Hamden Hall Country Day School
Educating Students in PreSchool through Grade 12
Giving

Scholarship Impact Month

Scholarship Impact Month
 
We are celebrating throughout the month of March the more than 50 scholarship and endowment opportunities that Hamden Hall offers. Just in the past five years alone, we have added more than 10 new funds that honor and memorialize former students, faculty, coaches, sports programs, and more. 

Our school community is so fortunate to have these special funds in place to ensure that we are able to continue convening students of outstanding ability and promise – regardless of their ability to afford a Hamden Hall tuition. Moreover, some of these funds allow us to recruit and retain a premier faculty while others are targeted to specific division levels and components of daily campus life.
 

The impact of all of our scholarship and endowment funds cannot be overstated. They allow us to fulfill our mission to educate young people and provide both a rewarding and beneficial student experience. We invite you to make a gift this month to a scholarship that is meaningful to you. Below we have highlighted a few of these notable funds and their impact on our school community. CLICK HERE to view additional endowment and scholarship funds that honor alumni, loved ones, faculty, and other members of our school community.  

Betty Lou Blumberg Endowed Chair of English

As one of Hamden Hall's most beloved and cherished educators, Betty Lou Blumberg exhibited excellence in her classroom for three decades. As such, the Betty Lou Blumberg Endowed Chair of English supports our English academic program and provides myriad benefits to the English Department—including faculty recruitment and retention. Annual programming for our students includes specialized writing workshops and assemblies with acclaimed national poets and novelists.

Bill Hunter Scholarship Fund

This fund was established in honor of faculty member Bill Hunter upon his retirement in June 2018, celebrating 35 years of dedicated service to Hamden Hall. “Bill embodies our school’s standard of excellence, and we’re honored to acknowledge his legacy of teaching and his dedication both in and outside the classroom with a scholarship in his name,” said Head of School Bob Izzo upon the fund’s establishment.

Carl Newton 1987 Scholarship Fund

Established in memory of Carl Newton, a beloved alumnus who passed away in 2018, this fund was created by members of the Class of 1987 and spearheaded by classmates Ben Clark and Michael Troncale to honor the life and legacy of their friend. Both Ben and Michael noted that the initiative "is a meaningful way to honor Carl's spirit of generosity and his compassion for others." Recipients of this funding must exemplify Carl’s high standards that embodied Hamden Hall’s core values.
Our Established Scholarship and Endowed Funds: 

Albina Cannavaciolo Fund
Acquarulo Family Scholarship
Athletic Hall of Fame Scholarship Fund
Barbara De Natale Scholarship Fund
Bea Westerfield Fund
Betty A. Ippolito 1977 Memorial Fund 
Betty Lou Blumberg Endowed Chair of English
Beckerman Family Foundation Fund 
Bill Hunter Scholarship Fund
Carl Newton 1987 Scholarship Fund
Carol Jones Memorial Fund 
Cecil and Mary Jane Beaupre Scholarship Fund
Charles C. and Viola M. DeMusis Scholarship Fund
Class of 1973 Citizenship Award
Coach Joseph McHugh Memorial Scholarship Fund
Curtiss Family Endowment Fund
David A. Beckerman Scholarship Fund
David Frost Prize Fund
 Deborah Beitch Jenness 1982 Memorial Fund
 Elizabeth F. Volpe Scholarship Fund
Equity Endowment Fund
Eric Santangelo 1987 Memorial Fund
Ernie Russ Endowment Fund
Fab Five Scholarship Fund
General Scholarship Fund 
Greg Paradis Memorial Athletic Scholarship
Hamden Hall Fund -
Unrestricted, Appreciation/Honorary/Memorial
Henry Townshend Scholarship Fund
Ice Hockey Alumni Scholarship Fund
James R. Maggart Scholarship Fund
John M. Garfield Memorial Scholarship Fund
John R. McCune Fund
Jon and Katharine Harris Endowed Chair of Lower School Music
Kevin LeBrun 1989 Memorial Fund
Lee & Nancy Herrington 1952
     Scholarship Fund
Lisa Deconinck 1991 Scholarship Fund
The Maria Agulian Fund 
Marjorie Stewart Scholarship Fund 
McEachern Service Award Endowment Fund
McKeon/Lucey Scholarship Fund
Michael Musso 1984 Fund 
Moira Fitzsimmons Art Gallery Memorial Fund
Nellie and Stanley Pongonis Fund 
Norma Raccio Fund
Olson Family Scholarship Fund
Perennial Pines Scholarship Fund
Petar Lujic Memorial Fund 
Porto Family Scholarship
Rebecca Paul Sela 1998 and 
     Karen Paul Giblin 2002 Scholarship Fund
Rick Beitch 1983 Memorial Fund
Robert L. Hyde Memorial Scholarship Fund
Robert Schroeder Scholarship Fund
Science, Innovation & Design Program Endowment
Smith Legacy Theatre Fund
Sonny Coughlin Memorial Fund 
Susan M. Lewin Scholarship Fund
Swain Library Fund 
Teplitzky Family Endowment Fund for Diversity
Tommus Iampietro Scholarship Fund
William H. Buell 1929 Scholarship Fund
Zayne Ali Thomas Endowed Scholarship Fund 

Cecil & Mary Jane Beaupre Scholarship Fund

Spearheaded by Jonathan Mix 1968 and a group of alumni from "The Beaupre Years," which ranged from 1960 through 1988, this fund provides a Hamden Hall education for a deserving student via scholarship. The fund was a surprise for Cecil and Mary Jane in 2013 and was a way to honor this beloved couple in a meaningful way.

Deborah Beitch Jennes Scholarship Fund

The Deborah Beitch Jenness 1982 Memorial Fund is an endowed fund established in memory of alumna Deborah Beitch Jenness by her mother, Dr. Barbara Beitch, in 1994. Debbie was a Hamden Hall Lifer and children were her first priority, which is why this particular fund supports programs and initiatives that enhance the educational experience of Lower School students.

Greg Paradis Memorial Athletic Scholarship Fund

Established in January 2025 by eight 1985 classmates upon their 40th reunion year, this scholarship fund benefits a student-athlete who embodies the same qualities Greg held dear—heart, laughter, loyalty, a commitment to winning, hard work, and accountability. Greg's former classmates said they wanted to remember their friend in a meaningful way.

Ice Hockey Alumni Scholarship Fund

In 2026, the 50th milestone year of the establishment of Hamden Hall's ice hockey program, a group of alums who played for the school's inaugural teams committed to setting up this special fund. Regardless of financial capabilities, ice hockey players of outstanding prowess will have the opportunity to play for the Hornets and receive a Hamden Hall education. As such, this fund will also help with recruitment for future ice hockey teams and ensure the program's longevity.

John M. Garfield Memorial Scholarship

This fund was established in February 2025 by John's son Andrew 1982 and John's wife, Sylvia. This fund supports students of academic promise who are interested in history or the social sciences and/or are interested in pursuing a college degree in a liberal arts field. Mr. Garfield served for more than 30 years as a history teacher, coach, and friend to the Hamden Hall Community before his retirement in 2004. His impact on students is unparalleled.

Jon and Katharine Harris Endowed Chair of Lower School Music

This endowed chair was made through a generous gift by the Harris Family in 2017. The chair honors Kathie's 30-plus-year commitment to the Lower School music program. Kathie retired in 2006, but her influence on our youngest student performers lives on through this fund, which supports programs and initiatives that enhance the musical experience in our Lower School. 

Maria Agulian Fund

The Maria Agulian Fund was established in 2021 to honor longtime Hamden Hall mathematics teacher Maria Agulian. Mrs. Agulian created a legacy of teaching excellence during her 26 years under the pines. Her passion, drive, encouragement, and dedication to her craft is honorable and is a vital component of the Hamden Hall Experience. Through this fund, students and faculty will benefit academically, socially, and emotionally from myriad mathematics enrichment programs and experiences. 

McEachern Service Award Endowment Fund

Established in 2025 upon their retirement, the McEachern Prize honors Mark and Joni McEachern for their combined 68 years of service to the school and for their multidimensional contributions to Hamden Hall and the local community. The recipient of this award will be someone who, like Mark and Joni, made a difference in their community. Throughout their tenure, the McEacherns were always willing to help and made our school community stronger. 

Smith Legacy Theatre Fund

This fund was established in June 2015 after Michael and Mary Jane Smith retired. As stalwart theater aficionados with three decades of service under the pines, this endowment fund supports the performing arts program at Hamden Hall. During the Smiths' tenure, more than 100 productions - dramas and musicals - were staged and through this ongoing endowment, the Smiths continue to make an impact.
1108 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
Hamden Hall Country Day School, located less than two miles from Yale University, is one of the best private schools in Connecticut to enroll elementary, middle, and high school students. Our nurturing and inclusive community provides a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.