2020 Texas AFL-CIO Scholarships Available

December 9, 2019

All members or children of members of Local 72-147 are eligible for a scholarship from the Texas AFL-CIO. Applicants must be high school seniors who are planning to attend a university, college, or technical institute in the summer or fall term.The program helps children of union members pay for college, but it goes beyond that. Through an interview and testing process, all applicants get more exposure to how unions work and to labor history.

One of last year’s scholarship winners was Maria Ferraro, the daughter of Local 72-147 member, Joe Ferraro. She is now attending SMU, working on a BFA in Dance with a Minor in Arts Management.

WHO MAY APPLY: Members or children of members of local unions or children whose legal guardians are members of local unions that are affiliated with the Texas AFL-CIO and the local Central Labor Council. Applicants must be high school seniors who are planning to attend a university, college or technical institute in the summer or fall term. Scholarships are one-time grants of $1,500.

Application forms are available here for download, from your Central Labor Council, or from the Texas AFL-CIO Education Department – P. O. Box 12727, Austin, Texas 78711.

THE POSTMARK DEADLINE FOR APPLYING IS THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2020.

TO INSURE PROPER PROCESSING: Please be sure to list the Central Labor Council, if any, with which your parent’s or legal guardian’s local union is affiliated. Make sure the application is signed by a union officer and at least one parent or legal guardian. Include an official school transcript and if applicable, proof of legal guardianship. If you are unsure that your local union is affiliated with your local Central Labor Council, please contact one of your local union officers.

PLEASE MAIL APPLICATIONS TO:

TEXAS AFL-CIO EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

P. O. BOX 12727

AUSTIN, TEXAS 78711

Incomplete applications will be returned to the student.

A packet of material on organized labor will be sent to each applicant to prepare for a test about unions. If you do not receive your packet, please contact your central labor council, a local union officer, or the Texas AFL-CIO.

SELECTION PROCESS: Each Central Labor Council will arrange all interviews and tests for applicants no later than April 8, 2020. Please contact your Central Labor Council if you have not received notice of an interview by April 1, 2020. YOU MUST BE TESTED AND INTERVIEWED IN THE CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL DISTRICT IN WHICH YOUR LOCAL UNION IS AFFILIATED.

After interviews and tests are conducted, each local Central Labor Council will select semi-finalists from among their applicants. Applicant’s financial need, academic achievements, extra-curricular activities, and his/her understanding of the labor movement as demonstrated by the test scores and interviews will be considered.

The statewide Scholarship Committee of the Texas AFL-CIO will select winners from among the semi-finalists. The results will be mailed to all applicants. High Schools principals will receive notice of winning applicants whose name will be announced in the Texas AFL-CIO Labor News.