Central Connecticut Announces Creation of Scott Pioli Enrichment Fund

CCSU Hall of Famer continues to give back to alma mater

April 14, 2016

Central Connecticut football Hall of Fame student-athlete and current NFL executive Scott Pioli, along with Vice President for Institutional Advancement Chris Galligan and Director of Athletics Paul Schlickmann have announced the creation of the Scott Pioli Football Enrichment Fund.

The endowed fund, established through the CCSU Foundation, Inc., will be used to support grants-in-aid to student-athletes competing in football at the University.

"After establishing an endowed academic scholarship for first generational college students at CCSU through the partnership with College For Every Student, my next goal was to give back to the football program that has given me so much," Pioli said. "Establishing this new endowed fund allows me to begin a meaningful way of doing just that."

Pioli is a 1988 graduate of the University and a member of the Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2016 he was given the Kaiser Award, which is presented to a former student-athlete who has, since graduation, distinguished himself/herself and their alma mater by their accomplishments and service. He is currently the Assistant General Manager with the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL, and has also held executive positions with the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots. He has been named NFL Executive of the Year by various media outlets five times during his career. During his time in New Britain, Scott was a three-time All-New England selection.

"Scott's generous gift to the CCSU football program provides a major contribution to the personal development of our student-athletes," Galligan said. "It perfectly exemplifies his and the University's commitment to helping our young student-athletes grow educationally and socially as responsible and civically engaged adults. On behalf of the University I am very grateful to Scott, who continues to demonstrate his belief in cultivating student success on the field, in the classroom, and in life."

"We are truly humbled by this extraordinary gift and exceptional generosity of Scott Pioli," Schlickmann added. "It has been a privilege getting to know Scott the past six years as an alumnus, as a professional and as a friend. He is a passionate and thoughtful individual who believes in philanthropy as a means to enhance the educational development and opportunities for young men and women. We are grateful that he has deemed our football program and our student-athletes worthy of this gift. His loyalty to CCSU and our athletics program will benefit the experiences of Blue Devils and impact the success of our program for years to come."

"I am thankful for the role that Central Connecticut State University and the Blue Devil football program played in my life as a student-athlete and throughout my professional career in the NFL," Pioli added. "I can never fully give back what the university, friends, coaches, teammates, and the faculty and staff gave me during my time at Central. The community at CCSU allowed me to grow my passion for education, athletics, the arts and diversity. I am a firm believer in the biblical principal: 'To whom much is given, much is required' and my work at CCSU is not done."