Tom and Eileen Marston have always had a deep connection to the University of Connecticut (UConn). Tom, an alum of the university, has been actively involved as a volunteer and a longtime basketball season ticket holder. Together with his wife, Eileen, they have established a scholarship to support students at the Avery Point campus, a branch of UConn. Their dedication to UConn and their desire to make a lasting impact on students‘ lives led them to take their support a step further by naming the UConn Foundation as a beneficiary of Tom’s life insurance policy.
The Marstons‘ generous gift through Tom’s life insurance policy will ensure that half of the policy’s proceeds go towards supporting their scholarship fund, the Tom and Eileen Marston Scholarship. This planned gift will allow them to continue supporting undergraduate students at the Avery Point campus for years to come, creating a lasting legacy that will benefit many students in the future.
The Tom and Eileen Marston Scholarship has already provided financial assistance to 11 undergraduate students at the Avery Point campus since its establishment in 2010. The current recipient, Benjamin LeBlanc, a coastal studies major, attests to the significant impact of the scholarship on his college experience. The scholarship has alleviated the financial burden of tuition for LeBlanc, allowing him to focus more on his studies and campus activities without the added stress of working extra hours to pay for college.
Although Tom did not attend the Avery Point campus himself, his father, Thomas R. Marston, was a graduate of the campus’s first graduating class in 1971. To honor his father’s legacy and address a need for scholarships at the Avery Point campus, the Marstons decided to direct their scholarship towards supporting students at this branch of UConn. They recognized the importance of providing opportunities for students at Avery Point and wanted to make a meaningful contribution to the campus’s community.
Tom’s background in biology and environmental science, coupled with his career experience at the Connecticut Water Co., has influenced his involvement with UConn’s Institute of Water Resources. He has served on the advisory board of the Institute and played a key role in assisting the university with water supply system operations following a water shortage incident in 2005. His expertise and dedication to water resource management have been invaluable in supporting UConn’s initiatives in this area.
Eileen, although not a UConn graduate, has been a significant supporter of the couple’s scholarship endeavors. Her background in history and English, combined with her passion for volunteer work, has complemented Tom’s contributions to UConn. Together, they have made a meaningful impact on students‘ lives through their scholarship fund and their shared commitment to giving back to the community.
Now retired and living in North Carolina, the Marstons continue to stay connected to UConn, attending basketball games in the region whenever possible. Their dedication to supporting students at the Avery Point campus and their ongoing involvement with UConn exemplify their deep-rooted connection to the university and their unwavering commitment to making a difference in the lives of students. The Tom and Eileen Marston Scholarship will continue to leave a lasting legacy at UConn, providing opportunities for students to pursue their academic goals and achieve success in their chosen fields.