Eastern Announces Victoria Leigh Soto Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund

NEWTOWN, Conn., Dec. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Victoria Leigh Soto '08 lost her life protecting the children in her first-grade classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, from an assailant who shot and killed 20 children and seven adults that day.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121218/NY31696 )

Victoria Soto was a dean's list student while she attended Eastern as an elementary education and history double major. "Our faculty remembers Vicki as a joy to be with, an exemplary student who was committed to nurturing young lives," said Eastern President Elsa Nunez . "Her dream job was to teach children in the primary grades. She died protecting those children. She is being hailed throughout the world as a hero. We will never forget her."

In honor of Soto and her heroism, the University has announced the creation of the Victoria Leigh Soto Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund to support Eastern students studying to be teachers who have unmet financial need. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu/advancement/victoria_soto.html.

"Our goal is to create a sizable endowed scholarship in Victoria's honor so that we can offer support to students with unmet financial need who want to become elementary school teachers," said Kenneth DeLisa , vice president for institutional advancement. "I think Vicki would be very proud to know that over time, her love for children will live on through a growing cadre of teachers who received their teacher training at Eastern because of her."

Donations may be directed to:
Victoria Leigh Soto Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund
ECSU Foundation, Inc.
Eastern Connecticut State University
83 Windham Street
Willimantic, CT 06226
ATTN: Kenneth J. DeLisa
Vice President for Institutional Advancement

To contribute online, visit https://eweb.easternct.edu/wfbprod/bwakngft.P_Make_A_Donation2. After filling out the first screen, they will be directed to a second screen to select a designation for their gift. On the dropdown menu, they should choose "Victoria Leigh Soto Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund."

SOURCE Eastern Connecticut State University

RELATED LINKS
http://www.easternct.edu/advancement/victoria_soto.html