Stevens’ signature program pairs academic excellence with experiential learning to enhance student success
Students in the Lawrence T. Babbio ’66 Pinnacle Scholars Program grow as leaders and innovators through a distinctive framework that combines academic, research and immersive learning opportunities. The program is designed to help high-achieving students achieve their full potential at Stevens and beyond.
Thanks to the support of alumni and friends, Pinnacle Scholars have access to advanced coursework, faculty-mentored research, global study abroad opportunities, cultural experiences and a supportive community that fosters academic and personal growth. Individualized mentoring, peer advising, a living-learning community and a first-year seminar help students build meaningful connections and navigate their Stevens journey. The Accelerated Master’s Program offers an additional pathway for those seeking to further their education. Together, these experiences empower students to explore new interests, broaden their perspectives and make the most of their time at Stevens.
Pinnacle has built a community of scholars who excel academically. Pinnacle Scholars maintain an average 3.75 GPA and 95% six-year graduation rate. They engage deeply in research and other immersive learning opportunities. In summer 2025, a record 219 scholars conducted summer research, with more than 100 presenting their work at the Stevens Undergraduate Research Symposium.
The program’s impact extends beyond graduation, with recent alumni launching careers at leading companies like Google, Lockheed Martin, Exxon Mobil, BP/Castrol, BlackRock, Amazon and Goldman Sachs, and others pursuing advanced degrees at Stevens, Yale, Princeton and Johns Hopkins.
For Pinnacle alumna Mia Reinert ’25, the program remains a defining part of her Stevens experience. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business and technology and currently works as a technology consultant at Protiviti. She is pursuing a master’s degree in information systems at Stevens part-time. Mia remains connected with Pinnacle and returns to campus to speak with current students.
As a Pinnacle scholar, she engaged in many opportunities that enriched her time at Stevens, including researching the Covid 19 impact on hospitals, serving as a peer advisor, taking trips to see Broadway shows and Nets games and making lifelong friends.
“Pinnacle is a very unique program where you’re consistently upskilling,” she says. “You’re developing leadership skills. You’re developing research skills. You have the opportunity to study abroad and become a multifaceted, well-rounded individual.”
“I’m so grateful to Pinnacle for giving me the opportunities that I otherwise would not have had,” Mia adds. “I’ve met my best friends, and I’ve become the person I am today because of the Pinnacle program.”
The philanthropy behind the Pinnacle Scholars Program creates opportunities that can change the trajectory of a student’s future. For Joshua Greenberg, Class of 2028 and a biology major, his research experiences have influenced his career path.
“The program helped form my future career goals and aspirations,” Joshua says. “I thought I was going to be a physician purely focused on the clinical aspect of medicine, but it has taught me that I really enjoy the research side of things.”
For Evnika Myhovych, Class of 2028, a pre-med student pursuing a B.S. in biology, the Pinnacle Program was an important factor in her decision to attend Stevens.
“I was looking for somewhere where I could get involved and go beyond the scope of attending classes,” she says. “And the Pinnacle program specifically encourages students to go abroad, to do research, to get involved in industry and to get experience outside of the classroom.”
She has participated in summer research focused on coronary arteries, benefitted from the peer mentorship program, attended cultural events and plans to study abroad. Evnika says Pinnacle has opened her mind to “growing as a person outside of the classroom, meeting new people, trying new experiences and building that community outside of school textbooks.”
Pinnacle represents Stevens’ long-term commitment to cultivating talent, advancing knowledge and preparing graduates to lead in a rapidly evolving world. The program began in 2015 as a collection of scholarships to support promising students. In 2019, it was named the Lawrence T. Babbio ’66 Pinnacle Scholars Program, in recognition of Dr. Babbio’s leadership and philanthropy to Stevens.
President Nariman Farvardin noted that donor support has made it possible for Stevens to provide exceptionally talented students with a stellar program like the Pinnacle Scholars Program.
“To Dr. Babbio and every donor who has invested in a Pinnacle Scholar, thank you,” Farvardin says. “Your generosity does not just fund a scholarship, it changes the trajectory of a student’s life, and through them, the future of the university.”
