The Young Honors Alumni Fund, which began in 2011, was sparked by the positive experiences of three Honors alumni: Nate Eaton ’05 (CLAS, BUSN), Ajay Madkekar ’06 (BUSN), and Chintan Bhatt ’07 (ENGR). These three friends and classmates established the fund by making the initial gifts and have since worked to help engage other young Honors alumni to give back as well. The fund is specifically geared toward helping support Honors student organizations such as the Honors Council and Leadership in Action (formerly the Global Leadership Commission), which the three men were members or leaders of, during their undergraduate careers in the UConn Honors Program.
Since its inception, the Young Honors Alumni Fund has provided funding in various ways, most recently allowing eight Honors students to attend the annual National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) conference in Boston. It was an opportunity for these student leaders to elicit ideas and best practices from fellow Honors councils across the nation. This knowledge will improve the UConn Honors Council’s service to Honors students from all classes and better integrate the leadership board into the greater UConn campus. They asked thoughtful questions, engaged in lively conversations, and formulated ideas that will lead to increased engagement among the Honors community as well as the local community. “Without [the Young Honors Alumni Fund], Honors Council would not have the necessary funds and support needed to send eight students to a conference such as this,” said Christine Nykyforchyn ’13 (ENGR), now past president of the UConn Honors Council. “For me, NCHC has been a venue through which I have grown as a student leader within Honors.”
Eaton, Madkekar, and Bhatt encourage all Honors alumni, but specifically young alumni, to help sustain the Young Honors Alumni Fund by donating to it in any amount. The fund aims to support student leaders in the Honors Council, LIA, PATH (Peer Allies Through Honors), and HIPS (Honors Initiative for Prospective Students). To learn more about this fund, please visit the Honors Program giving page and select “Young Honors Alumni Fund.”
Thank you for your support of the Young Honors Alumni Fund!