The Nosker family is Rutgers proud. Patrick Nosker (pictured far right), the director of research and partner at healthcare hedge fund Affinity Asset Advisors, earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees – including a doctoral degree in biochemistry and quantitative biomedicine – from the university. His wife, Kristin Blacklock, received her doctoral degree in quantitative biomedicine and chemistry, while his father, Thomas Nosker (second from left), a professor in the School of Engineering Department of Materials Science Engineering, received his doctoral degree from the school in 1987. And his mother, Ching Yi Chang (pictured at left), is also a Rutgers alumna specializing in packaging with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and both a master’s degree and doctoral degree in materials science and engineering.
With a generous gift, Patrick Nosker has established the Thomas J. Nosker and Ching Yi Chang Alcove overlooking the Busch Suites on the second floor of Richard Weeks Hall of Engineering. The location has special significance to the Nosker family, he says. “It’s located between McCormick, my freshman and sophomore year dorm, the building where my father has an office, as well as the old packaging program’s home, which is my mother’s field at Merck. It’s sort of the central hub of our interests.”
Nosker decided to make his gift for two reasons. “I wanted to help the university recognize two alumni who have given a lot back to the university, as well as help to support my alma mater,” he says. “My wife and I had an urge to honor my parents and the university as a whole – and we are fortunate to be in a position where we can give back.”
His parents’ reaction was gratifying. “I think both of my parents were surprised and honored,” Nosker recalls. “I had planted the idea in their minds half a year before, so it wasn’t a complete shock, but I do remember my father saying how it was so cool that he’d had brief meetings in that alcove. It does seem like it would be a good place to meet and study,” he adds.
Interested in finding out how you can honor someone with a naming gift or support the School of Engineering’s scholarship and student support opportunities? Contact Annie Nienaber, associate dean of development, at annie.nienaber@rutgers.edu.
Photo from left: Ching Yi Chang, Thomas Nosker, Kyle Nosker (SAS14, RBS'19 MBA), Yoliem Miranda Alarcon (Kyle's wife and current Rutgers biomedical engineering PhD candidate), Kristin Blacklock (Patrick's wife, GSNB'19 PhD), Patrick Nosker (SAS'11, GSN'14 MS, GSBS/GSNB'16 PhD)