Samuel Beamon, Jr.

Sam Beamon enrolled at the University of Connecticut in 1988 through the Student Support Services program. He graduated from UConn with a Communication Sciences Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992 and even after graduation Sam did not abandon his academic pursuits. He continued his education throughout his career by getting several professional certifications including Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) Certification, Leadership and Management Certificate Program, and Grants Management Certificate Program. In addition to these certifications he also participated in multiple job training programs in order to improve his skill set and performance in his career.

Since leaving UConn Sam has achieved significant professional success. He began his career as a grant writer for the City of Waterbury Police Department. In this role he strove to secure funds to improve the policing services offered to the people of Waterbury. He proved to be a great success in this role by securing as much as $2 million in grant funds each year of his tenure. He rolled his experience in Waterbury into a position for the federal government on the other end of the grant giving spectrum. In this role he served as a monitoring specialist for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) for the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC. His work at COPS served as a springboard to his current posi- tion as a Program Specialist for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Throughout his career Sam has been given a great deal of responsibility, encountered many trials, and has risen to meet each one with success.

Sam has also found an outlet for his creative nature. Sam performs as a stand- up comedian and performs a “clean act” at famed comedy clubs including Caroline’s, Gotham, Stand-up New York, DC Improv and Foxwoods Casino. He has also been an opening act for top headliners including Louie Anderson, Jeff Dunham (seen on Comedy Central), and Aries Spears (MADtv). His comedy has yielded several accolades including being Regional Finalist at the Aspen Comedy Festival, Finalist in “Funniest Person in Connecticut”, and being featured in a article for the Washington Post Sunday Source (“Funny Man”, October 19, 2003). Since leaving UConn Sam has found a way to express himself, continue to build his academic foundation, and has chosen a profession which challenges him both personally and professionally and all of which provides a tremendous sense of satisfaction because these activities allow him to grow as a person, find personal fulfillment as well as give back to his fellow citizens, community, and country.