Atlas Model Railroad teams with Stevens for new scholarship
HOBOKEN, N.J. — To commemorate its 50th anniversary, Atlas Model Railroad Co, Inc. has teamed with Stevens Institute of Technology to establish a new scholarship that will benefit generations of deserving Stevens students.
The endowed scholarship, to be known as the Stephan J. Schaffan/Atlas Model Railroad Company Scholarship, was established by Atlas with a $50,000 gift to Stevens. The endowment will be made possible by the proceeds from Atlas’ Limited-Edition 60’ Autoparts Single-Door Box Car model, offered for sale as part of the company’s anniversary.
"We’re really excited about celebrating Atlas’ 50th anniversary this year," said Atlas CEO Thomas W. Haedrich. "That’s why we decided to make it special by setting up this scholarship."
This way, Atlas customers can have a piece of history with the anniversary car and help support a good cause as well, he added.
Atlas, headquartered in Hillside, N.J., and Stevens, in Hoboken, share a rich history in railroads — model and full-scale — and in the tradition of innovative founding families.
Atlas Tool & Die Company began as a general tool and machine shop, founded by Stephan J. Schaffan, Sr. in the 1920s. His son, Stephan Schaffan, Jr., later entered the business and developed a fixture to solder model railroad turnouts together. He invented the first practical model rail joiner and began selling track and related products. In 1949, Atlas Tool Co. was incorporated, and "Atlas," the model railroad manufacturer, was born.
About Stevens and Railroads
Stevens Institute of Technology was founded in 1870 by a family of American inventors who, among other inventions, pioneered the first steam train in America and the country’s first commercial railroad, the Camden Amboy Railroad Company. Today Stevens continues its founders’ tradition of bringing new technologies to the world.
About Stevens Institute of Technology
Founded in 1870, Stevens Institute of Technology is one of the leading technological universities in the world dedicated to learning and research. Through its broad-based curricula, nurturing of creative inventiveness, and cross disciplinary research, the Institute is at the forefront of global challenges in engineering, science, and technology management. Partnerships and collaboration between, and among, business, industry, government and other universities contribute to the enriched environment of the Institute. A new model for technology commercialization in academe, known as Technogenesis®, involves external partners in launching business enterprises to create broad opportunities and shared value.
Stevens offers baccalaureates, master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering, science, computer science and management, in addition to a baccalaureate degree in the humanities and liberal arts, and in business and technology. The university has a total enrollment of 2,150 undergraduate and 3,500 graduate students, with about 250 full-time faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America. Additional information may be obtained from its web page at www.stevens.edu.
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