The scholarship program, funded by a $3 million gift from Stanley Black & Decker, is open to the top academically prepared students from 29 towns in the Greater Hartford area, addressing rising unmet need within the region.
Hundreds of accepted UHart students have been offered the scholarships. The average offer is $35,000-37,000—but the benefits go far beyond a monetary grant.
If they choose to attend UHart, the students will join the ranks of current scholars, selected each year, who enjoy access to Stanley Black & Decker (SBD) employees for monthly mentoring sessions, résumé-building workshops, and leadership development programs. They are also guaranteed first-round interviews for internships.
For Stanley Black & Decker President and CEO Donald Allan Jr. ’86, current chair of the University of Hartford Board of Regents, the Scholars of Excellence program is not just a recognition of superior academics. It’s an investment in Connecticut’s workforce—and Allan hopes other companies will join SBD in such investments.
Donald Allan Jr. ’86, President and CEO, Stanley Black & Decker“A large portion of those who graduate from the University of Hartford stay in Connecticut, so there's a very significant, powerful draw for these corporations to say, ‘I would like these students to be employees in my company.’”
The University’s fruitful partnerships with companies such as Pratt and Whitney, Hartford HealthCare, Cigna, Hartford Steam Boiler, and others, help provide students with the real-world experience and networking opportunities they need to pursue rewarding careers right here in the Greater Hartford area.
Allan says local employers can do more to deepen those partnerships. Stanley Black & Decker has led the way with monumental capital improvements and investments in career readiness programs. A $600,000 gift from Allan and his wife, Marilyn, helped UHart create the Allan Center for Career and Professional Development, bringing UHart’s many career-ready initiatives under one umbrella.
“I see this University as not only a very important institution within the Hartford region, but an opportunity to look at future students who may become employees of Stanley Black and Decker down the road,” Allan says. “That’s true for Pratt and Whitney, Cigna, the Hartford, Aetna. We have some very powerful companies that can be great partners to the University of Hartford.”