STRATFORD — The Fox Family Foundation, in partnership with the Office of Mayor David Chess, have established the Fox Family Scholarship that is designed to provide long-term, direct support to Stratford and Bunnell High School students accepted to the University of Connecticut. The endowment for the scholarship fund is fully funded at $2 million, according to Keith Fox, CEO of the Fox Family Foundation.
The scholarship was created to establish a financial pathway for students who demonstrate financial need, academic merit, community engagement, and exhibit a commitment to a practical career track.
Each year, one Stratford student will be selected to receive the Fox Family Scholarship, according to a press release issued Feb. 19. The award is structured as a four-year scholarship, providing sustained support throughout the recipient’s undergraduate education at UConn, contingent upon continued academic progress and good standing.
“Stratford has always been home for our family,” said Keith Fox, along with his brothers Curt Fox and Craig Fox. “Sports taught us discipline, teamwork, and accountability — lessons that carried into our careers. This scholarship reflects those values and our belief in supporting students who are willing to work hard, contribute to their community, and prepare themselves for meaningful careers.”
Mayor Chess emphasized the importance of students’ ability to access higher education through clear pathways.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Fox family,” he said. “This scholarship will be life-changing for our students. The Fox scholarship makes the impossible possible. Unlocking education is the key.”
Bunnell High School Principal Katie Graf echoed Keith Fox’s philosophy about education.
“As a high school principal, I see firsthand how powerful the combination of need, resilience, and community involvement can be in shaping a student’s future,” Graf said. “The Fox Family Scholarship recognizes not only academic effort, but also the character built through leadership, perseverance, and participation in athletics – qualities that prepare students for success well beyond the classroom.”
Stratford High School Principal Jack Dellapiano was quite appreciative of the scholarship fund.
“As a former Stratford resident, proud graduate of Bunnell High School, and current Principal of Stratford High School, I am deeply grateful to the Fox family for their extraordinary generosity and unwavering commitment to our students,” said Jack Dellapiano, Principal of Stratford High School. “This scholarship represents far more than financial assistance; it is a meaningful investment in the future of Stratford’s students, and a powerful reminder of the lasting impact education has on individuals and communities.”
He thanked the Fox family for “believing in our students and in the power of education.”
The Fox Family Scholarship is need-based, requiring recipients to qualify for a Pell Grant, and merit-based, recognizing academic effort, resilience, leadership, and meaningful community involvement. As part of the scholarship’s community-building focus, eligible students must have participated in a sport, reflecting teamwork, discipline, and engagement within their school or broader community.
In addition, recipients must intend to pursue a degree in business, entrepreneurship, or a technical field, aligning the scholarship with pathways that prepare students for leadership, innovation, and long-term economic opportunity.
The scholarship fund has been fully funded as an endowment, with the intent that the Fox Family Scholarship will continue for generations to come, supporting Stratford students well into the future.
The range of the scholarship is a function of the Pell Grant award. Pell grants are capped to $10,000. The Fox scholarship will fill the majority of the gap to attend UConn, according to Keith Fox. “The range of the Scholarship will be around $25,000 -$30,000 a year,” he added. “It is about $35,000-40,000 a year to attend UConn as in state student.”
The University of Connecticut will manage the scholarship selection process and administer awards in accordance with the Fox Family Scholarship fund’s clear, established criteria to ensure fairness, transparency, and alignment with its objectives.
As part of the program’s launch, the Fox family and Mayor Chess will roll out the Fox Family Scholarship immediately across Stratford junior high and high schools, ensuring that students and families are aware of the opportunity early and can plan academically and financially with confidence.
