Pratt & Whitney Funds New Scholarship for Communication Students

(L-R) Shannon DePaul '14, Julie Busque M '12, Eboni Rhodes '15, and Dr. Susan Grantham.

A new scholarship has been created, the Pratt & Whitney Communication Scholarship, thanks to a donation from the East Hartford based company, a division of United Technologies Corporation.

At a ceremony on April 18, two communication majors were awarded the scholarship for the 2013-14 academic year: Shannon DePaul '14 and Eboni Rhodes '15. Julie Busque M '12, an alumnus of the master’s program in communication and Communications Manager, Engineering, at Pratt & Whitney, was in attendance at the inaugural awarding of the scholarship.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be majoring in communication, have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, be rising juniors or seniors, and show an active interest in their chosen field through participation in one or more student organizations, or through internships and volunteer work.

Shannon DePaul is majoring in communication, with an emphasis in media and journalism, and a minor in dance. She is treasurer and captain of the Dance Team, a Red Cap, a staff writer for The Informer, a member of the new volunteer organization, Circle K, and she participates in community service activities such as Hawks Helping Hartford.

Eboni Rhodes has an emphasis in advertising and public relations and a minor in business management. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Pi Leadership Honor Society, is publicist for the Mock Trial Team and for the University of Hartford Gospel Choir, and is cultural arts chair for Brothers and Sisters United. She is involved with Hartbeat Magazine and philanthropic activities such as Relay for Life.

Associate Professor of Communication Susan Grantham was instrumental in the creation of the scholarship, along with Busque; James Jannette, Manager, Communications Operations; and Heather Summerer, Manager, Public Relations and Communications, all from Pratt & Whitney. Faculty, staff and students of the School of Communication are grateful to all of them for their efforts and generosity.