Why is NJIT called the highlanders?

Written by Editorial Team | Last Updated: September 2026

The athletic teams representing the New Jersey Institute of Technology carry the moniker the Highlanders due to a historical student body vote held in 1949 and the unique geographic topography of the university's campus location. The campus is situated in an area of Newark historically known as the Highlands or University Heights, positioned atop elevated ground where nineteenth-century homes looked down toward regional rivers. Students selected the Highlander name to honor this elevated geography, and the athletic department later embraced Scottish warrior imagery—featuring traditional garb, shields, and swords—to symbolize the strength, endurance, and fierce competitive spirit of all student-athletes.

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