Sheehan Scholarship Honors
Pat Sheehan ’67 (CLAS) has one of the most recognizable names in Connecticut, but when he decided to fund a named scholarship at UConn, he chose instead to honor his late brother, who also attended the University but left to pursue a broadcast career of his own.
“Dave set the path for me into journalism,” says Sheehan, an award-winning reporter who anchored television news in the state for nearly 30 years before becoming vice president at A.G. Edwards and Sons, Inc. in Hartford. “He was a master of language—he enjoyed playing with words for clarity and for fun. I hope the scholarship’s recipients find that same kind of enjoyment he did.”
The Dave Sheehan ’64 Endowed Scholarship Fund supports academically outstanding students with financial need, with preference given to English majors. Sheehan recently had an opportunity to meet the first scholarship recipient, Deanne Kopp ’07 (CLAS).
Kopp, a double major in English and communication sciences, is studying the linguistic and scientific formations of language and hopes to attend graduate school to study speech pathology. She is currently writing her thesis on parent/child interaction and how it affects language development.
“I was impressed by Deanne’s work and what she’s planning to do in the future,” says Sheehan. “It’s so important to find people who have a clear appreciation of language and communication.”
A longtime supporter of the University, Sheehan is a director emeritus of the UConn Foundation Board of Directors and served on the Campaign UConn Steering Committee and the Alumni Council. He also is the founding chair of the UConn Advocates, an organization of more than 35,000 alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents and friends of the University, and received a 2003 University Service Award for his work with the Alumni Association. His many leadership roles at UConn have given him a unique perspective of the importance of private giving.
“I didn’t see it clearly as a student, but I’ve come to recognize the importance the University has played both in my own life and in the economic success of the entire state,” he says. “A healthy and prosperous university creates a healthy and prosperous state.”
Sheehan hopes the scholarship helps generate interest among other alumni, who might better understand their responsibility for UConn’s future.
“Over time, I’ve gained an appreciation for how scholarships and financial aid attract new students to UConn,” he says. “I also want them to stay here and complete their studies, not leave school early because of finances. I would hope that alumni, and especially those who have received scholarships, understand the need to give back. We entrust our University to administrators, trustees, even state political leaders who serve UConn well, but eventually leave office. Alumni are forever. That’s the difference.”
To support the Dave Sheehan ’64 Endowed Scholarship Fund, please contact Frank Gifford, director of development, at 860.486.6798 or by e-mail at fgifford@foundation.uconn.edu.
