Highlander Highlights
Thomas L. Maniscalco ’80, ’93
Lifelong learner leaves a legacy at NJIT
Tom Maniscalco’s story is a testament to the power of determination and the pursuit of lifelong learning. Born and raised in New Jersey, Tom discovered his passion for engineering at a young age, inspired by his love of building. Weekends spent with his grandfather constructing the family’s summer house in Long Island further fueled his interest in the field.
Motivated to pursue his dreams, Tom enrolled at NYU at night and worked at Bendix Corporation as an engineering technician. Following his graduation from NYU, Tom continued his career at Bendix, optically aligning and calibrating test equipment for the Saturn V rocket program. In fact, Tom was present when renowned German American aerospace engineer and space architect Werner Von Braun paid a visit to the company.
Later in Tom’s career, his talents were actively sought after by Kearfott Guidance & Navigation. At Kearfott, he took on the role of senior design and development engineer. Notably, Tom was one of the key design and development engineers involved in creating the Space Shuttle Inertial Measurement Unit, a crucial component for the guidance and navigation systems of the Space Shuttle. His remarkable career spans three decades with the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as three previous decades working in the private industry.
Tom’s connection to NJIT began in the late 1970s when he enrolled at the university for the first of two degrees. He received an M.S. in mechanical engineering in 1980 and followed up with an additional degree in general engineering in 1993, thus gaining recognition as DEN. Today, Tom remains an active and engaged NJIT alumnus by volunteering as a tutor working with undergraduate engineering students. He has invested in the future of NJIT and its talented and hard-working students by establishing a series of six named scholarship funds at the university. Additionally, Tom has supported the university’s robotics program by providing funding for the purchase of FANUC equipment.
Presently, Tom serves as a judge for Professor Balraj Mani's annual Innovation 101 design presentation in the Fundamentals of Engineering Design course. Simultaneously, he holds the position of vice chairman within the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Northern NJ section. He was elected to the prestigious Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society while enrolled at NYU.
These many achievements highlight Tom's commitment to fostering innovation in student design and his continued leadership in the professional engineering community. Tom’s commitment to education, and his enthusiasm for NJIT make him a true inspiration.
For information on establishing a named scholarship at NJIT, please contact Beth Kornstein, Associate Vice President of Leadership & Planned Gifts, at 973-596-8548 or bkornste@corpshort.com.