ScHOLA²RS House is a Learning Community designed to support the scholastic efforts of male students who identify as African American/Black through academic and social support, access to research opportunities, and professional development. The UConn Foundation created the award, which honors top academically achieving Black male seniors at the University of Connecticut. The award is a source of inspiration for many at UConn. The award has been funded by contributions by faculty and staff at UConn, and by the Helen I. Moorehead-Laurencin Family Foundation, created in honor of Laurencin’s mother. The recipients this year were Ernest Lowe, Kendrick Allonce, and Kwame Kwerteng. “These three students epitomize excellence, intelligence and drive,” shared Laurencin.

• Ernest Lowe, a Digital Media major with an interest in Game Design, achieved a 3.9 GPA.
• Kendrick Allonce, a Materials Science and Engineering major, achieved a 3.6 GPA.
• Kwame Kwerteng, a Business Finance major and current Resident Assistant for the Scholars this year, achieved a 3.55 GPA.

Laurencin is well known for his extensive work in mentoring, particularly Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans. He is the recipient of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Mentor Award, the Beckman Award for Mentoring, the Alvin F. Crawford Award for Mentoring, and received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Engineering and Math Mentoring from President Barack Obama in ceremonies at the White House.

He created  and established several mentoring programs at UConn, including the (YIIP) Young Innovative Investigator Program, the UConn ASPIRE Program, (A Scientific Program in Regenerative Engineering) funded by the Department of Education, the UConn M-1 Mentorship Program, the UConn Pre-K K Award Application Training Program, the UConn Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation REM and REU Programs funded by NSF, and the UConn Graduate Training Program in Regenerative Engineering funded by NIH.

Laurencin is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, and an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. He is the first surgeon in history elected to all four of these academies. He is a Fellow of academies throughout the world including the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the Indian Academy of Engineering.

At the University of Connecticut, Laurencin serves as University Professor and Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university institute created and named in his honor at UConn.

In recognition of his global contributions, Laurencin was bestowed Knighthood, conferred under the auspices of King Charles III through the Governor General of St. Lucia.