrical engineering.

His inspiration? “Sheer gratitude to NJIT for having given me a start in what became a lifetime career. I want to share some of my success to help the next generation.”

To learn more about creating a legacy at NJIT through your estate plan, please contact Beth Kornstein, Associate Vice President of Planned Giving, at bkornste@njit.edu or (973) 596-8548.