A member of a Connecticut university’s board of governors and his family members have committed a $1 million gift that is aimed at expanding access to education for “top engineering talent” in New Haven County and to help strengthen Connecticut’s tech future.
University of New Haven Board of Governors member Stephen Tagliatela, with his siblings Patricia and Louis, have committed the $1 million gift to establish the Tagliatela Family High-Impact Scholarship for Engineering Students, described by the school as “a bold new initiative aimed at expanding opportunity, enhancing college access, and advancing innovation in the field of engineering.”
The scholarship will support “high-achieving, high-need students from New Haven Country who will pursue – or are pursuing – engineering degrees,” according to UNH, and it “aligns with the University’s ambitious commitment to strengthening access to education and fueling economic development across the region.”
“At the University of New Haven, we are deeply committed to ensuring that talent and potential—not a student’s financial circumstances—determines their path,” said UNH President Jens Frederiksen. “This gift is a powerful catalyst. It allows us to attract and retain the next generation of engineering leaders, help strengthen Connecticut’s talent pipeline and foster a more inclusive and innovative future.”
“This gift represents more than financial support—it represents belief in the potential of our students and in the future we are building together,” he said. “Together, we can remove barriers, open doors, and define what’s possible for the next generation of engineers.”
The scholarship also will have a “focus on increasing access for first-generation students and addressing gender disparities in the profession,” according to UNH, which noted that “among the 344 Connecticut-based engineering undergraduates at the University of New Haven, more than 30% are first-generation students.”
However, retention rates for in-state students lag behind their out-of-state peers, according to UNH leaders.
The university has a “Project 85,” its effort to increase its “first-year retention rate to 85%, ensuring more students persist through graduation and that they are prepared to excel in high-demand STEM fields.”
University officials also noted that the new scholarship is intended to complement the university’s “expanding Women in Engineering (WIE) Program, which launched in 2022, has reached hundreds of students across Connecticut through hands-on events, school visits, and summer programming.”
“This initiative reflects the University’s broader investment in engineering and innovation. The recent acquisition of a 130,000 square foot commercial space adjacent to the University’s main campus will allow the University to develop a state-of-the-art research and development center focused on robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing—further solidifying its place as a hub for interdisciplinary excellence.”
Frederiksen said, “The intersection of engineering, technology, and workforce development is where the University of New Haven excels. This scholarship and the strategic projects surrounding it reflect our focus on creating opportunities, driving innovation, and preparing students to lead in the workforce and the industries of the future.”
The university also noted that Stephen Tagliatela’s father, Lou Tagliatela Sr. “was a devoted friend of the University of New Haven and received an honorary degree in 2001.”
The University’s Tagliatela College of Engineering is named for the Tagliatela family.
“We are grateful to Stephen, Patricia, and Louis, who continue to champion the University by expanding opportunity, fostering innovation, and empowering the next generation of engineers,” said Frederiksen.
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