Major Insurer Gifts $500,000 To Support UConn Housing Efforts In Hartford

STORRS, CT — An insurance giant has presented a sizable gift to keep the University of Connecticut's momentum going in the capital city.

The UConn Foundation this week announced that it has received a $500,000 gift from The Hartford earmarked for housing scholarships at a new residence hall on Pratt Street in Hartford.

The dorm is set to open in fall of 2026.

The gift "underscores The Hartford’s commitment to making education accessible and affordable for local students," according to the announcement. The scholarships will help ensure that students with financial need can access the new apartment-style housing, which will accommodate 200 students, officials from both sides of the donation said.

UConn is currently transforming a former law office at 64 Pratt Street into a residential space, that provides "a community-focused living experience for qualified students in the heart of Hartford."

The $500,000 represents The Hartford's second major gift to UConn in recent years. In 2021, the insurance company gave $1 million to create The Hartford Scholars Program, which provided financial support and mentoring for 50 UConn Hartford students.

The student housing support will help address a pressing need on the Hartford campus, where about 86 percent of students received some form of financial aid last year, UConn officials said.

About 58 percent received federal Pell Grants, which are awarded to students based on need. In a recent survey, about 70 percent of UConn's Hartford enrollees said they would like student housing, but it would need to be affordable, since many live at home.