i²e Gala Honors Leadership, Vision, Innovation and Impact

The Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) honored three remarkable leaders of industry and education during its i²e Gala, on April 17, 2013 in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall. The event recognized Ursula Burns ’60, ’08 HON, chairman and CEO of Xerox Corporation; Jerry M. Hultin, past president of NYU-Poly; and Arthur Martinez, retired chairman and CEO of Sears Roebuck & Co.

NY1 News reporter Tara Lynn Wagner served as the mistress of ceremonies and President Bill Clinton paid a video tribute to the honorees and their contributions to education. The honorees were featured in a tribute video as well (below). Proceeds from the gala will benefit NYU-Poly’s Promise Scholarship Fund, which has raised millions of dollars in the 24 years since its inception and helped over 8,000 of the brightest students fulfill their dreams of earning a college degree at NYU-Poly. The i²e Gala was able to raise over $720,000 this year. 

Most Promise Scholars are from groups traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education; many are the children of immigrants and the first in their families to attend college. All recipients demonstrate extraordinary promise. Promise Fund scholarships bring some of the country’s brightest aspiring inventors to NYU-Poly.

“NYU-Poly has a long tradition of educating innovative thinkers from all walks of life,” said Katepalli Sreenivasan, newly appointed president of NYU-Poly. “All three of our honorees have contributed greatly to our tradition. This gala will remind our students that – like Ursula Burns and Arthur Martinez, who once studied here, and Jerry Hultin who led the institution for the last seven years – leadership is within their reach, and that true leaders use their roles to inspire and help others.