{"id":238024,"date":"2025-11-18T07:30:35","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T12:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=238024"},"modified":"2025-11-17T15:59:54","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T20:59:54","slug":"uconns-phi-delta-kappa-chapter-donates-10000-to-support-future-educators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2025\/11\/uconns-phi-delta-kappa-chapter-donates-10000-to-support-future-educators\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn\u2019s Phi Delta Kappa Chapter Donates $10,000 to Support Future Educators"},"content":{"rendered":"

Though inactive today, UConn\u2019s Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) chapter found a lasting way to support educators: donating $5,000 each to the Neag School Alumni Board Endowed Scholarship<\/a> and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction General Support<\/a> funds. The gift reflects the chapter\u2019s long-standing dedication to fostering excellence in teaching and supporting the development of future educators at UConn.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were always the UConn chapter, so we figured we\u2019d give it back to UConn aspiring teachers,\u201d says Patti Hess \u201910 6th Year, director of pupil services at Tolland Public Schools and former president of PDK.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the future of PDK is the young teachers who start out, and that\u2019s the group we wanted to reach, especially the ones who are underprivileged,\u201d says Duffy Brookes \u201968 (ED), former chapter historian. \u201cWe were adamant that it had to go to something that matched PDK\u2019s goals, and those two funds did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEthically, we weren\u2019t sure what to do with the money,\u201d says Laurie Brookes, former secretary of PDK. \u201cBut because we felt that we had earned the money through fundraisers, we felt that it should stay here in Connecticut.\u201d<\/p>\n

The decision came after thoughtful discussion among the remaining board members, who wanted the funds to have a direct and lasting impact on future educators. The group considered several options but ultimately agreed that supporting students within the Neag School of Education best reflected the chapter\u2019s original mission, to nurture professional growth and advance the field of education.<\/p>\n

The group\u2019s decision reflects a deep sense of responsibility to give back to the institution that shaped their professional lives and to invest in the future of education in Connecticut.<\/p>\n

\n

We were always the UConn chapter, so we figured we\u2019d give [the funds] back to UConn aspiring teachers. — Patti Hess \u201910 6th Year<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Neag School Alumni Board is deeply invested in supporting current and future students through scholarships, awards, and mentorship. The board’s scholarship fund helps further the education of Neag School students through annual scholarships to high-achieving students with financial need.<\/p>\n

The Neag School\u2019s Department of Curriculum and Instruction General Support fund helps offset the financial challenges student teachers face. Unlike many college interns, aspiring educators complete hundreds of unpaid hours in clinical placements while also covering transportation, fingerprinting, and tuition costs. This fund provides critical support for these academic and field experiences, helping future teachers focus on learning rather than on financial strain.<\/p>\n

Founded in 1951, UConn\u2019s chapter of PDK International<\/a> aimed to provide professional support, camaraderie, and educational enrichment for its members. Over the years, the group maintained a membership class of approximately 600 educators.<\/p>\n

Early on, PDK took a discerning approach to building its membership, carefully selecting educators who shared its dedication to advancing the profession. Those chosen were encouraged to take active roles in conversations influencing education across Connecticut.<\/p>\n

At their 50th anniversary in 2001, former PDK president Virginia J. Grzymkowski \u201961 MS, \u201964 6th Year, \u201981 Ph.D., who passed away<\/a> in 2009, \u00a0reflected upon the organization\u2019s members.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose who become members of this chapter have been outstanding individuals in public education,\u201d Grzymkowski said. \u201cThey believe in the need for an organization that nurtures professional interests and networking among strong educators. They insist upon substantive chapter meetings. They develop professional relationships that often last a lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

I think the future of PDK is the young teachers who start out, and that\u2019s the group we wanted to reach, especially the ones who are underprivileged. We were adamant that it had to go to something that matched PDK\u2019s goals, and those two funds did. — Duffy Brookes \u201968 (ED)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/p>\n

Monthly gatherings gave members the chance to connect, share ideas, and build lasting professional relationships. PDK also supported educators\u2019 growth by providing small scholarships to those pursuing advanced study.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis chapter of PDK is extraordinary,\u201d Grzymkowski said. \u201cIts membership has caused it to move from a conservative, male-oriented, 1950s approach to educational issues to a progressive and diverse group of individuals who are willing and capable of making significant impacts on public education issues in the 21st<\/sup>century.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, in 2002, things shifted when PDK International changed its procedures to allow \u201copen membership.\u201d What was once a highly personalized and selective process \u2014 grounded in mentorship, nomination, and professional connection \u2014 became a more generalized invitation open to all. While this change broadened access and aligned with national trends toward inclusivity, it also altered the tight-knit culture that had long defined UConn\u2019s chapter.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty years ago, the chapter was very active with teachers, school administrators, and university faculty,\u201d says David L. Stoloff, professor at Eastern Connecticut State University and former treasurer of PDK. \u201cIn the 2010s, there was a decline in interest due to the busy life of teachers and educators. The pandemic and its aftermath made it challenging to have meetings and other activities.\u201d<\/p>\n

As participation declined, the chapter gradually became less active, though its members remained connected through their shared history and dedication to education. Meetings became less frequent, with their last activity being a teacher spa day a few years ago. Eventually, the chapter ceased formal operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have hopes that the UConn PDK chapter will be revived,\u201d Stoloff says. \u201cIt provides important networking opportunities for the diverse range of educators in the region.\u201d<\/p>\n

That belief is echoed by the former board members, who hope the next generation of educators will rebuild the same tight-knit community that once defined PDK.<\/p>\n

For information on Phi Delta Kappa International, visit pdkintl.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The now-inactive chapter made a lasting contribution by donating to two Neag School funds that support the development of future educators<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":238025,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[147,2426,1855],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1879],"class_list":["post-238024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-curriculum-instruction","category-neag"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-13 11:14:57","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238024"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":238130,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238024\/revisions\/238130"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/238025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238024"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=238024"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=238024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}