Panasonic’s Joseph M. Taylor delivers NJIT Commencement Address

Taylor has had a 20-year association with the university through programs he helped develop ranging from academic competitions to scholarships. Through the years Taylor has had personal relationships with more than two dozen NJIT graduates who have become full time employees following commencement.

More than 2,300 degrees were awarded at the ceremony bringing the total number of degrees awarded by NJIT to more than 72,000. Inventor, sculptor and entrepreneur Daniel A. Henderson, the CEO of Intellect Wireless, Inc., also received an honorary degree.

In 1991, Taylor, then General Manager, Applied Materials Group at Panasonic, helped found at NJIT the Panasonic Creative Design Challenge and the Panasonic Scholarship Program now in its 20th year to create “a steady stream of young, smart, energetic science, technology and engineering talent.” The programs were aimed at encouraging high school students, particularly disadvantaged ones, to enter the fields of technology.

To date, more than 70 NJIT graduates have been employed by Panasonic upon graduating.