The Philanthropy Project

Whether prospective students are further developing an existing interest or charting an entirely new path, we commend their decision to pursue that first step by choosing to go to graduate school. 

At Southern Connecticut State University, students will experience the highest quality of education with affordable tuition, caring staff, and dedicated professors who help them grow as individuals and guide them on their future endeavors. Southern represents multiple countries in our master’s and doctoral programs, and welcomes applications from students from around the world.

SCSU Community Dog Policing Fund: The SCSU’s Community Dog Policing Fund will support the police dogs who are currently part of the Southern Connecticut State University Police Department. Funding will support community initiatives, such as events, which will enhance the awareness and efficacy of the SCSU Police Department presence within the Southern community.

More than 70% of Southern’s undergrad students receive some form of financial aid and scholarships provide students with the means to reduce college costs and focus on academic achievements. Through the generosity of alumni, parents, and friends of the University, the SCSU Foundation manages over 350 scholarships that are available to both undergraduate and graduate students!

Green Fund:  supports Southern students taking action for climate, sustainability, and healthy communities. In the past 9 years, more than 70 interns have worked at Southern leading food recovery, the campus garden, composting at Conn Hall, tracking the university's carbon footprint, and revitalizing local parks.

Friends of the Library Fund: The Buley Library is a place for experiential education –students learn together in our study spaces, through library internships, by conducting research and writing, by designing exhibits, making personalized books through our Artists Book program, and creating in the Makerspace. Gifts to the Friends of the Library Fund will help us purchase more textbooks for student use, advance our collecting and programming in Special Collections, and help us expand the Makerspace!

During Day of Caring, the featured fund for the College of Arts & Sciences is the BIOPATH CAREER PATHWAY FUND.  This fund is designed to support students in their journey from majors in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Computer Science, Data Science, and related fields to careers in New England’s second-largest biotech sector.  

This fund offers vital experiential learning opportunities from faculty-led research experiences for undergraduates to paid internships and much more!  There is an enormous workforce need in this field, from research scientists to lab technicians to HR professionals and sales staff.  This initiative comes in the aftermath of the $1.5 million S-STEM grant that the university recently received from the National Science Foundation, a grant designed to attract more minoritized populations into Biology and Computer Science.

The Center of Excellence for Teaching and Learning Fund supports the Center of Excellence for Teaching and Learning. The center was established in 2021 to support educational innovation through research, professional development, policy work, and systemic reform initiatives through collaborations both within and outside of the university.

The center’s mission is to establish a research and partnership Center that focuses on the creation, advancement, and critical analysis of knowledge as it relates to the science and art of teaching and learning and can been translated to support teaching best practices at SCSU.

Additionally, the center’s work focuses on systemic reform initiatives, access to college initiatives, reducing the achievement gaps in Connecticut through research and technology reform initiatives, professional development, and policy analysis as it relates to education reform.

The Autism Fund supports Southern’s Center of Excellence on Autism Spectrum Disorders, which serves and maintains school-based personnel educating children and youth with an autism spectrum disorder living in Connecticut and beyond. Southern’s Center of Excellence on Autism Spectrum Disorders consists of three divisions: Training, Research, and Direct Services. Through research, education, and partnerships, the center’s mission is to build capacity in our schools, higher education institutions, vocational settings, and broader communities to enhance the outcomes of individuals with autism spectrum disorders of all ages.

Established by Sharon Misasi, Sandra DeCicco, and Pat Panichas, the Believe Fund was created to help students Believe in themselves and attain their dreams. The Believe Fund provides emergency financial assistance to students in the College of Health and Human Services who are experiencing short-term, unanticipated financial hardships that jeopardize their educational dreams. When a student finds themselves in a difficult financial situation, this fund will allow us to provide the student with resources to purchase textbooks and course materials, pay for transportation, childcare, or household expenses, or assist with tuition and fee payments. 

 Examples of how your donation can assist:

• $50 - $100 can provide support for a student’s most basic need such as a week of groceries or 5-10 meals a week.
• $100 - $250 can provide a student with required textbooks for several courses and ensure that they do not attempt to complete those courses without securing those essential materials. 
• $250 - $500 can help a student to pay their utility and internet bills at their off-campus apartment and ensure that they stay warm and complete their online class sessions and assignments. 
• $1000+ can cover a tuition and fee payment for a student who could not pay their entire bill in advance and had to set up a payment plan but encountered unanticipated financial challenges during the semester.

Since the fund was started in April of 2022, the Believe Fund has assisted 111 students!

By eliminating financial barriers, this fund supports our students in pursuit of unpaid internships, local and international volunteer experiences, on-campus research and leadership development opportunities, and other related opportunities to develop transferrable industry skills, knowledge and experience, as well as to explore career interests presented by the Office of Career and Professional Development.