University of New Haven has new scholarship

The endowment will help Jewish students

The University of New Haven has established the Dr. Joseph DeLeeuw Endowed Scholarship, created with a $500,000 gift from the late Joseph DeLeeuw ’78 B.S., according to a statement.

The scholarship was established through his estate plan, prior to his death in January, 2007, at the age of 89, the statement said.

DeLeeuw, shown, requested the endowed scholarship be created for Jewish students in need who are attending or accepted to attend UNH, the statement said.

"In creating his endowment, DeLeeuw stipulated that 'The drive and ability of the applicant to successfully obtain a degree and the necessity of a scholarship for funding must be demonstrated by the applicant,'” the statement said.

"A long-time Connecticut businessman, he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology, with honors, from the University of New Haven at age 60," the statement.

At a life stage when most are considering retirement, DeLeeuw went on to earn his medical degree and opened a clinic which accepted all patients, even the penniless, and catered to impoverished children, the statement said.

As a young boy, DeLeeuw had fled with his family from Holland just days before the Nazis invaded during World War II. After his arrival in the United States and enlisting in the Army, he opened hardware stores in Branford, Conn., and later, an antique shop. Life as a retailer, however, was not what he had dreamt of, the statement said.

DeLeeuw "enjoyed a long medical career, opening the Children’s Clinic in Dania, Florida, in the 1980s. He worked seven days a week, answered his own phone and saw patients without appointments," the statement said.

Editor's note: the information in this post was wholly provided by the University of New Haven and is only lightly edited here.