Students from New Haven who are interested in the life science industry now have an expanded opportunity to remain in New Haven and work in this emerging field.
The newly established Together We Grow/101 College Street Fund will provide college scholarships to students living in the Hill, Dwight, and Downtown neighborhoods of New Haven, including up to $5,000 a year for up to four years for students enrolled in Southern’s BioPath program. The fund was established by the New Haven Board of Alders as part of the Development and Land Disposition Agreement (DLDA) between the City of New Haven, the New Haven Parking Authority, and WE 101 College Street LLC.
On Tuesday, Jan. 31, Southern President Joe Bertolino joined 101 College Street developer Carter Winstanley, New Haven Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ilene Tracey, Gateway Community College CEO William T. Brown, and New Haven Economic Administrator Michael Piscitelli to announce the $200,000 fund.
“Access and opportunity are at the heart of Southern’s social justice mission and, as the public university of New Haven and the Southern Connecticut region, creating and sustaining partnerships that build on these two values and maintaining academic excellence are our highest priorities,” said Bertolino. “In these areas, Southern’s BioPath program has been exceptional. We have graduated more than 900 students to date and, with the launch of the 101 College Street Community Scholarship, we’re excited to continue growing and further supporting Greater New Haven’s burgeoning BioTech hub.”
SCSU’s BioPath program was established in 2015 as the workforce initiative for the 101 College Street development and serves as a BioScience academic and career pathway partnership between Southern and the city of New Haven. The mission of BioPath is to grow interest and participation in bioscience education by providing academic and experiential learning programs that position Southern graduates for the 21st century workforce. BioPath plays a significant role in sustaining the Greater New Haven region as a leader in bioscience through four pillars:
- Developing Industry and Career Connections
- Industry-Driven Program Development
- Building Aligned Academic and Career Pathways
- Promotional Outreach and Skills Development
More than 900 students have graduated from the BioPath program so far, with another 800 due to enter the workforce before 2026. In 2021, BioPath placed 28 students and graduates in internships and jobs, 38 in 2022, and six already in 2023.
With funding support from sources such as CTNext, the New Haven Innovation Collaborative, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, and Alexion, BioPath continues to expand its reach and amplify its impact.
“SCSU BioPath is proud to have played such an important role in the exciting growth of New Haven’s life science sector,” said Physics Professor Christine Broadbridge, executive director of Research and Innovation at Southern. “The announcement of this scholarship program takes us one step closer to ensuring that students from New Haven are provided with the opportunity to stay in New Haven and work in its emerging life science industry.”
The Together We Grow/101 College Street Scholarship application will open in February, with a date to be announced soon. The application will be posted on the New Haven Scholarship Fund’s website: www.newhavenscholarshipfund.org.
