Property and casualty insurer The Hartford has committed $1 million to a scholarship fund that will support 50 Hartford students attending the University of Connecticut’s Hartford campus, a project the company says will help alleviate the financial pressures of college for recipients and allow them to focus wholly on their education.
“We’re very proud of being a part of this city, and being part of the journey of these 50 students is an expression of that and an extension of that,” said The Hartford’s President Doug Elliot. “We recognize the importance of equitable access to a quality education, and we understand the link between a solid academic foundation and future career success.”
The Hartford Scholars Program will cover the gap between a student’s existing financial aid package and their remaining tuition, allowing them to attend UConn Hartford tuition-free for all four years. Recipients will also receive a set allowance for other expenses, such as textbooks and transportation costs, according to The Hartford.
As the program progresses, the company will also provide mentorship opportunities and professional development resources.
The initiative is already underway, with the university’s division of enrollment planning and management having identified and selected 25 first-year students who entered UConn Hartford this academic year. Another 25 first-year students will be selected at the start of the 2022 academic year.
The only requirement for eligibility is that students be residents of the city of Hartford and demonstrate financial need.
“This is game changing for these young people and their families, and we’re very grateful to The Hartford for stepping up in this generous way — on top of everything else they do for our community,” said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.
Mark Overmyer-Velazquez, the university campus director of UConn Hartford, said the Hartford Scholars Program will make a meaningful difference to selected students, who can now afford to forgo work and prioritize their studies.
“The majority of the campus are first-generation [college students], students of color, and they face a lot of challenges,” Overmyer-Velazquez said. “They may be living at home, working multiple jobs, taking care of family members, so the financial cost is often a major obstacle. This program gives them a chance to focus on their education. It’s transformative.”
Elliot said the idea for the fund grew out of discussions he’s had with UConn officials, including former President Thomas Katsouleas, about how The Hartford could further engage with the university. It took about seven or eight months of work to get the program in place, he said, and by August the first class of students had been picked out.
The program dovetails with other investments the insurer has made in its home city, Elliot noted, including efforts to restore historic sites, reduce blight and promote homeownership in the Asylum Hill neighborhood.
“We’re actively engaged at every level, and this is another added program that fits very nicely into what we’ve done,” he said.
Officials at The Hartford are also optimistic that at least some of the recipients will consider careers in the insurance industry. Elliot, who himself graduated from the University of Connecticut, said the large number of UConn alumni at The Hartford has fostered close links between the two organizations, and the company is actively engaged in recruiting recent graduates.
“UConn has been a very important pool for us and I don’t see that changing,” he said.
