Future Husky Scholarship

New Future Husky Scholarship Supports Waterbury Promise Scholars at UConn Waterbury

Beginning this fall, UConn Waterbury and Waterbury Promise are celebrating the inaugural recipients of the new Future Husky Scholarship, an award created to provide additional financial support to high-achieving local students pursuing a bachelor's degree at UConn Waterbury.

Made possible through the Mayor Neil M. O’Leary Fund for Waterbury Student Success, with sincere appreciation of its supporters, the Future Husky Scholarship provides selected Waterbury Promise Scholars with $1,000 per year for up to four years, for a total award of up to $4,000. The scholarship is applied directly to each student's UConn fee bill, with $500 credited in the fall semester and $500 in the spring semester.

The inaugural Future Husky Scholarship 2026 recipients are:

Avinash Ramjanam (Waterbury Career Academy) — Allied Health Sciences
Jadon Gordon (Waterbury Career Academy) — Allied Health Sciences
Jahisha Camacho-Acevedo (Waterbury Career Academy) — Allied Health Sciences
Camila Almanzar (Kennedy High School) — Psychological Sciences

The scholarship builds on the foundation established by Waterbury Promise, which helps make higher education more accessible to eligible Waterbury students. By providing additional support to students who choose UConn Waterbury, the Future Husky Scholarship creates another pathway for local students to pursue a bachelor's degree while remaining connected to their community.

“Talent is everywhere, and opportunity should be too,” said Fumiko Hoeft, Campus Dean and Chief Administrative Officer of UConn Waterbury. “These inaugural Future Husky Scholars have already distinguished themselves through their achievement, determination, and ambition. This scholarship allows us to invest in their potential, help them earn a UConn degree close to home, and prepare them to strengthen Waterbury and the region in return.”

“The Future Husky Scholarship is a powerful example of what can happen when we work together to remove financial barriers and create meaningful pathways to college for Waterbury students,” said Kelonda Maull, Executive Director of Waterbury Promise. “Our partnership with UConn Waterbury reflects our shared belief that talented students in our city should have every opportunity to earn a college degree, thrive in their careers, and build a future filled with possibility. We are proud to stand alongside UConn Waterbury in investing in our scholars and in the future of our community.”

Future Husky Scholarship Eligibility

To be eligible, students must:

Qualify as a first-year student entering UConn Waterbury.
Be a Waterbury resident for all four years of high school and graduate from Waterbury Public Schools, Kaynor Tech, or Holy Cross.
Earn a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or higher upon graduation.
Achieve a cumulative attendance rate of 90% or better upon high school graduation.
Complete and submit the FAFSA or Institutional Aid Application by the February 15 deadline.
Be admitted to UConn Waterbury and accept an offer of admission to a four-year major by paying the enrollment fee by May 1.

Recipients must remain enrolled at UConn Waterbury and maintain Waterbury Promise Scholar eligibility upon graduating high school. They must also make continued progress toward a four-year degree program offered at the Waterbury campus and remain in compliance with UConn's Academic Standing Rules.

Eligible degree programs include:

Allied Health Sciences
American Studies
Business Administration
Business Data Analytics
English
Human Development and Family Sciences
Psychological Sciences, and Urban and Community Studies
ACES (undecided) students may initially qualify for the scholarship but must ultimately graduate in one of the eligible majors.

As the inaugural Future Husky Scholars begin their UConn journeys this fall, the Future Husky Scholarship establishes a new tradition of recognizing academic achievement and investing in the success of Waterbury students for years to come.