From Islamabad to Newark: Fintech Major Muhammad Musa Builds a Future of Access and Opportunity

Of the 55 million students in Pakistan, only 11,000 manage to study in the United States each year. Muhammad Musa is one of them.

Now a second-year student majoring in financial technology and a member of NJIT's Albert Dorman Honors College, Musa has become one of the most engaged students on campus, thriving across academics, leadership and mentorship.

Musa is also the recipient of the Cross River Opportunity Scholarship and during University Advancement's annual student scholarship appreciation event, where current students had the opportunity to strengthen their networking skills, get career advice from industry professionals, and build meaningful relationships, he personally thanked Cross River for believing in him and helping him on his personal journey of growth, community service and academic excellence.

He says that his motivation comes from both his family back home and the community he has found at NJIT.

When he first arrived, Musa was the only member of his family living in the United States. "Staying here alone and building a life for myself has been a great learning lesson," he said. "I'm proud of what I've achieved and continue to achieve."

Those achievements are impressive by any standard, but especially so for a student only midway through his undergraduate career. Among Musa's many hats, he's served as a summer resident assistant in Maple Hall, president of the Cypress Hall Council, a teaching assistant for a senior-level capstone course, and a member of the Undergraduate Student Advisory Council that meets directly with the Dean of Students and the Office of the Provost.

He describes NJIT as a place that has given him the tools to lead and grow. Being part of the Residence Life community, he explained, taught him how to understand people. "This is technically my only place where I belong in the U.S.," he said. "Over the summer, I met students from Stanford, Harvard, and Caltech who were interning in New York. That experience taught me how to work with people from all kinds of backgrounds."

Musa's leadership extends far beyond the residence halls. As a teaching assistant for CS/IT 491, a senior-level capstone project course, led by senior university lecturer Osama Eljabiri, he helps guide students working directly with industry leaders on real-world challenges.

Despite his sophomoric status - and the only fintech major in a class of nearly 200 computer science students - Musa plays a central role in ensuring projects run smoothly. "My role is to be the liaison between the students and the companies they work with," he explained. "I've helped streamline operations, set up communication systems, and automate processes. You don't have to know every answer - you just need to know how to connect people to the right resources."

That focus on connection, he said, is what drew him to financial technology in the first place. When Musa began at NJIT he was a business major, but was introduced to the emerging opportunities in fintech by Oya Tukel and Melodi Guilbault, dean and associate dean of NJIT's Martin Tuchman School of Management (MTSM). Their mentorship helped him see how technology can expand financial access and empower communities, positively shaping the direction of his studies and campus work.

"Fintech connects innovation with something as simple as money," he said. "It's about making finance accessible and empowering underrepresented communities. It brings banking systems to places people never imagined possible."

That global perspective aligns closely with the mission of the Cross River Opportunity Scholarship. The scholarship is part of Cross River Bank's broader commitment to "Giving Without Borders" - a philosophy that drives the company's worldwide philanthropic efforts.

In its Social Responsibility Impact Report, Cross River outlined a year of expanded philanthropy, deepened global engagement and transformative community initiatives. The New Jersey-based technology infrastructure provider contributed more than $1.8 million to educational opportunities, while expanding its humanitarian impact through projects that included rebuilding infrastructure, delivering emergency support and advancing financial literacy across the U.S. and abroad.

"At Cross River, our giving mission through Foundation@ is deeply rooted in creating lasting impact," said Miriam L. Wallach, chief philanthropy officer at Cross River. "From our earliest conversations with President Lim and the NJIT team, it was clear we shared a commitment to empowering the next generation. By supporting educational scholarships, we're not just funding opportunity - we're investing in the future leaders, innovators, and changemakers of tomorrow."

Cross River's mission - to uplift underserved communities and foster opportunity across geographic and societal boundaries - resonates deeply with Musa. "That's what inspires me about this scholarship," he said. "It's not just financial help - it represents a belief in education, in access, and in helping others rise. It's the same vision I have for fintech: to bring opportunity where it hasn't reached yet."

He hopes to one day apply that same spirit of service and innovation to his own career. He envisions returning to Pakistan to advance financial inclusion through technology, particularly for women and underserved populations. "If you teach people how to manage their finances, you empower families and generations," he said. "In Pakistan, financial literacy can especially help women become stronger decision-makers for their communities. That's the kind of change I want to lead."

Even thousands of miles from home, Musa remains closely connected with his family in Islamabad, especially his mother, a government officer whose resilience continues to inspire him. He also speaks warmly of his father's guidance and of staying close with his younger brother and sister, who motivate him to set a positive example.

"We talk every day," he said. "Back in my grandfather's time, they'd hear from family [studying in the U.S.] once every three months through a telegram. Now, I can call my home anytime. That's something I never take for granted."

The second-year student is already thinking like a global changemaker - a student who sees education as the foundation for opportunity and leadership as a form of service. The Cross River Opportunity Scholarship has allowed him to pursue both. "Every role is a responsibility," he reflected. "You have to use your role to make sure you're not only benefiting yourself but everyone around you. That's how I see my future - connecting people, creating opportunities, and making change that lasts."