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October 6, 2023

Wife of late Subway co-founder Fred DeLuca makes largest-ever gift to UConn; here’s how funds will be used

PHOTO | PETER MORENUS/UCONN The UConn School of Nursing in Storrs Hall, in Storrs.
By Greg Bordonaro

The University of Connecticut announced it has received its largest-ever gift that will support construction of a new nursing school as well as new programs and scholarships that aim to combat the state’s nursing shortage.

Alumna Elisabeth DeLuca (1969) has made a $40 million gift to UConn that will provide scholarships and programmatic support to the School of Nursing. It will also support the construction of a new state-of-the-art School of Nursing facility in Storrs.

DeLuca, a former nurse at Bridgeport Hospital, is the widow of Subway co-founder Fred DeLuca. Elisabeth DeLuca eventually left the nursing profession to join her husband’s business.

When he died in 2015, he left 50% of the company to his wife, according to published reports. 

In August, Subway was sold to private equity firm Roark Capital for an undisclosed sum, but the Wall Street Journal reported the Milford-based sandwich chain restaurant was getting an offer for more than $9 billion. 

According to media reports, Elisabeth DeLuca still owned half the company at the time of the sale. 
 
Meantime, the state Bond Commission on Friday also approved $30 million for UConn to finance the planning, design and construction of the new nursing school.

Site identification and initial engineering still need to be conducted, with construction anticipated to begin in 2024 and complete in 2026.

DeLuca’s gift provides additional funds that are critical to the project, UConn said. 

“The new UConn School of Nursing building is an example of what is possible when state and philanthropic support come together,” said UConn President Radenka Maric. “I am deeply grateful to Elisabeth DeLuca for her vision and generosity in making this transformative gift, and to Governor Ned Lamont, legislators, and the state Office of Policy and Management for their support.”

DeLuca is a longtime UConn donor, providing support that includes the DeLuca Visiting Professor for Innovation and New Knowledge Fund and the Adomat Family Endowed Scholarship Fund at the School of Nursing, according to the school.
 
She currently serves as president of the Elisabeth C. DeLuca Foundation and the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation.
  
The new nursing facility will feature flexible spaces to allow for different setups for various learning options, and lecture halls to accommodate large gatherings. It will maximize space for student learning through simulations, training, lectures and studying, UConn said.
 
The building’s proposed location is on Alethia Drive in Storrs.

In addition to helping fund the new facility, DeLuca’s gift will allow UConn to hire more nursing faculty and staff so it can increase enrollment from 175 students today to a minimum of 250 students.
 

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