Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, has announced a $10 million gift from alumnus and former trustee Francisco L. Borges (’74, H’20) and his family.

The gift from the former Connecticut state treasurer and his wife, Luisa, and his four siblings, Peter L. Borges (’80), Francesca Borges Gordon (’82), Maria Borges Correia (’85), and Joaquina Borges King, will provide financial aid for outstanding students who would not otherwise be able to attend college. In recognition of the gift, the college will rename its admissions center after Manuel and María Luisa Lopes Borges, the siblings’ parents.

The gift pays tribute to Manuel and Maria Luisa Lopes Borges, who immigrated from Cape Verde in 1958 and taught their children to studa ku empenhu, a Cape Verdean phrase that means “study with earnestness.” After Manuel’s death in 1971, Maria worked tirelessly to raise their five children, ensuring that each completed their formal education; she also volunteered at a homeless shelter and helped immigrants find employment and housing. “Our mother taught my siblings and me the value of hard work and the importance of community,” said Borges. “For all of us making these gifts, we hope that all Trinity College students will feel the encouragement that my mother provided to us and so many others.”

“With this beautiful act of family generosity, the Borges family has dramatically affirmed our commitment to access and sent a powerful message of opportunity to students from all areas,” said Trinity College president Joanne Berger-Sweeney. “Thanks to their gift, we can expand as never before our efforts to give all deserving students the opportunity to experience the transformative power of a Trinity education. We are humbled to honor Manuel and Maria Luisa Lopes Borges and their family’s long association with this college.”