On October 31st, 2008 as part of the Florida Institute of Technology's 50th-anniversary celebration campaign, Northrop Grumman pledged $1 million dollars toward the creation of Florida Tech’s first student design endowment. The design endowment, known as Northrop Grumman Student Design Endowment, has supported students from the College of Engineering by providing relief in the purchasing of design materials and competition fees.

 

According to Tom Vice, then sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, “We're honored to establish a $1 million endowment at the Florida Institute of Technology to support the annual student showcase. This endowment is a natural extension of Northrop Grumman's commitment to getting young people interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs.”