The Team
Our team is composed of diverse backgrounds ranging from professors and scientists to professional athletes and speech therapy. With these selected people we plan to fulfill our goals of academic achievement and community involvement.
Dr. Douglas Purnell, Jr.
Director, Founder
Dr. Purnell is currently a technical asset for Total S.A. in addition to being a chemistry lecturer at William Patterson University. Dr. Purnell has been active in the chemistry field since 2010 and completed his doctoral degree in chemistry at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2017 and received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Delaware State University in 2010.
Roger Phillips
Program Manager
Dr. Jessilene E. Corbett is the Supervisor of Instruction for secondary education. She began her career in education in 1998 as a special education Social Studies and English teacher at Caesar Rodney Junior High School. After 6 1/2 years in the classroom, Dr. Corbett became Fred Fifer III Middle School’s assistant principal until 2009, then principal of Dover Air Force Base Middle School until 2010, then principal of Fred Fifer III Middle school until 2014, then selected as Supervisor of Instruction for secondary education in the Caesar Rodney School District. She holds a Doctorate of Educational Leadership from Delaware State University, Master of Arts Degree and Bachelor of Science Degree from Wilmington University.
Roger Phillips is a proud graduate of Delaware State University where he is currently employed as a university admission counselor for students in Delaware, New York, and New Jersey. Some of his accomplishments have been revamping the selection process for new students in addition to holding the vice president of the student government association during the school year of 2008-2009.
Dr. Jessilene Corbett
Assistant Director
Ty Hobson-Powell
Outreach Liaison
Ty Hobson-Powell is a Washington, DC native and graduated high school at 13. Received a bachelors in psychology, history, and government & public policy at the age 15. Then received a masters degree in human services at 17. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in global affairs at Rutgers-Newark.
Dr. Joseph W. Bozzelli is a Distinguished Professor of the Chemistry and Environmental Science and the Chemical Engineering departments at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry at Princeton University in 1973. He is a recognized author in development of gas and liquid phase thermochemical properties and using ab initio and density functional quantum chemistry calculations to develop detailed chemical kinetics. He has served on the Editorial Board of the International Journal Chemical Kinetics and Combustion Science and Technology. He is the author of the internationally used THERM code and developer of the bond increment method for thermochemistry of radicals by group additivity.
Dr. Joseph Bozelli
Board Member
Lawrence "Tony" Howell
Board Member
Tony Howell has 45 years of experience managing student services programs for all categories of underrepresented students at NJIT as the Executive Director of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). In the past 25 years, Tony has focused on the development of STEM major students, pre-college academic programs (K-12) and career development activities for minority students. As Executive Director of EOP, Tony is administratively responsive to the Vice Provost of NJIT while effectively supervising a staff of 45 professional and para-professionals individuals as well as over 1200 college and pre-college students.
Duron Harmon
Board Member
Currently a professional athlete in the National Football League with the New England Patriots. Duron Harmon completed his bachelors at Rutgers University in 2013. Some of his accomplishments include being a 2x Super Bowl Champion (XLIX and LI), many accolades from his academic achievements while in college, as well as running programs in the Greater New England area promoting health and exercise.
Anne Escobedo
Board Member
Anne Escobedo is bilingual proficient in English and Spanish. Recent graduate of Ithaca College and a proud alumnus of Cornell University. Currently, working at a private practice in Queens, NY, Anne provides speech-language therapy to children, adolescents, and adults with receptive and expressive language delays/disorders, autism spectrum disorder, pragmatic deficits, cognitive impairments, and articulation and phonological disorders.
Betnijah Laney
Board Member
Betnijah Laney is currently a professional athlete in the WNBA with the Indiana Fever. Laney graduated from Rutgers University where she also played her collegiate career. Some of her accomplishments are First Team All Big-Ten playing on the youth USA basketball team, being a McDonalds All-American.
Joe Jackson
Board Member
Joseph Jackson of Oakland, California, knew from an early age that he was very interested in two things; music and engineering. After high school, he traveled to attend the institution of Cornell University and study civil engineering while also pursuing his musical interest in his spare evenings. After completing his undergraduate degree he pursued a masters of engineering in geotechnical engineering while also teaching himself to play guitar. He currently works for a geotechnical engineering consulting firm while managing to play in a band of talented musicians across the country.
William Hamilton
Media Relations
William Hamilton is a 2017 graduate of the New Jersey Institute of Technology. While attending the university, William was involved in many major organizations and activities, such as the Student Government Association, Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey, and the National Society of Black Engineers. Currently, William works as a Field Engineer with PCL Construction, Inc.