Husky Couple Increases Scholarship Fund by Donating Life Insurance Benefits

For Tom and Eileen Marston, their connection to the University of Connecticut (UConn) runs deep. Tom, an alum of the university, has been a dedicated volunteer and longtime basketball season ticket holder. Together, he and his wife, Eileen, have made a significant impact by starting a scholarship to support students at the Avery Point campus.

„UConn has been an important part of our lives for a long time,“ Tom, a graduate of the Class of 1974 in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, reflects on his time at the university. The Marstons recently decided to take their support of UConn to the next level by making a generous gift through Tom’s life insurance policy. They named the UConn Foundation as a beneficiary to receive half of the policy, with the intention of further supporting their scholarship fund, the Tom and Eileen Marston Scholarship.

Through this planned gift, the Marstons are ensuring that their scholarship will continue to benefit students at the Avery Point campus for years to come. Established in 2010, the scholarship has already provided financial support for 11 undergraduate students. Now, with this additional contribution, it will leave a lasting legacy by supporting many more students in perpetuity.

Tom explains, „We really wanted to support the scholarship. This was a way to set a substantial amount aside to continue the scholarship in perpetuity.“ Creating a scholarship has been a rewarding experience for the Marstons, who have had the opportunity to meet some of the recipients over the years.

One such recipient is Benjamin LeBlanc, a coastal studies major in the Class of 2025. LeBlanc shares how the scholarship has alleviated the financial burden of paying for college, allowing him to focus more on his studies and campus activities. „The scholarship has allowed me to focus more on my school assignments without worrying about whether I’ll be able to pay tuition,“ LeBlanc says.

While Tom did not attend the Avery Point campus himself, his father, Thomas R. Marston, was part of the first graduating class from Avery Point in 1967. To honor his father’s legacy and address a need, the Marstons decided to direct their scholarship to support Avery Point students specifically.

Tom, who majored in biology at UConn and later earned a master’s in environmental science from the University of New Haven, has had a successful career in the water industry. He has utilized his expertise by serving on the advisory board of the University’s Institute of Water Resources and assisting with the operation of UConn’s water supply system.

Eileen, though not a UConn graduate, has been a significant supporter of the scholarship. She graduated from Salve Regina University with a major in history and English and has dedicated her time to raising service dogs for the Guiding Eyes for the Blind program.

Now retired and living in Leland, North Carolina, the Marstons continue to stay connected to UConn by attending basketball games in the region. Despite their move down south, their commitment to supporting students at UConn remains unwavering.

In conclusion, the Marstons‘ dedication to UConn and their commitment to supporting students at the Avery Point campus through their scholarship fund exemplify the impact that individuals can have on the lives of students. Their generosity will leave a lasting legacy and provide opportunities for countless students to pursue their academic goals.