Theus McBee shares his story at our 2014 Scholarship Reception
“I always had the mindset that I was going to college, but receiving this award assured me that I was actually going to be successful in college, which is a major difference,” says Theus McBee, a 2012 Hartford Foundation scholarship recipient.
A graduate of Classical Magnet School in Hartford, Theus is now attended the University of Connecticut, where he was accepted into the Neag School of Education as a Sport Management major.
His high school counselor said, “[Theus] possesses an unwavering sense of purpose and has consistently demonstrated gravitas in all academic endeavors... He has distinguished himself as a leader amongst his peers and in the larger school community.” Theus has carried that same drive into his college career.
At UConn, Theus was involved in numerous extracurricular activities, including serving as president of the university’s Sport Business Association, an organization designed for students with an interest in the business aspect of sports. In addition to organizing trips to athletic events, the Association brings in speakers to talk about their careers and offer advice.
Theus was a manager for the renowned UConn men’s basketball team, and spent summers coaching middle school-aged children at camps with UConn coaches and players. He also worked as an operations assistant at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.
Theus addressed the Hartford Foundation’s 2014-15 scholarship awardees at the 10th annual Scholarship Recipient Reception, held at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford.
He shared his collegiate experiences and talked about the importance of relationship building, urging this year’s recipients to take advantage of the opportunity to meet and network with a diverse group of individuals on their respective college campuses.
Theus had a chance to meet two of his Hartford Foundation scholarship donors, Kerry and Janice Foster, when he was honored in 2012, and the three reconnected at this year’s reception.
“The Fosters are a couple that I am so thankful to have met; not just as donors, but as human beings,” says Theus. “The more I told them about how well I was doing in school, the harder they smiled—my success and happiness brought joy to them. They inspire me to not just achieve greatness for myself, but to help others along the way as well.”
“There are plenty of people who need assistance,” he says, “but if I can just help one person at a time, then I'm doing a good job.”