Former trustee chairman donates $1 million to UConn

Grace Merritt

2 min read

After serving as chairman of the board of trustees for six years, John W. Rowe developed a lifelong connection to UConn. So he was eager to step in to help students when the pandemic hit campus.

He and his wife, Valerie, recently donated $1 million to help students, many of whom had lost on-campus and summer jobs and struggled to pay tuition.

The Rowes’ donation provides an immediate infusion of spendable cash to buoy students in the Rowe Scholars program. The gift doubled their scholarships and helped with books, fees, and other pressing expenses.

“I was surprised, thrilled, and grateful when I heard about it,” said Meghan Long, of Middletown, Conn., a Rowe Scholar majoring in physiology and neurobiology. Because of COVID-19, her summer internship at Hartford Hospital had been cancelled. She was scrambling to pay for fall tuition.

Started 16 years ago, the Rowes Scholars program recruits underrepresented Connecticut students with high financial need into the health sciences. It provides scholarships and mentoring to prepare students for a broad range of healthcare jobs, such as x-ray technicians, pharmacists, nurses, and physicians.

“This thoughtful gift could not come at a more critical time for these students and the University. We are so grateful to the Rowes for their generous support,” UConn President Tom Katsouleas said.

John Rowe, M.D., who was chairman of the board of trustees from 2003-2009, said he has a strong bond with UConn and the Rowe Scholars program. Rowe, who was chairman and CEO of Aetna at the time, steered the university through a period of tremendous growth. He oversaw the upgrade and expansion of the campus and was instrumental in increasing student enrollment and the university’s national academic ranking.

The Rowes, both academics, live in New York City. He teaches at Columbia University where he is the Julius B. Richmond Professor of Health Policy and Aging in the School of Public Health. Valerie, who holds a doctorate, is a retired associate professor at Fordham University’s School of Education.

The Rowes said they hope the Rowe program helps to start closing racial disparities in the medical field.

“It’s nice to see the impact it’s made on them and the impact that it will make going forward as they get out in the workforce,” Valerie Rowe said. “In the long run, I think it will make a difference.”

Jennifer Lease Butts, who runs the Rowe Scholars program, said donations help UConn attract and support top students from Connecticut.

“It’s really programs like Rowe Scholars and support from donors that help us attract the best students,” Lease Butts said. “They make a difference for students, giving them the ability to afford to attend college.”

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How One Act of Generosity Can Change a Life

Grace Merritt

3 min read

Javante Danvers is living proof of the life-changing power of scholarships.

“If you had told me years ago that I’d be at a four-year university taking classes like this I would have told you that was impossible,” said Danvers, of Hartford. “I’m still shocked to this day that I’m graduating in a few months.”

photo of javante danvers — Javante Danvers, scholarship recipient.

Danvers, an allied health major who plans to become a nurse practitioner, was speaking to about 100 scholarship donors and student recipients at an upbeat, second annual Celebration of Scholarship Reception at the Alumni Center recently. Not only is Danvers grateful for the opportunity to be the first in her family to go to college, she fully intends to pay it forward.

“My scholarship gave me the tools to continue my education and modeled how one act of generosity can change someone’s entire life,” she said. “I can’t wait until I’m able to impact a life the same way my donor has impacted mine with a gift of a college education.” She is the recipient of the Dennison Nash Undergraduate Scholarships Fund and her story is featured in the UConn Foundation’s Transform Lives Impact Report.

Throughout the night, many donors had the chance to meet the students receiving their scholarships as they mingled over hot hors d’oeuvres followed by UConn Dairy Bar ice cream sandwiches.

Braley Degenhardt, a senior acting major, gave a passionate testimonial about her experience studying Shakespeare via the Robert A. McDonald Semester in London Fund.

“I came back from London a changed individual,” she said. “I would not be as confident, as independent or as significantly career focused as I am without my time in London. And the person I have to thank for that is [retired faculty member] Bob McDonald. Without Bob and his generous donation to the department of dramatic arts, the program simply would not exist.”

Keynote speaker Bill Clemens, UConn Foundation board member, described how meaningful it was to receive a thank you note from his scholarship recipient that he proudly displays in his office. He established the William B. Clemens III and Walter Whitnack Scholarship Fund.

One of the evening’s speakers, Dan Toscano ’87 (BUS), talked about meeting his student, Bryant X. Mercado, a business major who received the Joseph P. and Rose M. Toscano Memorial Scholarship.

photo of dan toscano and bryant mercado — Dan Toscano ’87 (BUS) and student scholarship recipient Bryant X. Mercado

“We just met for the first time. He’s a freshman. He’s the fourth student we helped make their way through UConn,” said Toscano, chairman of the UConn Foundation board of directors. “It’s an honor to watch this army of people come out of the university prepared to take on the world, solve problems, be successful, and be great Huskies,” he said.

“The way I think about it, having once been a student here-and now being a donor and a UConn parent-is we’re all on this trek together. We’re all at different points in the journey, but all have so much in common. This is a university of “bootstrap” people who came from a variety of means and are in the process of or have made successes of themselves as adults.”

Toscano thanked the donors for enabling the students to succeed and praised the students for their tenacity.

“It may not be easy to get here. It may not be easy to stay here. But you guys are fighters,” he said. “You’re smart, you’re motivated, and you’re willing to do the hard work to be successful.”

UConn President Susan Herbst also thanked the students for making UConn Nation proud and thanked the donors for their thoughtful philanthropy.

“Thanks so much to so many of you here tonight for giving what I think is the most transformational gift you can give to the university,” she said.

Herbst and her husband, Doug Hughes, have established a scholarship as well: the Susan Herbst and Douglas Hughes Family Scholarship in the Humanities.

Since launching the $150 million Transform Lives Scholarship initiative in July 2013, the UConn Foundation has raised $90.7 million for student scholarships.

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A New ‘Promise’ for Hartford Scholars

Tiffany Ventura Thiele

3 min read

Endowed law school scholarship a first for Hartford Promise students

Since 2016, the Hartford Promise scholarship fund has helped open doors for hundreds of Hartford students to attend college.

Now, thanks to Rick ’78 (LAW) and MaryEllen Thibodeau ’85 (LAW), a new scholarship will help these scholars pursue a graduate degree from UConn’s School of Law.

The couple, School of Law alums and longtime Connecticut residents, recently established the Richard E. Thibodeau and MaryEllen Thibodeau Scholarship Fund. It is the first UConn graduate school scholarship that will primarily benefit Hartford Promise scholarship recipients. The first year for eligible recipients for law school will be in the 2018-19 academic year.

“We feel very strongly that certain institutions and professions that provide a public service, such as the armed forces, government, and law, should generally reflect the population that they serve,” MaryEllen said. “We hope our gift will give some young men and women the ability to attend the UConn School of Law, to have a successful career in Connecticut, and provide future opportunities for the generations to follow.”

The Thibodeaus set up their endowment via an IRA charitable rollover, combining convenience with tax advantages. Donors who are 70½ and older can make a gift that fulfills their required minimum distribution, but is not treated as taxable income. Even donors who don’t itemize can benefit from this opportunity. Donors can distribute up to $100,000 a year to a charity.Learn More

This gift could help make a difference for Hartford Promise scholars. A recent report by the National Association for Law Placement shows a slow pace in growth of diversity among law firms. Additionally, the School of Law notes that pipeline programs, which provide access to students who might not otherwise consider law as a profession, and financial support are critical in opening doors for underrepresented students.

“We want young people to understand that it is possible to get through high school, go to college, and thereafter enroll in law school,” said Karen Demeola, Assistant Dean for Enrollment and Students, UConn School of Law and President, Connecticut Bar Association. “Removing barriers to success, in particular the financial obligation, is so important to students’ academic achievement.”

“We’re deeply grateful for Rick and MaryEllen’s most generous support of the School of Law,” said Dean Timothy Fisher, UConn School of Law. “This scholarship will help Hartford students further their education as they prepare for a lifetime of fulfilling service in the legal profession. We thank Rick and MaryEllen for their transformative gift, and look forward to welcoming recipients.”

Rick and MaryEllen have given to UConn for more than 30 years, inspired by their parents’ example of paying it forward.

“While neither of our parents had much money, they gave what they could of both money and time to the organizations that were important to them and we observed that,” Rick said.

The two credited the School of Law as the foundation for their successful careers. Rick owned his own tax and investment services practice for almost 20 years, and MaryEllen worked as a transactions lawyer for several Connecticut companies.

“I enjoyed the intellectual challenge and rigorous academic atmosphere, and learned the importance of considering various points of view and the need to be prepared,” MaryEllen said. “UConn Law opened up the opportunity for me to have a challenging and interesting career.”

Rick and MaryEllen enjoy the opportunity to help future legal scholars and hope others will follow their lead.

“We would encourage potential donors, whether a UConn Law graduate or not, to reflect on the importance of having a first-class state University with a first-class law school,” Rick said. “Education is the door that opens opportunities and breaks down barriers to success.”

Inspire Future Legal Scholars

For more information about the Hartford Promise scholarship program, visit www.hartfordpromise.org.

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Scholarship Relieves Pressure for Biomedical Engineer

Grace Merritt

2 min read

When Rita Matta heard the news, she cried for hours.

The relief was that intense.

Matta ’16 (ENG) had just been told she would be getting a scholarship from UConn alum Russ St. John to help pay for her senior year at UConn.

After spending three years juggling babysitting and tutoring jobs, Matta felt the pressure melt away.

“I was concerned about paying for my next year of college. It was a huge relief to me,” she said. “I remember calling my mom and crying for hours.”

Matta’s mother had been diagnosed with aggressive ovarian cancer. Besides the emotional drain of dealing with the disease, the family was swamped with medical bills.

The scholarship relieved the pressure on her then and is still making an impact today. It’s allowed Matta, 22, to continue her education and pursue a career in biomedical engineering that will likely save lives.

Now, as a doctoral student at Yale, Matta is helping to develop a minimally invasive, innovative treatment that could help stroke victims recover.

She decided to pursue bioengineering as a career field because she had been impressed that a robot was used to perform the cancer surgery on her mother.

photo of Rita Matta ’16 (ENG): — Rita Matta ’16 (ENG) in the lab at Yale

“It was performed so accurately,” she said. “She had little to no scar tissue. That was really awesome to me because I had no exposure to or any knowledge of robotic technology before that,” she said.

Articulate, serious, and driven, Matta feels lucky to be chosen as a doctoral student to work on this innovative stroke treatment. She is humble, but to anyone who knows her, there’s no denying that she’s proved herself more than worthy. She’s an academic powerhouse who works extremely hard and has an insatiable scientific curiosity.

Her supervisor and mentor at Yale describes her as open-minded, persistent, and willing to take a risk.

“Scientifically and also personality-wise, she is very kind and engaging,” said Anjelica Gonzalez, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Yale. “She has an excitement and enthusiasm to learn about science and she is willing to challenge paradigms.”

Matta attributes her success to her family’s deep-seated appreciation of education. Her mother and aunts and uncles all are immigrants from war-torn Beirut who successfully graduated from college.

“I have a hard time saying no,” Matta said. “I set high standards for myself and for my work. It’s just the way that I was raised—to keep aiming for the best and not settling for anything but my full effort.”

Life has turned the corner for her mother, too. She is in remission and Matta has a new hope. Inspired by St. John, ’80 (ENG), ’85 MBA, she hopes to one day pay it forward and help another UConn student further their education.

Meanwhile, she is helping in another way. She volunteers for an outreach program that encourages middle-school-aged girls in the New Haven region to enter STEM careers. When it comes to giving back, there’s no doubt she’s just getting started.

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Visionary Leader in Fabulous Heels

Grace Merritt

3 min read

One of the driving forces behind the new UConn Women and Philanthropy initiative is co-chair Melinda (Tishler) Brown ’77 (BUS), ’85 MBA.

Brown, a straight-talking, no-nonsense executive at Coach Inc., set fundraising goals and helped shape the group into a social network for like-minded women in 2016, its inaugural year.

The fledgling campaign just passed the one-year mark with great success. It met and surpassed its initial membership goal of 100 alums and supporters around the country to donate $500 each to establish a permanent scholarship. In fact, it lined up 104 donors and raised $137,030, including a matching gift from Brown.

As a result, the group will be able to award scholarships to 10 UConn freshman women this fall and establish an endowment.

Brown, a member of the UConn Foundation’s Board of Directors, is pleased with what has been accomplished to date, but is focused on how to convert the first year’s success to an expanding perpetuity that will support even more UConn women during the entirety of their undergraduate education.

If we women don’t take care of our own, who will?
– Melinda Brown

Year Two is focused on doubling membership, maintaining the active engagement of the Year One members, and growing the base of women committed to giving year after year. Brown hopes to see the number of members grow each year, pointing out that UConn has 50 years of female alums from which to draw. She feels an emotional commitment to the group’s mission and says it has been gratifying to see others react the same way.

“If we women don’t take care of our own, who will?” Brown said. “That’s what this is all about. This is women taking care of women.”

Eventually, the group hopes to broaden its scope beyond fundraising to also mentor and advocate for UConn women, from supporting undergraduates and endowing female faculty positions to recommending female graduation speakers.

Encouraging like-minded women to invest in UConn

The group regularly holds social events, such as UConn Women basketball pre-game receptions and cocktail parties, so members can not only expand their personal networks, but encourage like-minded women to invest in the future of UConn and its women.

“It’s provided a new venue for women to engage. It easily generates an emotional commitment that has an immediate and long-lasting impact,” Brown said

Marilda Gándara ’78 JD, the group’s other co-chair, said Brown is well-suited to steering the group forward.

“She’s dynamic, experienced, clear-thinking, and an excellent communicator. These are qualities we need to create a strategy that can generate a sustainable impact,” Gándara said. “She is focused on balancing the short term with a long-term investment that ultimately can deliver beyond fundraising.”

Brown was raised in Norwalk, the daughter of a local garment manufacturer. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom who worked briefly for an accountant and encouraged her daughter to follow a career path in accounting.

Brown graduated early from Norwalk High School and enrolled at UConn for the spring semester, simply due to expediency. She had thought she would ultimately transfer to another university, but in fact never did.

“I loved UConn,” she said. “Campus life was varied and easily tailored to what captivated you that week. Because it is such a large campus, even after four years, there were always new people to meet and engage with. I loved my whole experience.”

From PepsiCo to Coach

She began her career in public accounting, eventually landing at the Financial Accounting Standards Board. While working, she earned her MBA evenings at the UConn Stamford branch and spent nearly 30 years at PepsiCo, where she held various leadership roles, retiring as senior vice president of global shared services and productivity. In 2012, she joined Coach Inc., serving as senior vice president and corporate controller.

While she didn’t envision herself becoming successful top-level executive growing up, she is clearly aware that her career has been a critical enabler to her personal growth.

“Anybody should want to be in my shoes. And I really do mean that,” joked Brown, who is known for her collection of fabulous footwear.

Brown, has two adult children and a granddaughter. She splits her time between homes in Stamford, Conn. during the week and Madison, Conn. on the weekends. When she’s not working, she loves to be at the beach with friends and family.

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The Arethusa Sample Sale Is Back!

Suzanne Morrissey

2 min read

Once again this summer, the popular Arethusa Shoe Sale will take place in Bantam, Conn., to benefit scholarships for UConn students.

Shoe lovers can expect deep discounts at the sale on Saturday, August 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bantam Fire Company, 92 Doyle Road in Bantam, Conn. Proceeds go directly to the Arethusa Farm Scholarship Fund, which aids students at UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources (CAHNR). Arethusa executives George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgaitis established the fund after they bought Arethusa Farm in Litchfield, Conn. With help from UConn’s agriculture experts, they have built an internationally renowned herd and dairy business that includes a line of premium dairy products as well as Arethusa al Tavolo Restaurant and Arethusa a Mano bakery in Bantam.

At the sale, fashionistas will find a mix of past seasons’ items and samples from fashion shows, movie sets, and ad shoots. A wide range of sizes will be available. At the 2015 sale, excited shoppers took home luxury-brand flats, stilettos, pumps, and boots at bargain prices—and raised nearly $200,000 for the scholarship fund.

“The value of this fundraising opportunity cannot be overstated,” said Cameron Faustman, Interim Dean and Director of the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources. “For students pursuing dairy-related interests at the University of Connecticut, this scholarship program will provide a means for accomplishing their academic and career goals while minimizing their need to work long hours outside of their studies or to take on debt. It also will facilitate our ability to attract and retain students committed to the field and ensure a continued supply of fresh and local dairy products for the state.”

Steven Zinn, professor and head of UConn’s Department of Animal Science, agreed: “This scholarship opens doors to a UConn education for the next generation of dairy producers in Connecticut, helping maintain this critical industry in the state.”

UConn students will be on hand to help direct traffic, and entry into the sale is first come, first served. Credit cards and cash will be accepted. The samples are not to be purchased for resale, and all sales are final.

For more information about the sale, call Amy Chesmer at (860) 336-6706.

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Drag-racing Dentist Gives Scholarship

Grace Merritt

3 min read

When she was in high school, Carolina Giraldo ’95 DMD would drag race boys in her lime-green VW Rabbit after school at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Conn.

“I was a sight to see. You barely could see my head. But I would win. That is the car that inspired me, if you could believe it. I knew if I could win in that thing, I had some kind of talent.”

Dr. Giraldo, who is all of 4-foot-10, is all about perseverance. Born in Bogota, Colombia and raised in Bridgeport, she put herself through college and UConn School of Dentistry.

She opened her own dental practice 21 years ago and now wants to help other students like her. So she recently started a scholarship with an initial gift of $10,000 to the UConn dental school for students from underrepresented groups.

“I want the minority population to grow in the field,” she said. “I want a bigger presence of women, of minorities, to get into the field and make a difference.”

Dr. Giraldo wants to give back to help make the path easier than hers was. She and her older sister, Diana, had to grow up quickly. While their parents each worked three jobs, the sisters practically ran the home front and raised their youngest brother, Randy. Dr. Giraldo remembers cooking dinner for the first time when she was only seven.

“We cooked, we ironed, we cleaned. We pretty much raised ourselves,” she said.

She always knew that if she wanted to have an education past high school, she’d have to do it on her own. So she juggled work and books and put herself through college—then dental school.

Scholarships like the one Dr. Giraldo is giving really make a difference in the lives of dental students, said Sarita Arteaga ’99 DMD, MA, MAGD, the school’s associate dean.

“It’s not just help with tuition,” she said. “I get comments back that it also helps them with the little things so they don’t have to take out another loan. It also helps them to know that someone is investing in them. They say, ‘Wow, I can’t believe somebody was in this position and not only wants to give back to the school, but wants to do the same thing for me’.”

Dr. Giraldo’s dental practice, All Smiles, in Norwalk, is like her, vibrant and welcoming. She designed the industrial-chic medical suite herself and decorated it with original artwork.

She remembers first becoming interested in dentistry as a child when she would watch customers visiting her father’s deli in Yonkers, N.Y.

“I would always look at people’s teeth. I don’t know why,” she said. “Whenever they spoke, I would see how their teeth met and I would try to figure it out—this tooth doesn’t belong there, I’d move it over this way. It was really like art mixed with medicine, so it was perfect. I love the art aspect of it. I still get to move teeth and design a smile just like I did behind the counter.”

These days, she lives in Redding, Conn., with her children, Enzo, 17, and Savannah, 16, her fiancé, Hernan, and his son, Alejandro, 18.

And she still likes driving fast. She even tried her hand at hand at Indy-style racing at the Mario Andretti Racing School in Las Vegas, Nev. recently. Her short stature made it challenging and a bit painful.

“I couldn’t reach the pedal. It was pitiful. They put seven cushions around me,” she said, chuckling.

The g-forces slammed her head up against the side of the car and made it difficult to move. Even so, she pushed through and made it up to 149 miles per hour.

Dr. Giraldo’s scholarship supports the UConn Foundation’s ongoing Transform Lives initiative to raise $150 million for student scholarships. You can support future dentists with a gift to the UConn School of Dentistry or contribute directly to Dr. Giraldo’s scholarship for underserved dental students.

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Time, Talent, and Treasure

Tiffany Ventura Thiele

3 min read

The three-tiered generosity of Trustee and alum Rick Carbray

Rick Carbray ’75 (PHARM) sums up his University experience simply: It’s as if he never left. Shortly after graduation, Carbray became a member of the former UConn Alumni Association, serving as its president from 2004 to 2006, and is now in his second four-year term as a Board of Trustees member.

“I’ve always been involved with volunteering,” he said. “There are a lot of ways you can give back to the University, and certainly giving of one’s time and talent are important. But in light of what’s happening overall with state institutions seeing decreases in operating budgets, which we as Trustees see every year, more has to be made up through philanthropy.”

It’s this perspective that guides his generosity.

“I’ve been an athletics donor for years, so it was a tug of war with me: Should I give to athletics in scholarship, or should I give to pharmacy?” Carbray explained. “But I realized that my first priority should be establishing a pharmacy scholarship. That’s my profession and how somebody helped me get started.”

How Do You Pharm?
The job outlook for pharmacists is expected to grow 3 percent through 2024. And at UConn, future pharmacists have many degree options within the School of Pharmacy:Pharm.D: Over six years, students are prepped to sit for the licensure exam and become practicing pharmacists.

Pharm.D./MBA Dual Degree: Students combine pharmacy education with business managerial knowledge and skills.

Pharm.D./MPH Dual Degree: Students learn special skills in public health as it relates to disease prevention and medication safety.

Pharm.D./Ph.D. program: Targeted for a small number of students who combine their professional licensure with advanced research-based training in the pharmaceutical sciences.

That somebody was Curtis Gladding, whose named scholarship covered one-third of Carbray’s educational costs during his five years at UConn. Carbray was never able to thank his donor—Gladding, who had served as the president of the State Pharmacists Association in 1896, passed away many years before Carbray arrived at UConn. Carbray is hoping to have a connection with pharmacy students who will benefit from his $150,000 gift to create the Richard T. Carbray Jr. Pharmacy Scholarship.

“I thought this was a great way to make the commitment to a couple of students every year, and then I can watch them progress through their professional career, see them every year, and hopefully mentor them along the way,” he said.

UConn’s School of Pharmacy, considered one of the top choices for pharmacy education in the U.S., is a six-year program and costs can add up. In fact, tuition can double for students to offset additional costs associated with laboratory and rotation experiences in their final two years. This makes Carbray’s gift even more significant.

“Rick has been the most enthusiastic, energetic, and loyal supporter of the School of Pharmacy that a dean could possibly hope for,” said Dean James Halpert, Ph.D., UConn School of Pharmacy. “As a newcomer to Connecticut, I especially appreciated how Rick welcomed me and introduced me to other alumni and friends of the school. His advice on so many occasions has been invaluable. His and [his wife] Pat’s generous and recent gift will make a tremendous impact on pharmacy students today and in the future.”

Carbray hopes others will follow his lead.

“If you’ve been fortunate enough to come to UConn’s School of Pharmacy and have had a successful career, what better time than now to have another pharmacy student share that experience,” he said.

Carbray has fond memories of his UConn days, so it’s been exciting for him to witness the progression and growth of the University.

“When I come back, especially now, I’m so impressed by the campus itself,” he said. “I remember going to school here and the pharmacy building was older with less modernization. Today, you see this beautiful $85 million Pharmacy School and how it just transforms this University. This instills a lot of the pride in the fact that UConn is moving forward and that the state has been supportive of its flagship University.”

The former owner of Apex Pharmacy and Home Care Center in Hamden, Conn., Carbray credits his UConn education for his successful 40-year career. But he adds that he couldn’t have done it without his family’s support.

“I really have to thank my family—my wife Pat and my three children, Matthew, Amy, and Brendan—for all the time I was not around those evenings when I was out volunteering or spending time in my profession,” Carbray said. “Without their support, I wouldn’t be here today.”

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Transformed Lives: Scholarship Students Say Thank You to Donors

Tiffany Ventura Thiele

2 min read

How many ways can you say “thank you?” That was the job of approximately 30 scholarship students during the Transform Lives Scholarship Dinner on Thursday, October 7.

Throughout the evening, students had the opportunity to meet personally with scholarship donors, sharing their stories and progress so far at UConn. During the speaking portion of the evening, each student also shared what the gift of a scholarship meant to them and their families. With emotion and detail, many described how their scholarships eased stress and anxiety in the face of family illness, financial difficulties, and other hardships.

“This scholarship has really helped ease my financial burdens, but also has allowed me to worry less about finance and to get involved with clubs on campus,” said Jennifer Skoog, a sophomore from Monroe majoring in chemical engineering. “I’m really grateful for that, so thank you.”

Approximately 100 people were in attendance, including UConn Foundation Board members, many of whom are also scholarship donors; UConn President Susan Herbst; Provost Mun Choi; and Wayne Locust, vice president for Enrollment Planning and Management. Locust said it was important that the investment in student support continue.

“The investment is a true partnership that draws from family resources, University funds, and contributions from private donors and friends of the University,” he said. “We are very grateful for this important partnership and the fact that many students are able to benefit from the generosity and support provided by our donors and University friends.”

This gratitude was expressed by all students.

“The scholarship has really changed my life in unimaginable ways and has allowed me to focus on my academics and career,” said Riyad Twal, a senior from Stamford majoring in accounting. “Thank you so much.”

Some spoke to the importance of giving back to UConn in the future.

“The scholarship has been so meaningful to me and my family,” said Sarah Schatz, a freshman from Columbia majoring in accounting. “It really shows to me and all the other scholarship recipients how hard work really does pay off. Thank you all for investing in my future and all of our futures, and I can’t wait to pay it forward.”

UConn Foundation Board Chair Dan Toscano thanked the donors for their support and commitment to the students.

“For the donors, and people who have been able to help, thank you doesn’t do justice for how we feel about what you do,” he said. “But it’s not just about your financial resources, it is the connection you have with the students, [and] it is your willingness to be here with your time and advice and ability to help in other ways. Thank you for that.”

Since launching the $150 million Transform Lives Scholarship initiative 18 months ago, the UConn Foundation has raised $54.5 million for student support – one-third of the way to goal.

“To continue the greatness of this University, we need our partnership to continue to be strong,” said Locust. “I have every confidence that UConn will remain in its rightful place among the national leading institutions in the country.

“Are we transforming lives? Indeed we are.”

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Transforming Lives: Nutmeg Scholar Sarah Schatz ’20

Jennifer Huber

2 min read

What is it like to witness a dream come true? We wanted to capture that moment—the second a life changes. The moment a promising high school senior finds out she earned a full scholarship to UConn.

This is the story of Sarah Schatz, recipient of the prestigious Nutmeg Scholarship and a member of the class of 2020. UConn awards 15 Nutmeg Scholarships each year to outstanding students from Connecticut who demonstrate the academic prowess, commitment to public service, and character to become a leader in his or her chosen field.

“The Nutmeg Scholarship is so significant. UConn is such a great school,” says Schatz, a National Merit Commended Scholar and Governor’s Scholar from Columbia, Conn. “Knowing that I got the scholarship and that I’m staying in Connecticut was a huge relief for my family. We are all so happy and grateful to UConn.”

More and more top students are choosing UConn. The class of 2020 includes the largest number of valedictorians and salutatorians, 181, in UConn’s history. Nine out of 10 of them hail from towns across Connecticut.

Schatz has already earned an impressive array of academic achievements. After finishing in the top 10 her junior year on the finance exam at a DECA (an international program that develops leadership skills) international competition, Schatz placed first in the accounting applications competition at a DECA state-level conference during her junior and senior years. She served as an officer in the National Honor Society and treasurer of her high school’s chapter of the mathematics honor society Mu Alpha Theta.

In addition to diving into coursework—her major is accounting—Schatz looks forward to taking advantage of all the opportunities at her fingertips at UConn.

“The scholarship will help me be able to focus on my schoolwork. Instead of worrying about working, I can concentrate on academics and look at the extracurricular opportunities,” says Schatz. “UConn offers so much. I want to look into student business organizations like the accounting groups and other activities like intramural sports—I play field hockey and tennis.”

Active in community service, Schatz also was impressed with UConn’s community-oriented programs. Schatz was president of her school district’s Leos Club (junior program of the Lions Club) and fundraised for Camp Rising Sun, a summer camp in Colebrook, Conn. for children with cancer. She wants to check out UConn’s Alternative Breaks, which coordinate service-learning trips that prepare students for lifelong social action. Trips coming up this year focus on such important issues as homelessness, HIV/AIDS advocacy, human trafficking, and environmental conservation.

“Most of all I’m interested in meeting new people from all different places and backgrounds and with different interests,” Schatz adds. “I’m so excited to be going to UConn, and I’m so appreciative of the Nutmeg Scholarship, which has proven that hard work does pay off.”

Welcome to UConn Nation, Sarah Schatz ’20! Learn more about the Transform Lives initiative to raise $150 million for scholarships to support more students like Schatz.

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Stamford Donors Find Joy Creating a Legacy of Philanthropy

Tiffany Ventura Thiele

3 min read

Donors Peter ’55 (BUS) and Re’ Telep are committed to supporting UConn Stamford students today – and in the future.

In 2009, the couple established the Telep Family Scholarship to support UConn Stamford students. Recently, the two decided to ensure the scholarship’s longevity by creating an endowed scholarship through their estate plans. For the Teleps, this scholarship is an opportunity to give back and help others move ahead in the world.

“We’re just big believers in education,” said Re’ Telep. “If you’re going to put your money anywhere in this country, it should be toward improving people’s lives so they can improve the country.”

Peter Telep has strong ties to UConn. He entered the University in the second semester of 1952, graduating in three and a half years from the School of Business. Calling his time at UConn “absolutely wonderful,” Peter was drafted into the U.S. Army upon graduation, and after two years of service he began his career in New York in the business and advertising sectors. He met his wife Re’ on a business flight, where Re’ worked as a TWA air hostess, and the couple eventually moved to Stamford and raised two sons.

For years, the Teleps stayed connected with UConn through their giving and by attending alumni events. Then, the couple met with UConn Stamford officials to discuss ways of giving closer to home.

“We always were charity-minded and we decided to look at our giving,” said Peter. “In reappraising everything, we decided that we wanted to increase our giving but give it locally, where we knew that the money was going to go directly to the recipient.”

The Telep Family Scholarship was created soon after. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to two or three full-time undergraduate students enrolled at UConn Stamford.

“That satisfied our reason for giving,” said Peter. “We want to see this place succeed because I think it’s good for the University and it’s good for the city of Stamford.”

The Teleps also felt it was important to support the diversity on campus. In 2015-16, minority students made up 44 percent of UConn Stamford’s student population.

“Peter is first generation in this country, and his parents from Eastern Europe really stressed education,” said Re’. “It was always, ‘Get an education – you’ll do better than we did.'”

Since its creation, the Telep Family Scholarship has had a significant impact on its recipients, including Alena Yaseva ’16 (CLAS). Alena graduated in May with a double major in Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies. She credits the scholarship for substantially contributing toward her tuition and allowing her to finish her degree on time.

“The Telep Family Scholarship had a tremendous impact on my life,” said Alena. “It gave me an opportunity to finish my undergraduate degree, enroll in graduate school to finish my career goals, and attend great courses throughout my senior year at UConn.”

Alena is just one of the many students that the Teleps have touched with their giving. Now, with their decision to create an endowed scholarship, the Teleps will help students in the Stamford area in perpetuity.

“Basically, [we wanted] to continue our yearly scholarship here,” said Peter. “I think without an education, your prospects in the future are dim. If you’re able to give back and help someone else, it’s a very good feeling.”

In fact, the Teleps consider it a privilege to give – and they hope that others will consider giving as well.

“Once you get involved in the process, it’s a very gratifying feeling,” said Peter. “I think a lot of people think that it has to be a big number. It doesn’t have to be a big number. A lot of little numbers add up to a big number. Every little bit that you can contribute helps someone else move ahead in the world. Certainly, it’s brought us a feeling of joy to be able to help someone.”

As Alena pursues her master’s degree in social work this fall at Columbia University, she is extremely grateful for the Teleps’ generosity.

“Without your help, I wouldn’t have been able to finish my undergraduate degree or enroll at Columbia University,” said Alena of the Teleps. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

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Hygienist-Turned-Dentist and Student Star in Radio Spots

UConn Foundation

2 min read

A dental hygienist who took her patients’ advice to become a dentist and a brilliant UConn sophomore who has already invented a heart monitor battery charger will star in new radio spots on NPR to promote the UConn Foundation’s scholarship drive.

In her 60-second spot, Greenwich dentist Dr. Christine Tierney explains that she wants to help students who are the first in their family to get a professional degree. Environmental science major Bridget Oei talks about how her scholarship not only gave her financial aid, but the motivation to push herself.

The UConn Foundation has raised more than $56.5 million for scholarships and fellowships for UConn students since the Transform Lives scholarship initiative launched last year.

Tierney ’86 (DMD) grew up in a large family where the most advanced degree was an associate’s in dairy science. Tierney was earning her associate’s herself in dental hygiene and working after school as a dental assistant when her patients urged her to become a dentist. She had never really considered getting a professional degree, but decided to apply and got in to the UConn School of Dental Medicine.

Tierney, who has a successful dental practice in Greenwich, recently created a fellowship to help students who were the first in their families to attend professional school.

“It’s something I’m really proud of,” she said. “I really do think we have an obligation to give back, and UConn makes it easy to do and makes you feel really good about it.”

[Listen to Tierney’s NPR Segment]

In her NPR spot, Oei, a sophomore from Hebron, explains that scholarships have helped her to take charge of her academic path and motivated her to push herself.

Oei, who is on the pre-med track, has already done some innovative research at UConn. She has invented a paper-thin device that can charge the batteries in a heart monitor by using the wind from a person’s breathing. She won the Robert and Carlotta Holster Honors Scholarship and Stamps Scholarship, among others.

“The scholarships mean more than money. They’re not just subsidizing my education,” she said. “Meeting donors, you realize that there are people out there who actually believe in you personally and they’re willing to support you because of what they believe what you can do. That’s inspiring and extremely motivational for me and for so many other students who have received scholarships.”

Oei, who intends to become a dermatologist, is also a competitive Irish dancer, ballet dancer, violinist, and fiddler.

[Listen to Oei’s NPR Segment]

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