Troy Christian High School senior Isaiah Martin, described by his mentors as a servant-hearted leader driven to effect positive change in the world, has been awarded the prestigious W.S. McIntosh Memorial Leadership Award. The scholarship provides full tuition, room and board to the University of Dayton and a four-year paid internship with the city of Dayton.

The award honors W.S. McIntosh, a civil rights leader in Dayton in the 1960s. McIntosh led one of the first major civil rights protests in Dayton, organized community groups and was executive director of the Dayton chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality. He was shot and killed while trying to prevent a robbery at a downtown jewelry store March 4, 1974.

The McIntosh award is presented in his memory annually to a graduating African American high school student residing in Montgomery County. Recipients must be committed to the ideals of social justice and demonstrate potential for community leadership.

The goal of the program, established in 1987 by professor Pat Palermo and city of Dayton human resources analyst Mike Herrlein, is to encourage local students to attend UD and stay in the area after graduation by supporting their education and helping them develop professional experience while in school.

Martin told the committee he plans to devote his life “to not only helping others in need, but also spreading God’s word to as many people as I can.”

He is a National Honor Society member; varsity basketball player; volunteer with local organizations including St. Vincent de Paul, the House of Bread, and Living Word Church; and holds a part-time job. He plans to study accounting and finance.

“Isaiah is a sincere, disciplined and intelligent individual, who has endeared himself to faculty and students alike,” said Stacey A. Ort, Troy Christian Schools’ professor of anatomy and biology.

More information on the McIntosh Scholarship is available on the University’s website.