_{Excerpted from Our Moment, with permission of the UConn Foundation}

A $140,000 gift from SimplexGrinnell will provide scholarships to engineering and business students and support experiential learning.

“UConn students and graduates demonstrate a high skill level and a great desire to succeed,” says Jeff Brasure, district general manager of SimplexGrinnell’s Hartford office. “The caliber and commitment of these individuals is a testament to the University’s ability to develop highly qualified professionals who are ready for the job market.”

SimplexGrinnell, a subsidiary of Tyco International, is an industry leader in life-safety systems. The company is contributing $60,000 toward scholarships in the School of Engineering, along with $20,000 to support engineering senior design projects.

“UConn’s School of Business develops first-rate talent. SimplexGrinnell wants to support that effort, and also tap those resources to fill key sales and leadership roles at our company. Likewise, the School of Engineering can be a source of top talent to meet R&D and design needs at SimplexGrinnell and at Tyco as a whole,” says Vice President of Northern Operations Bob Chauvin.

In addition to scholarships, the gift will support the senior design project program at the School of Engineering. Through UConn’s innovative program, engineers from corporate sponsors mentor seniors as they design their projects, explains Marty Wood, assistant dean of undergraduate education at the school.

“The School of Engineering is pleased to partner with SimplexGrinnell in this and future initiatives,” says Wood. “Students get invaluable experience solving real-world engineering problems.”

Chauvin notes that supporting the senior design projects was a natural move for SimplexGrinnell. “Research and development is a critical part of who we are at SimplexGrinnell. During a visit with UConn’s engineering group, it became obvious that the University is on the leading edge of many new technologies,” says Chauvin.