The UConn Foundation raised $28.5 million for scholarships and fellowships—supporting undergraduate, graduate, and professional students across UConn— in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2021, a $5.4 million increase over fiscal year 2020. These dollars will provide crucial need- and merit-based support, allowing more students access to a UConn education. Since 2015, the UConn Foundation has raised $174.4 million for scholarships and fellowships.

The momentum for increasing student support is just part of a larger story of fundraising growth over the past year. The UConn Foundation recorded the highest fundraising total in its history for the second consecutive year. In total during fiscal 2021, supporters contributed $93.3 million in new gifts and commitments to support UConn’s academic, research, and public service missions across all campuses and UConn Health.

“The UConn Foundation is proud to announce that, for the second consecutive year, we have achieved our most successful fundraising year ever, at that date,” says Melinda Brown ’77 (BUS), ’85 MBA, chair of the UConn Foundation Board of Directors. “This success—made possible thanks to the nearly 23,000 alumni and friends who donated—demonstrates the passion and generosity of UConn Nation.”

Fundraising increased from $89.5 million in fiscal 2020 to $93.3 million in fiscal 2021, and the number of donors rose by 24 percent. Support for UConn Health totaled $17.2 million in fiscal 2021, providing critical funding to advance patient care, research, and academic programs. Donations for the Division of Athletics totaled $21.4 million, including generous support for the men’s and women’s ice hockey programs, which broke ground on a new arena in May.

“We are grateful for our alumni and friends who made this fundraising achievement possible,” says Daniel Toscano ’87 (BUS), chair of UConn’s Board of Trustees. “Each gift contributes to the continued success and growth of Connecticut’s flagship public research university and academic medical center.”