David Daniel Berdon was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He was a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law and became a practicing attorney in 1949. He was a member of the New Haven County (Connecticut) and the American Bar Associations, and the Connecticut and American Trial Lawyers Associations. He was also a member of the American Arbitration Association.
Before becoming a lawyer, he was a lecturer in economics at the University of Connecticut. An advocate for children with learning disabilities, he was the founder and a charter member of the VARCA, an organization that provided workforce skill development for individuals with special needs. Active in Republican circles in New Haven and throughout the state, he served as special counsel to the Connecticut Republican Party in the 1970s. In 1969, he was a member of President Richard M. Nixon’s transition team, and served as a consultant and the acting director for New England at the Office of Economic Opportunity in Boston. Appointed by Gov. John Dempsey, he served as vice chairman of the commission to study procedures for the nomination of presidential candidates.
The David Daniel Berdon Memorial Scholarship fund provides scholarship support for students enrolled full-time at the University of Connecticut. Candidates must have attended events or programs focused on gender identity, gender expression, and/or sexuality at the University of Connecticut. These can include those sponsored or co-sponsored by the Rainbow Center for/on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and allied communities. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate an interest in issues of concern to these communities through relevant academic coursework. The scholarship(s) may be renewed annually to the recipient(s) provided satisfactory academic progress is achieved and provided all criteria specified above continue to be met.
The monies in the David Daniel Berdon Memorial Scholarship Fund are administered by the University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc. A committee of volunteers from various segments of the University of Connecticut community review applications for scholarship awards. The David Daniel Berdon Memorial Fund is not affiliated with any specific University of Connecticut department.
Congratulations to our most recent David Daniel Berdon Memorial Scholarship Fund recipients:
- 2015-2016: Ronnie Shepard and Ezra Blanchard
- 2016-2017: Ezra Blanchard
- 2017-2018: Lucas Larchevesque and Hannah Meyers
- 2018-2019: Hannah Meyers
We are currently accepting applications for the 2019-2020 academic year.
One or more scholarships of up to $1000 each may be awarded. Application deadline for the 2019-2020 Academic Year has passed.
All award recipients must attend the Rainbow Center Lavender Graduation to partake in the David Daniel Berdon Memorial Scholarship Ceremony, at which, the family of David Daniel Berdon may attend. Lavender Graduation is typically held in during the second or third week in April. Friends and family of award recipients are invited to attend the award ceremony.
If you should have any questions about the David Daniel Berdon Memorial Scholarship Fund or its awards, please send an email to: rainbowcenter@uconn.edu with subject line: Berdon.