From UConn:
STORRS, Conn. – Fundraising for a memorial in honor of Jasper Howard, the University of Connecticut football student-athlete who tragically lost his life five years ago, has been successfully completed. The memorial will be officially dedicated on Saturday, November 1, 2014 at halftime of UConn’s Homecoming game vs. UCF at Rentschler Field.
Funds for the statue were raised in a grassroots fashion with the efforts spearheaded by UConn supporters Dan and Lisa Lowry of Prospect, Conn. The lead gift for the memorial came from former UConn head football coach Randy Edsall, who was Howard’s coach with the Huskies. Donations also came from former Husky student-athletes and fans from around the country.
“I want to thank everyone in the UConn family who made this memorial to the life of Jasper a reality,” said UConn Director of Athletics Warde Manuel. “I especially want to recognize our friends Dan and Lisa Lowry, who came up with the concept for the memorial and worked tirelessly to raise the funds that will make it possible. In addition, we are very grateful to Randy Edsall and his family for their generosity towards this project.”
“The support shown by the UConn community has been heartening,” says Joshua Newton, president and CEO of the University of Connecticut Foundation. “People often turn to philanthropy to remember and honor those we lose too early.”
Howard lost his life on October 18, 2009 – hours after UConn had defeated Louisville at Rentschler Field on Homecoming. Howard recorded a career-high 11 tackles in the contest and a fumble recovery.
“Jasper Howard represented everything that is good about college athletics,” said Edsall. “He loved being a student-athlete at UConn. His tragic death had a bonding reaction with the entire UConn community that none of us will ever forget for the rest of our lives.”
Funds will continued to be raised for the Jasper T. Howard Endowed Scholarship Fund at UConn, which is presented annually to a cornerback on the Husky football team who best embodies the qualities of Howard.
For information on how to contribute to that fund, please visit http://s.uconn.edu/howardscholarship.
photo credit: getty images
