A $100,000 grant from the Widows Society to the Capital Community College Foundation will provide new scholarships to eligible women students at Hartford’s community college.

Students have received more than 150 scholarships in recent years thanks to previous Widows Society gifts that began in 2014. The new grant will continue the awards to undergraduates at Capital where 71% of students are female and 64% of all students are eligible for financial aid.

Established in 1825, the Widows Society is one of the Hartford area’s oldest philanthropic organizations. The charity’s singular focus has been helping single women in Hartford address basic needs for housing, medical care, food and other necessities. In making scholarship donations to Capital, the Society’s board stated “there is no dearth of women needing help to continue or complete their education and we want to help as many people as possible to benefit from our gift.”

The College’s nonprofit Foundation maintains scholarship funds and endowments and seeks support for programs and initiatives to improve academic quality, campus life and expand educational opportunity.

“This gift means more opportunities for Hartford women who otherwise would not be able to attend college,” said Capital Chief Executive Officer G. Duncan Harris. “It comes at a time when many students are facing more financial challenges as the result of the pandemic. We are grateful to The Widows Society for helping more women in Hartford gain access to a post-secondary education that can pave the way to sustainable jobs and careers.”

Harris announced the gift at the virtual Changing Lives Gala, the College’s annual event for scholarships and student success, on October 23rd.

Widows Society Scholarships benefit women from the Hartford vicinity who are self-supporting and demonstrate financial need.  The scholarship is open to new or continuing students enrolled on a part- or full-time basis. Full-time tuition and fees for a year of study at Capital is $4,556 ($284 per credit hour).

The College’s nonprofit Foundation maintains scholarship funds and endowments and seeks support for programs and initiatives to improve academic quality, campus life and expand educational opportunity.

Information on scholarship opportunities is available at the CCC Office of Financial Aid, 950 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103 Telephone: (860) 906-5090, E-mail: CA-finaidhelp@capitalcc.edu .

For information on creating a scholarship fund or making a contribution, contact John McNamara at (860) 906-5102. E-mail: jmcnamara@capitalcc.edu