The University of Connecticut announced that it will be giving at least $5,000 a year in scholarships to each qualifying high school student in New Haven who chooses to attend UConn.
To qualify, public and charter school students in New Haven must have at least a 3.0 grade-point average. They also have to have good records in attendance and public service.
UConn President Susan Herbst announced the new funding during a press conference at a local high school on Tuesday.
Herbst said the state of Connecticut has one of the highest "achievement gaps" in the nation — the gap between school success of wealthy, mostly-white students and students who are poor or working class, many of whom are of color.
"By helping talented students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds attend one of the country’s most competitive public universities we’re working to close that achievement gap and build the promise of public education in Connecticut," she said.
The money comes on top of a scholarship program called New Haven Promise. The scholarships, funded by Yale University, already cover up to full tuition at public colleges in the state for New Haven students who qualify. Students receive varying amounts depending on their family income and the amount of time they've spent in the New Haven school system. More than 700 New Haven students have gone to 19 universities and colleges with funding from New Haven Promise since its inception, and more than 100 of those students went to UConn.
The new funding from UConn will help future students also cover the costs of auxiliary fees, and some other needs like books, or room and board.
The announcement came only hours before UConn officials announced a proposal to increase in-state tuition fees by more than $3,000 over the next four years. A day after the announcement, a spokesperson for New Haven Promise said the increase in tuition fees would have minimal effect on the good news for New Haven Promise scholars, as the program would also be increasing its scholarships to match increasing tuition costs.