New Jersey Governor, Venture Capitalist and Philanthropist, and Distinguished Alumna to Receive Honorary Degrees at NJIT Commencement
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) will award three honorary degrees at its undergraduate commencement ceremony on Friday, May 22, 2026, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, in addition to being the featured speaker at the university’s undergraduate commencement ceremony. Venture capitalist and philanthropist John Martinson and Virginia Sulzberger, a two-time NJIT alumna and pioneer in the field of engineering, will also receive honorary Doctor of Science degrees during the ceremony, which will begin at 9 a.m. ceremony.
Of Sherrill, Martinson, and Sulzberger, NJIT President Teik C. Lim said, “Our three honorary degree recipients are trailblazers who have dedicated their lives to advancing their fields and to improving the lives of people across the country and around the globe. Their achievements in government, national defense, science, technology, business and law have been extraordinary, and they will be an inspiration to our current graduates. We are very excited for each of our honorary degree recipients to be part of our undergraduate commencement ceremony.”
About Governor Sherrill
A U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Navy helicopter pilot, former federal prosecutor, former congressional representative of New Jersey's 11th District, and now governor, Sherrill’s career has been defined by service to her country and to New Jersey.
Sherrill was inspired to join the military by her grandfather, a World War II veteran. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1994 – the first class of women eligible for combat roles on ships and aircraft – she spent almost 10 years on active duty in the United States Navy. As a Sea King Helicopter pilot, she led missions throughout Europe and the Middle East. She worked on the Battle Watch Floor in the European Theater during the Iraq War, served as a Flag Aide to the Deputy Commander of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and was a Russian policy officer aiding in the implementation of our nuclear treaty obligations while overseeing the relationship between the U.S. Navy and Russian Federation Navy.
Following her service in the Navy, Sherrill earned a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from Georgetown University. She subsequently worked in private practice and later joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey. As an Outreach and Reentry Coordinator, Sherrill established programs to develop trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve and helped people leaving prison to gain employment, housing, and education in order to restart their lives. Later, as an assistant U.S. attorney, she prosecuted numerous federal cases. Sherrill was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019 and served there until she was elected as New Jersey’s 57th governor and began her term in January of 2026.
About John Martinson
John Martinson is a venture capitalist, software industry leader and philanthropist. He founded Edison Partners and Martinson Ventures, which have made over 50 investments in New Jersey-based private technology companies. Martinson is a major donor to 10 universities in New Jersey.
Martinson co-founded NJ Technology Council and was chair of National Venture Capital Association. During his career, Martinson has advised hundreds of entrepreneurs and innovative businesses. Martinson was a board member of 80 companies, five industry trade associations, 10 non-profits and six universities.
Recognized among America’s largest donors to higher education, he currently supports 10 honors colleges and 12 performing arts programs. Martinson has been a donor to NJIT for over 30 years and funded seven projects to improve K-12 STEM instruction and NJIT teaching innovations. Albert Dorman Honors College is located in the John Martinson Residence Hall.
His degrees include a B.S. in Aero Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, an M.S. in Astronautics from Purdue University and an MBA from Southern Illinois University. He has honorary doctorates from Rider University, Rowan University, Southern Illinois University and Thomas Edison State University.
In the Vietnam War and other conflicts, Martinson flew 500 combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and nine air medals. He has received both major alumni awards from the U.S. Air Force Academy.
About Virginia Sulzberger `62,`66
Sulzberger earned both her bachelor of science in electrical engineering and master of science in electrical engineering degrees from NJIT. A distinguished alumna, she has been widely recognized for her professional accomplishments and received both the Edward F. Weston Medal Professional Achievement and the Newark College of Engineering Outstanding Alumni Award, among other recognitions, from her alma mater. Sulzberger served as Director of Engineering at the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) for 20 years and played a pivotal leadership role in developing the first comprehensive planning standards for North America’s high-voltage electric power transmission systems. Earlier in her career, she held engineering and planning roles at Exxon Enterprises and Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G). In 2015, she became the first woman in the United States elected by the National Academy of Engineering to its Electric Power and Energy Systems Engineering section. She also is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and a member of Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi engineering honor societies.