Scholarships

Every Spring Students Apply for an Emeriti Scholarship

Emeriti Scholarship Announcement

The Emeriti Association of the University of Hartford is offering three $3,500 scholarships for the academic year 2026-2027. Two of these are named in honor of past University Presidents Humphrey Tonkin and Walter Harrison. Applications for the awards are due by 4:00 p.m., Friday, March 13, 2026. The awards, given annually to University of Hartford full-time undergraduate students, are based on the following criteria:

Scholarly achievement. A Grade Point Average of at least 3.50 is the minimum for consideration by the selection committee.
Applicants must provide evidence of activities which contribute to the betterment of the University of Hartford and/or the community at large.
Applicants must be undergraduates in any of the colleges of the University of Hartford and must be entering their junior or senior year as full-time students in the fall 2026 semester. Students who entered the University with advanced placement credits must have completed two semesters at the University to be eligible to apply. Students who entered the University as transfer students must have completed one semester at the University to be eligible to apply.
A previous award recipient may seek renewal of the award provided all the criteria for eligibility, as stated above, are satisfied; however, be aware that effort will be made to rotate the award among the various colleges of the University.

To apply for a scholarship award, students must submit an electronic application package to the email address, EmerSchol@hartford.edu, for the Executive Secretary of the Emeriti Association (Mary Dowst), outlining their qualifications for consideration.

There is no application form; to apply, students must submit a PDF file containing the following:

A letter of application (no more than 2 pages) which includes your school, major, level, and current Grade Point Average; your goals and objectives; and information pertaining to your scholarship and service activities. Indicate the names of your two references.
A resume (must be no more than one page in length). Please be sure to include a current address, telephone number, current email address, and University ID number.

Two letters of recommendation are required from individuals who are familiar with your scholarship and service accomplishments. At least one reference must be from a full-time faculty member
at the University of Hartford from whom the applicant has taken and completed at least one course or one semester of research. Recommenders must submit letters in PDF format to EmerSchol@hartford.edu. Additional suggestions concerning the application process are available online at https://www.hartford.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/emeriti/scholarships.aspx

The Emeriti Scholarship Committee, which represents a diversity of faculty disciplines, shall evaluate all applications and recommend three students for the awards. The awards for academic year 2026-2027 will be announced in late April 2026.

Email PDF files of all materials to EmerSchol@hartford.edu by 4:00 p.m., Friday, March 13, 2026

Questions? Contact Mary Dowst, Department of Biology, Room BC257
(860-768-4531 or dowst@hartford.edu).

Your application:

It is crucial for you to submit a letter of application that represents your own thinking, organization, and is written in your own words.

Proofread your application materials carefully. The quality of your letter of application and resume are extremely important. Errors, such as spelling or grammatical, will detract from your presentation.

A balanced application will help the review committee understand the full range of your activities and accomplishments.

There are resources available on campus to assist in the preparation of a resume.

Letters of recommendation:

It is the responsibility of the applicant to request two letters of recommendation and to inform the recommenders of the due date for receipt of the letters. At least one reference must be from a full-time faculty member at the University of Hartford from whom the applicant has taken and completed at least one course or one semester of research.

Contact your recommender early so there is sufficient time to write a strong letter of recommendation for you.

If possible, share your application package with the people writing letters of recommendation for you. This will give them an opportunity to comment and provide important feedback on your application. It will also give them some context for writing a letter in support of your application.

Individuals writing letters of recommendation for you should describe their interaction with you. Their letters should include the following:

Tell how long they have have known you and in what circumstances.

Describe your strengths and accomplishments.

Rate you in comparison to others they have taught or supervised.

Provide any information that would be useful to the review committee.

In general, letters of recommendation from fellow students, friends, or family will not be effective in supporting your application.

Please Support the Emeriti Scholarship

One of the most rewarding undertakings as an Association since our founding is our Emeriti Scholarship Program. Our student awardees are both dedicated scholars and contributors to the University community and beyond. We have 2 funds: The Endowed Fund, an interest bearing fund creating income in perpetuity; and The Annual Fund, an annual scholarship fund for next year's scholarships.

Give to the Endowed Fund Give to the Annual Fund

Year by Year Scholarship Recipients

Landscape mode on tablets provides the best experience for scrolling through scholarship recipients.

2026 Scholars - 4 Scholars

Payton Twombley - Walter Harrison Scholar

Payton Twombley will be a senior in the fall of 2026. She is studying Health Science in ENHP and currently has a 3.94 GPA. Her plan is to attend medical school after completing a degree at the University of Hartford. Four years as a nursing assistant have allowed Payton to observe medical care and has fostered a resolve to provide medical care for woman that is based on compassion, trust, and communication. Payton has worked as a volunteer in several organizations but finds the time spent with the Refugee Women's Center in Hartford the most rewarding. It is an organization that aims to empower refugees by providing a safe place to learn new skills. Her primary activity has been to watch children while the mothers take classes. The refugee women have faced great hardship because of regional conflict and economic collapse. She is grateful to be a small part of a support system for these immigrants. In addition to her work with refugees, she completed a six-week training program to join the West Hartford Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). This organization trains members of the community in emergency response. Also, Payton has volunteered to be a member of Helping Hawks which assists students to move onto campus at the start of a new academic year. A key part of her effort to build community on campus was the creation of student organizations. She has co-founded two organizations on campus: Activate UHART and the Anatomy Club. Activate UHART allows open discussion on global, national, and campus issues, giving activism a place on campus. Anatomy Club was created to explore human anatomy in a way that is accessible to all students, not exclusively geared towards health-related majors. These activities have given her an opportunity to meet new people and connect with communities on and off campus. Payton has a strong academic record. She took an Immunology course taught by Professor Erica Lorenzo who writes “In my course, she demonstrated a deep and thoughtful understanding of complex scientific material, always eager to explore the underlying principles of immunology in greater depth. She has consistently worked hard to achieve exceptional marks on every quiz, exam, and homework, resulting in her receiving the highest grade in the class.” In addition, Payton did research work with Professor Lorenzo who said her work was excellent, insightful, and creative.

Madison Tierney - Humphrey Tonkin Scholar

Madison Tierney will be a senior in the fall of 2026. She is enrolled in A&S and majoring in Biochemistry with a goal of obtaining a Physician Assistant degree after graduation. She is an exceptional student with many interests and activities. She has substantial clinical experience that is helping to shape her career path and her understanding of the doctor-patient interaction. As part of the degree, she has taken many difficult biology and chemistry courses and maintains a 4.0 GPA. Recommendation letters strongly supported her application for a scholarship. In her sophomore year she took a phlebotomy course and earned a Certified Phlebotomy Technician credential. The experience solidified her desire to play a hands-on role in patient care. Extensive shadowing in the field of dermatology has helped shape her interest in this area of medicine. At the University of Hartford, Madison works on research in the Hydration Health Center under Dr. Munoz. She administered questionnaires and analyzed biological samples from participants in a study of hydration. The research has resulted in the submission of a paper called “Trichotomous Habitual Hydration Classification Reveals Distinct Biomarker Patterns During Hydration Intervention.” She is a co-author on the paper. Also noteworthy is the role Madison played as a Preceptor in General Chemistry and as a Laboratory Instructor for the General Chemistry course. These positions require maturity, reliability, competence, and thoughtfulness. It also requires a thorough understanding of the subject matter and an ability to communicate complex concepts. She worked as a Preceptor and Lab Instructor for Professor Pence in the Department of Chemistry. Professor Pence writes “I can count on Madison to arrive prepared, ask questions in advance if needed, and to maintain healthy relationships and boundaries with students in review and in lab. She is poised and confident and has the respect of all the people she works with.” Even with the commitments to teaching, research, and clinical work Madison still finds room in her life to support a sorority and volunteer work. She has served as President of Alpha Xi Delta and as Vice President. In the leadership role she was responsible for leading the chapter through programming, recruitment, and philanthropic initiatives. Also, the chapter supports the Kindly Hearts Initiative at the Village of Hartford. The Initiative provides support for foster care. Each semester Madison has organized food drives and clothing drives.

Yoonhyun "Marina" Jung

Marina Jung will be a junior in the fall of 2026. She is enrolled in A&S with a double major in Psychology and English. She plans to attend graduate school and obtain a PhD in Classics with an emphasis on literature after completing her degree at the University. Her impressive academic record includes a 3.87 GPA. She would like to pursue a career as a scholar of Latin mythology and poetry. She hopes to publish her own translation of Vergil’s Aeneid. Her translation has been in process since senior year of High School. She would like to use her knowledge of Psychology to reframe the old world of the Greeks and Romans into a more contemporary format. She loves Classical Literature and comments that classic tragedy was often used for cathartic release of emotions and properly reframed it might be a valuable tool to use to help people with ailments such as PTSD. She is a member of the LEAD program (Women’s Advancement Initiative) at the University of Hartford. As part of LEAD, she worked as a mentor to students and volunteered to be a member of First Year Opening Circle which helps new students with the transition to college and help foster a sense of belonging. Marina was also selected to represent her class at the annual LEAD symposium. She demonstrated exceptional leadership, eloquence, and poise. Recently Marina was accepted into the International Honors Society of Psychology Students (Psi Chi) and is now on the Executive Board. She works as an event coordinator to establish new programs and to develop posters to promote the Society and new events. In an exceptionally supportive and informative letter of recommendation Professor Mark Blackwell in the Department of English and Foreign Language writes “I met Marina when she enrolled this past fall in my Shakespeare course (ENG 361), completed an honors contract by writing a 20-page paper on fate, agency, and gender in Macbeth and Hamlet, and earned an A. The scope and sophistication of her final paper were remarkable for a student her age.” Also, Professor Blackwell was very positive about her role as Preceptor for him in ENG 143, Introduction to British Literature. He writes “Marina has been an invaluable resource for me and for the students. At her request, she led one of our Macbeth discussions and did a brilliant job of engaging the students in a wide-ranging conversation.”

Hunter Soma

Asheron Soma

Asheron (Hunter) Soma will be a senior in the fall of 2026. He is enrolled in A&S with a major in Biology and plans to attend Veterinary School after completing his degree at the University. His excellent academic record includes a 3.97 GPA. His long-term goal is to be a veterinarian in general practice. He wants to help keep pets healthy and as a result have a positive effect on the lives of pet owners. Part of his plan is to donate his time to help animals at rescue centers. Asheron’s interests have led him to co-found and become President of a Pre-Vet/Animal Club called PAWS. The club provides a mechanism for students to do outreach and fundraising. Recent activities include working with the Student Government Association to bring animals to campus during finals to help reduce student stress. In the Department of Chemistry Asheron has assumed several important responsibilities. He was a Preceptor for the General Chemistry course, a Lab Instructor for General Chemistry, and a Lab Technician for General Chemistry Lab. By all accounts he has excelled at these tasks and demonstrated exceptional maturity and attention to detail. His course instructor and a member of the Department of Chemistry, Professor Pence writes “Asheron not only flawlessly prepares solutions and sets out equipment for each week’s experiment, but he also anticipates both what will be needed and logical frameworks for organizing the lab rooms. There have been few students in my 30 years at the University who executed in this job so reliably and flawlessly, but I cannot imagine how the labs would run so well without Asheron. Asheron is also one of our most invaluable laboratory instructors, and I observed firsthand that in spite of a particularly large and rowdy group of students on Friday afternoons, Asheron maintained a general sense of order and ensured that the groups performed safely and up to the highest experimental standards.” Asheron has a very positive attitude about classes, work, and fellow students. He works to improve each community he has joined. His work in the Department of Chemistry is motivated by the desire to improve the learning experience for all students. In his own classes he eagerly reaches out to help his peers to understand key concepts. He consistently demonstrates a desire to build a supportive community of students and optimize the learning environment.

2025 Scholars - 3 Scholars

Jasmin Enriquez - Walter Harrison Scholar

Jasmin Enriquez will be a junior in the fall of 2025. She is studying Biomedical Engineering in CETA and currently has a 3.95 GPA.

Rhiannon Lara – Humphrey Tonkin Scholar

Rhiannon Lara will be a senior in the fall of 2025. She is enrolled in A&S and majoring in Biology with a plan to pursue medical school after graduation. She has taken difficult biology and chemistry courses and has been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA.

Abrar Jawad – Emeriti Scholar

Abrar Jawad will be a junior in the fall of 2025. He is enrolled in CETA with a major in robotics. His strong academic record includes a 3.97 GPA. Abrar is interested in using robotics and AI to improve the efficiency of routine activities.

2024 Scholars - 3 Scholars

Joseph Lothamer - Walter Harrison Scholar

Joseph Lothamer will be a senior in the fall of 2024. He is studying orthotics and prosthetics in the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions. He is a Pole Vaulter on the University Track and Field team. He carefully manages academic and sports activities and has achieved a GPA of 3.95.

Grace Farland – Humphrey Tonkin Scholarship

Grace Farland will be a senior in the fall of 2024. She is a student-athlete working to earn a degree in Integrated Elementary and Special Education from the College of ENHP and she is a member of the Women’s Golf team. Her desire for excellence is evident in her current GPA of 4.0

Hilary Bareiss – Emeriti Scholarship

Hilary Bareiss will be a senior in the fall of 2024. She is a Visual Communications Design major in the Art School with minors in Judaic Studies, Printmaking, and Art History. She is also participating in the Honors Program at the University. She currently has a 3.94 GPA.

2023 Scholars - 3 Scholars

Nicole Paquette - Walter Harrison Scholar

Flute Performance towards a Bachelor of Music and Performing Arts Management minor. GPA to a 3.99 as of the Fall 2023 semester.

Emily Rutledge - Humphrey Tonkin Scholar

Emily Rutledge will be a 2024 graduate of the University of Hartford with a 4.0 GPA. She will be receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics with Secondary Education Certification and a minor in Accounting.

Anna Leonard - Emeriti Scholar

Psychology Department with a Gender and Sexuality Studies minor, that has an expected graduation date of Fall 2024. Anna has an excellent academic record with a 3.91 GPA. She is planning to graduate in 2024.

2022 Scholars - 3 Scholars

Megan Bainbridge - Walter Harrison Scholar

Enrolled in two programs: Sociology major in Arts & Sciences and a Photography major in the Hartford Art School with a cumulative GPA of 3.96

Alecsander Boyd - Humphrey Tonkin Scholar

Barney School of Business with a double major in the Business Analytics and Managerial Economics program, and the Finance program. He has demonstrated outstanding academic performance with a 4.0 GPA.

Alexander Hartofelis - Emeriti Scholar

Alexander Hartofelis is a student in the Hartt School with a major in Music Education. He currently has a 3.97 GPA.

2021 Scholars - 3 Scholars

Camryn Butera - Walter Harrison Scholar

Camryn is currently attending Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in an osteopathic medical degree program. She majored in a Biology with a double minor in Chemistry and Psychology. She was an Honors student with a 4.0 GPA.

Dana Brooks - Humphrey Tonkin Scholar

Dana Brooks is an Honors student in the College of Arts and Sciences with a 4.0 GPA. She is a Criminal Justice major with a double minor in Sociology and Spanish.

Sydney Lewis - Emeriti Scholar

Sydney graduated with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree with a concentration in environmental engineering and a minor in psychology. Sydney now works for Tighe & Bond as a consulting Civil Engineer in their water/wastewater business line, and takes on both construction and design roles for a variety of projects, including drinking water mains, clean water and wastewater treatment plants, and sewer rehabilitation. Sydney was in CETA with a major in Civil Engineering and a minor in Psychology. She was an Honors student with a 3.92 GPA and is a member of the Engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi.

2020 Scholars - 3 Scholars

Margaret Hofbauer - Walter Harrison Scholar

Margaret graduated with a GPA of 4.0 in Health Science with an emphasis on Physical Therapy.

Juli Dajci — 2020 Humphrey Tonkin Scholar

Juli graduated with a GPA of 4.0 in Politics & Government, Psychology and Mathematics. Juli speaks, reads and writes in 4 languages: English, French, German, and Albanian.

Kyleigh Olivier — 2020 Emeriti Scholar

Kyleigh graduated with a GPA of 3.83 in Ballet Pedagogy and a minor in Management.

2019 Scholars - 3 Scholars

Juli Dajci - Humphrey Tonkin Emeriti Scholar

Juli had 3 majors in the College of Arts and Sciences: Politics and Government, Psychology and Mathematics.

Alesha Heacock - Walter Harrison Emeriti Scholar

Since graduating in 2019, Alesha has completed a Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics, subsequently fulfilled residencies, and passed all board exams to begin her practice as a certified prosthetist orthotist (CPO).

Quimby Wechter - Emeriti Scholar

Quimby is pursuing a Doctorate of Physical Therapy in the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions. She is also pursuing Minor Degrees in Business and Biology. Quimby is the first repeat scholarship student. In 2018 she was the Walter Harrison Scholar.

2018 Scholars - 3 Scholars

Quimby Wechter Walter Harrison Emeriti Scholar

College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions majored in Health Sciences Pre-Physical Therapy. She plans to obtain her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and work in pediatrics.

Kali Meadows Humphrey Tonkin Emeriti Scholar

Kali was a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Biology on a pre-medical track, and plans to attend medical school.

Samantha Chasse Emeriti Scholars

The 2018 Emeriti Scholars

After graduating in 2019, Samantha received a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Hartford in 2022 and a physical therapy license from the State of Connecticut. Samantha is currently working at Advanced Physical Therapy in Torrington as an outpatient orthopedic provider.

2017 Scholars - 3 Scholars

Alexandra Francisco

Alexandra Francisco attained a Bachelor of Science in the Colledge of Education, Nursing and Health Sciences Health Science/Pre-Professional program. She is now a Companion and Homemaker at Branford Hills Health Care Center in Branford, CT.

Sophie Kaye

Sophie Kaye attained a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture's Acoustic Engineering and Music program. Sophie is now a General Engineer at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center.

Kyle Vaccaro

Kyle Vaccaro attained a Bachelor of Science from the College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry program. Kyle is now a Technical Assistant at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge Massachusetts.

2016 Scholars - 3 Scholars

Kochava Krieger

Kochava Krieger attained Mathematics and Secondary Education degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences. Kochava is a Cantorial Soloist in Winooski Vermont. We honored Kochava in our 2019 Newsletter.

News

Elizabeth Martin

Elizabeth Martin attained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Arts and Sciences in Psychology. Elizabeth is currently a Clinical Research Associate at Hartford Hospital.

Colin Worrich

Colin Worrich attained a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture in Acoustical Engineering and Music. Colin is currently an Acoustic Consultant at Acentech in Philadelphia.

2015 Scholars - 2 Scholars

John Carlos Coloma

John Carlos Coloma attained a Bachelor of Arts degrees in European and American History and Spanish from the College of Arts and Sciences

Nicole Tomasik

Nicole Tomasik graduated from the Barney School of Business as an accounting major. Nicole is currently a Senior Associate, Business Tax Services at KPMG in Hartford. She was honored in out 2019 Newsletter.

News

2014 Scholars - 2 Scholars

Brittany Sue Hines

Brittany Sue Hines graduated from The Hartt School with a degree in Musical Theater.

Melissa Kennedy

Melissa Kennedy graduated with a double major in Psychology and Sociology from the College of Arts and Sciences. Melissa is a Part-Time House Manager at Triology Behavioral Healthcare in Chicago.

2013 Scholar - 1 Scholar

Anna Pan

Anna graduated from UC Berkeley with an MBA and currently works as a senior data scientist at Salesforce. She is also on staff at The Hartt School as a collaborative pianist and enjoys being back on the University of Hartford campus.

News

Anna Pan Today

A recent picture of Anna we used in our 2018 Newsletter.

2012 Scholars - 2 Scholars

Yaeli Foint (nee Lifshutz)

Yaeli Foint graduated with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Criminal Justice, Psychology and Sociology from the College of Arts and Sciences. Yaeli is now a PhD candidate at the University of Massachusetts Boston studying Organizational and Social Change.

Megan Ogden

Megan Ogden graduated from The Hartt School.

2011 Scholars - 2 Scholars

Andrea Wojcik and Michael Thatcher

Andrea Wojik graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degrees in Communications and Gender Studies from the College of Arts and Sciences. Andrea is now a PhD Candidate in Technology and Society Studies at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Michael Thatcher graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture with a minor in Mathematics from the College of Arts and Sciences. Michael is currently a Civil Engineering Group Leader at Tetra Tech in Orlando Florida.

Michael Thatcher

Michael Thatcher addressing the Emeriti Association during our October 2011 Plenary Meeting.

2010 Scholars - 2 Scholars

Natalie Garcia

Natalie Garcia graduated with a degree in Psychology from the College of Arts and Sciences. Natalie aspires to be a school social worker or psychologist.

Betsy Kadapuram

Betsy Kadapuram graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Arts and Sciences. Betsy was married soon after graduation and moved to Oklahoma to complete her pediatrics residency.

Natalie Garcia and Betsy Kadapuram

Natalie and Betsy joined us at our October 2010 Plenary Meeting

2009 Scholar - 1 Scholar

Biliana Mihaylova

Biliana Mihaylova graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the College of Arts and Sciences with a minor in Marketing from The Barney School. She received a Masters degree in Business Administration from the Northeastern University. She is now a National Accounts Manager at Hayden Valley Foods Inc.

2008 Scholar - 1 Scholar

Carl Vogel

Carl Vogel graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Acoustical Engineering and Music from the College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture. He served as an Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at UHart. He graduated from Penn State University with a Master of Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. Carl is a partner and head of research at 6th Man Ventures, a venture capital firm that partners with founders building the world's most impactful crypto technologies and products.

2007 Scholar - 1 Scholar

Rachel Waddell

The School of Music, Theatre, and Dance is thrilled to introduce Dr. Rachel Waddell as the next conductor of the University Symphony Orchestra and director of orchestras at Colorado State University. Dr. Waddell comes to CSU from the University of Rochester where she has served as the director of orchestral activities. She is the co-founder and president of Conductors for Change, an organization dedicated to re-examining the role and responsibility of the American orchestra to create an equitable community and culture reflective of the people we serve. Doctor Rachel Waddell graduated with a Bachelor of Music, Music Composition and Vocal Performance from The Hartt School. She received a Master of Music, Orchestra Conducting from the Northern Arizona University and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.