Christopher L. Martin STEM Scholarship - $2,500
Established: 2026
Amount: $2,500
Description: The Christopher L. Martin Scholarship was established in January 2026 by Anita Hotchkiss in memory of her husband, Christopher Martin. Chris was the first African-American member of the Morristown Board of Aldermen and a champion of Morristown. A Civil and Structural Engineer and a 20+ year employee of Allied Chemical Corporation, Chris designed and built chemical plants around the country. Following the merger of the Town and the Township school systems in 1973, he was instrumental in implementing the merger and integrating the schools by promoting acceptance of the merged systems by parents in both communities and by planning and facilitating student busing. He also formed a group of African-American professionals to mentor and act as role models for disadvantaged students at Morristown High (B.E.S.T.). Chris served on the Board of Education from 1978 – 1982, bringing his engineering skills to bear on the high school redevelopment project. He served again from 1987 – 1990, as Vice President and then President in the last two years.
Following his retirement from Allied, Chris continued his service to Morristown by becoming the Director of Engineering and Maintenance for the Morristown Housing Authority. In that role, he procured several federal grants, oversaw the modernization of all of Morristown’s public housing, and managed the construction of the Manahan Village Residents’ Center, as well as the design and build of the state-of-the-art senior residents’ housing on Early Street. Throughout his adult life, Chris encouraged students to pursue engineering.
The scholarship will be awarded to a student of color demonstrating financial need and pursuing a career in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM). It is a one-time $2,500 award.
Criteria:
- MHS senior of color
- Weighted GPA of 3.0 or above .
- Apply to or have been accepted by a 4-year college or university.
- Pursuing a career in STEM, with preference given to students planning a career in engineering.
- Financial need preferred.
Application Requirements:
- MEF Common Scholarship Application with current transcript
- Response to the essay prompt in 300 words or less: What do you see in the future of engineering in this country and globally? And what is your role in that vision?
- Provide two letters of recommendation - one from a guidance counselor and one from a teacher.
