From the November 2009 issue of Our Moment, the UConn Foundation's e-newsletter.
After spending a fulfilling career teaching and researching at the University of Connecticut, Antonio Romano, dean emeritus of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is giving back to help future generations of graduate students.
“I spent the major part of my professional life at UConn, a total of 31 years of a very satisfying career of 50 years beyond the doctorate,” says Romano. “I wanted to make a lasting and hopefully growing contribution to the institution that facilitated the work that I love.”
The former dean and his wife, Marjorie Romano, who earned a master’s degree in education from UConn in 1977, established an endowed fellowship for students in the molecular and cell biology department, with the hope of assisting future fellow microbiologists.
David Benson, professor of microbiology and head of the molecular and cell biology department, has known the Romanos for 30 years.
“Tony and Jean Romano’s gift really is the culmination of two legacies in their lives: their strong family roots and their value of learning. Tony’s parents immigrated from Italy, and, as is common, placed a high value on education for their children. Tony’s education took him to the lab of Nobel Laureate Selman Waksman as a young graduate student. To me, the Romanos’ gift carries with it a sense of history, dedication and generosity that is simply part of their lives,” says Benson.
“The department and the microbiology graduate field of study in particular are fortunate to have them as supporters, and, more importantly, to have them as models for supporting and training the next generation,” he says.
Romano started his career teaching and conducting research in microbiology in the 1950s. He joined UConn as a professor in 1971, served as head of the microbiology unit from 1974 to 1984 and served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences from 1992 until his retirement in 1995. During his tenure at UConn, Romano also served as program director for cell biology at the National Science Foundation from 1984 to 1985. After his retirement, Romano continued conducting research and publishing through 2002.
“I taught and carried out research in microbiology for my entire career. Naturally, I consider it to be one of the most important and most interesting fields of all science. Over the past half century, it has been the handmaiden to molecular biology, genetics and biochemistry by supplying the simplest and most accessible experimental material available to accomplish the dramatic advances that the world has seen,” says Romano.
With their gift, the Romanos wanted to provide the critical margin of support graduate students need to make scientific breakthroughs and contribute toward UConn’s core missions.
“We chose to contribute to the graduate program because it is a fundamental part of both the teaching and research functions of a flagship state university. Graduate students serve important functions as teaching assistants and vital members of research teams that advance the research agenda of the institution,” Romano says.
Traditional means of support, including teaching assistantships and external grants, usually provide funding for the school year only, explains Romano. The new fellowship will offer recipients year-round funding to supplement assistantships during the school year and to continue their research through the summer.
“I've had the privilege of getting to know Tony and Marjorie since arriving at UConn in 2008. It’s impossible to spend 15 minutes with them without coming to admire their good sense, their love of education and their commitment to the University,” says Dean Jeremy Teitelbaum. “I'm grateful to them personally for their help with my transition to Connecticut, and I'm particularly grateful to them on behalf of the many future graduate students who will benefit from their gift.”
For more information about supporting the Antonio H. & Marjorie J. Romano Graduate Education Fund, please contact the UConn Foundation’s development department.
