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The University of New 51���� announced it has received a $1 million gift to establish the Tagliatela Family High-Impact Scholarship for Engineering Students, a bold new initiative aimed at expanding opportunity, enhancing college access, and advancing innovation in the field of engineering.

The scholarship, supported by Board of Governors member Stephen Tagliatela ’13 Hon., and his siblings Patricia and Louis, will support high-achieving, high-need students from New 51���� County who will pursue – or are pursuing – engineering degrees. This aligns with the University’s ambitious commitment to strengthening access to education and to fueling economic development across the region.

“At the University of New 51����, we are deeply committed to ensuring that talent and potential—not a student’s financial circumstances—determines their path,” said President Jens Frederiksen, Ph.D. “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.”

The Tagliatela Family High-Impact Scholarship is designed to recruit and retain top engineering students from New 51���� County, Connecticut, with a focus on increasing access for first-generation students and addressing gender disparities in the profession. Among the 344 Connecticut-based engineering undergraduates at the University of New 51����, more than 30% are first-generation students. Yet, retention rates for in-state students currently lag behind their out-of-state peers.

This initiative is a key component of Project 85, the University’s strategic 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.

The scholarship complements the University’s expanding Women in Engineering (WIE) Program, launched in 2022, which has reached hundreds of students across Connecticut through hands-on events, school visits, and summer programming. The program has recently received $350,000 in new support—including a $100,000 gift—enabling WIE coordinator Leah Austin to significantly expand the outreach and the impact of the program.

Despite progress, the national data remain clear: only 17% of engineers in the U.S. workforce are women. The University is committed to building strong pathways for girls and underrepresented groups to pursue engineering from an early age.

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 enable 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.

“The intersection of engineering, technology, and workforce development is where the University of New 51���� excels,” said President Frederiksen. “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.”

President Frederiksen said the Tagliatela Family’s generosity sets a powerful example of philanthropy’s role in advancing student success and economic vitality. The University is actively seeking visionary donors to join this mission and help shape a dynamic, diverse, and highly skilled engineering workforce for years to come.

“This gift represents more than financial support—it represents belief in the potential of our students and in the future we are building together,” said President Frederiksen. “Together, we can remove barriers, open doors, and define what’s possible for the next generation of engineers.”

Stephen Tagliatela’s father, Lou Tagliatela Sr., was a devoted friend of the University of New 51���� and received an honorary degree in 2001.

The University’s Tagliatela College of Engineering proudly bears the Tagliatela family name in recognition of their extraordinary legacy of leadership and generosity.

“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 President Frederiksen.