About the Noblitts

The Noblitt Scholars program was launched with a major donation to Rose-Hulman from alumnus Niles Noblitt and his wife, Nancy.

In addition to their Scholars program, Niles and Nancy have established a scholarship for Rose-Hulman students as a way to give back to the institution and society.

Niles and Nancy believe strongly in Rose-Hulman’s holistic approach to STEM education and want to ensure future students have the same opportunities that have allowed them to make a positive impact through their careers and their lives.

After graduating from Rose-Hulman in 1973 with a degree in biological engineering, Niles Noblitt co-founded Biomet, Inc., a Warsaw, Indiana-based biomedical device company now known as Zimmer Biomet. He joined its board of directors in 1977 and became chairman of the company from 1986 until his retirement in 2007.

His work includes developing total joint prosthetic devices and processes that continue to have significant usage, with thousands of patients worldwide continuing to benefit from those products and the production processes he helped to establish. He remains active in the medical technology industry, currently serving as chairman of the board for MedShape, Inc., a leader in foot and ankle orthopedic devices based in Atlanta, Georgia. He is also a former board member of NICO Corporation, an Indianapolis-based pioneer in minimally invasive methods of brain surgery.

Niles Noblitt received an honorary doctorate in engineering from Rose-Hulman in 1996 and was named chairman of the Board of Trustees in 2018.

“Our goal is to give back to the institute so it can continue to attract the very best students. Nancy and I want the institute to continue to draw gifted students who are leaders and whose immediate contributions will make a difference on campus and in the world.” -- Niles Noblitt