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Hot weather is overrated bring on the fall breeze. Welcome class of 2029!
We write Stevens history HOBOKEN, NJ | SEPTEMBER 12, 2025
VOLUME CXXIII No. 1
NEW STUTE EVERY FRIDAY • EST. 1904
Stevens 2032 plan
Favardin, AI, and the future of Stevens
BY ALVARO QUEQUEJANA, CONTRIBUTOR Members of the Stevens community may have noticed a recent change on the university website: the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is no longer listed. In its place stands the Office of University Culture and Engagement. Following the Stevens Board of Trustees’ unanimous approval on May 20, not only has the office’s name changed, but so has a core value, Goal 6 of the Stevens 2032 plan. What was once known as “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” is now called “One Stevens.” Although the definition of the core value remains unchanged, the wording of Goal 6 has been updated to reflect a broader, more forward-looking vision. Previously, Goal 6 focused on attracting and retaining “an outstanding community of faculty, staff and students from diverse backgrounds” while cultivating “a supportive, inclusive learning and working environment that contributes to a technologically proficient workforce representative of our diverse society.” The revised version emphasizes continuing to cultivate “an inclusive
SEE 2032 PAGE 2
BY JOSEPHINE CHOONG, SECRETARY
SAMUEL STRASSBURGER FOR THE STUTE
Class of 2029 takes on Wittpenn Walk BY SERENA PANUCCI, NEWS EDITOR On September 3, 2025, Stevens officially welcomed the Class of 2029 with the annual Wittpenn Walk, a tradition that marks the start of their college journey. The Wittpenn Walk has become one of Stevens’ most recognizable traditions, bringing together first-year students, upper-
Girl Scouts and Stevens collab?
classmen, faculty, and staff. Students gathered outside the Babbio Center before making their way across campus in a symbolic path. Stevens views the walk as “symbolizing the start and end of an undergraduate student’s academic career,” serving as both a welcome for incoming students and a reminder of the milestone that will conclude their time at Stevens. Along the path, mem-
BY CLAIRE DEANS, CONTRIBUTOR Girl Scouts and Stevens have joined forces to promote the STEM fields among young girls and ignite a passion for hands-on work. Two different events occurred with the two organizations; the first being a workshop in Stevens’ Makerspace and the second being a part of the “See Her, Be Her” career fair. The occurrence of these two events was meant to create an open and inviting environment where the girls could gain a rapport with ingenuity and creativity. At the first event in March, the scouts were given the task of creating hovercrafts! With the assistance of Director of the MakerCenter Paul McClelland and Stevens students, they were able to utilize genuine materials and softNEWS (2-3)
Stevens class of 2029 takes on Wittpenn Walk! The largest class in Stevens history marches up Wittpenn Walk, signaling the beginning of their Stevens journey! FEATURE (4)
Welcome Back! Learn about the different places to relax and have fun to make the most of your college expereience.
ware to make their designs. One of the orchestrators of the event, Rekha Manohar, Associate Director of External Relations in the Schaefer School, stated that the purpose of the event was to “build confidence early, so when they encounter these environments later, they’re not intimidated.” While this event in the Makerspace was the first of its kind, the success surely spoke for itself, and it could potentially be the first of many more workshops to come. The “See Her, Be Her” career fair would follow two months behind the pilot workshop, where the scouts experienced all of the wonderful career opportunities available to them. Whether a first responder, scientist, or anything in between, the young girls had the chance to witness all of it, sending
SEE SCOUT PAGE 3 SCIENCE (6)
Potatoes and tomatoes? Silent cells? Black holes eating stars? Read about what’s going on in the world of science. PULSE (10)
Read answers from the Stevens community to our weekly Roving Reporter, plus solve our weekly puzzle and sudoku.
crossed the symbolic finish line of the Wittpenn Walk, they also took their first steps into Stevens’ academic and social community. The event highlighted both the pride and unity that define our university. The class of 2029 was highlighted by Stevens President Nariman Farvardin as an “outstanding
SEE WITTPENN PAGE 2
SEE AI PAGE 2
Deep dive into the Samuel C. Williams Library renovations BY TANYA AVADIA, OUTREACH CHAIR
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU
bers of the Stevens community lined the street to cheer, clap, and encourage the first-years. Music and applause filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere of excitement and anticipation. For many first-year students, the walk helped ease the nerves of starting college and also offered a moment to connect with peers outside the classroom. As the class of 2029
On May 27, the Board of Trustees announced that they have unanimously voted to extend the term of President Nariman Farvardin for three years. He will continue to lead until June 30, 2029. Within their email, they expressed their gratitude for Farvardin’s leadership since 2011 and explained how he is preparing Stevens for the future. Currently, Farvardin is the longest-serving university president in New Jersey. Before becoming Stevens’ president, he was the Dean of the A. James Clark School of Engineering for the University of Maryland for seven years. Since 2011, undergraduate enrollment increased by 75%, graduate enrollment increased by 73%, research awards increased by 200%, and the size of endowment increased by 148%. During his early years as president, Farvardin launched a 10-year strategic plan named The Future. Ours to Create. 2012 2022. Its midpoint version, The Future. Ours to Create.
Over the summer, the campus library underwent renovations centered on creating more study spaces. The project has now concluded in time for the new academic year. To learn more about the process and motivations behind this effort, The Stute spoke with key stakeholders, including Dr. Linda Beninghove, Library Director; Justine DiNardo-Lim, Senior Director of Planning and
Design from the Division of Facilities and Campus Operations; and Arthur Serra, Vice President of Finance (VPF) of the Student Government Association (SGA). The “why” behind this initiative was explained by Dr. Beninghove, who shared that the library gathered feedback from students expressing interest in additional seating, more electrical outlets, and general furniture upgrades. Much of the furniture, along with the overall look
and feel of the library, had remained unchanged since the building’s opening in 1969. As part of the upgrades, new furniture was installed on the first floor, including chairs, study carrels, computer tables, whiteboards, and large tables. The furnishings and fabrics were chosen with both a modern appeal and long-term durability in mind. Work on the project began in February, when the SGA first reached out to library administrators. Col-
laboration later expanded to include the Office of the Provost and the Division of Facilities and Campus Operations, particularly DiNardo-Lim’s team. The objective was to enhance the student experience in the library and address feedback collected through library surveys. Routine meetings between all stakeholders were held to discuss student preferences, engage with furniture vendors, and
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Stevens School of Business earns national recognition in 2025 rankings BY CHRISTOPHER THELISME, CONTRIBUTOR The Stevens School of Business is no stranger to recognition, as on July 22, 2025, The Princeton Review—known for its formidable college admissions and test preparation services—named it to the “Best On-Campus MBA Programs” list under the “Best Business Schools of 2025” category. Since 2004, editors of the Princeton Review have
used a majority of subjective data to rank MBA programs under business schools. The company sends out a student and administrator survey to over 200 business schools and asks about topics such as affordability, career outcomes, and student life. They then give the schools a grade, which allows them to rank the colleges depending on how well they score in the surveys. The rankings given to the Stevens School of Business are earned through
much effort, and the school’s growth exemplifies that. Michael zur Muehlen, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies for the business school, says the program’s first step in growth was its transition from the Howe School of Technology and Management to the School of Business. Then, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation granted in 2015 acted as the first mark of excellence and certification. From there, the school adapted a tech-
nology-based curriculum and embraced the proximity to powerhouse states like New York and New Jersey to provide resources for their students. Muehlen mentions that the school’s relationship with powerful firms including The Wall Street Journal in addition to the implementation of AI programs are reasons students decide to continue their education at the School of Business. “Everyone needs to have
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