Manalapan Student Honored As Graduate Of Governor's STEM Scholars

MANALAPAN, NJ — On Saturday, Manalapan resident Kriti Malhotra officially graduated from the Governor’s STEM Scholars, a year-long program of the Research & Development Council of New Jersey.

Malhotra was one of 111 high school and college students from all 21 counties across New Jersey to complete the immersive STEM experience, officials said.

The Governor’s STEM Scholars provides students with a 360 view of the state’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) economy through research, conferences, and industry site visits.

This year’s commencement, which was held at Kean University, marked a significant milestone, as the program now boasts over 1,000 alumni.

As a public-private partnership among the Research & Development Council of NJ, the Governor’s Office, the NJ Department of Education, the NJ Office of the Secretary of Higher Education and NJ’s public and private research universities, the Governor’s STEM Scholars connects high-achieving students in 10th grade through Ph.D. programs with leaders in the state’s innovation economy.

“This year’s 111 scholars represent the best of what New Jersey has to offer — and with this class, we’ve officially crossed the threshold of 1,000 alumni,” Governor’s STEM Scholars Director Alise Roderer said. “From lab tours to research and policy briefings, these students are building lifelong connections to the state’s STEM economy and becoming New Jersey’s next generation of innovators.”

Malhotra, who’s currently a junior at Manalapan High School, attended four statewide conferences focused on STEM in government, academia, and industry.

The conferences were held at the Rutgers School of Engineering, Montclair State University, the NJ Institute of Technology and Kean University. Malhotra also participated in a community-based research project.

As a graduate, she now joins an alumni network of over 1,000 Governor’s STEM Scholars — an influential, statewide community with direct access to STEM career pathways and professional opportunities.

The program is free for all participants through the support of Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Merck & Co., Novartis, PSEG Foundation, Spencer Savings Bank and Stryker.

Applications for the 2025-26 Governor’s STEM Scholars program are open through June 13, 2025. To apply, you can click here.

Related

• Manalapan Student Named Governor’s STEM Scholar