Union Leaders of the Future Scholarship & Mentoring Program
- This special scholarship is for women and/or people of color who are pursuing a career in union leadership.
- Meet the past winners of the Union Leaders of the Future Scholarships.
At left: Renee A. Harris, CWA 2100, 2007 Union Leaders of the Future Scholarship winner
Apply for Union Leaders of the Future Scholarship & Mentoring Program
Click here to receive email notification when the '09 application is available.
Helping more women and people of color become union leaders
Embracing its mission to enhance the value of union membershipand support a stronger labor movement, Union Privilege has developed a scholarship and mentoring program to help more women and people of color become union leaders.
The Union Leaders of the Future Scholarship provides annual awards up to $3,000 to help future union leaders with the cost of continuing their education or training in order to pursue their union career goals and leadership skills.
Meet the past winners of the Union Leaders of the Future Scholarships.
The Union Leaders of the Future Scholarship Program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation.
Scholarship
Eligibility:
- Applicant must be female and/or a member of a racial/ethnic minority, defined as American Indian or Alaskan, Asian or Pacific Islander, African American, Hispanic, or multi-racial.
- Completed application form with a recommendation letter from a union leader who has knowledge of the applicant's labor leadership potential.
- See additional information in the Eligibility tab below.
Evaluation criteria:
- Applicants for scholarships are evaluated for union leadership potential. Important factors include career goals, social awareness and financial need. Specifically, this scholarship is for women and/or people of color who are very interested in becoming high-level union leaders in the labor movement.
- Scholarship applications will first be judged by a Union Privilege consultant who is a career professional with extensive experience in union scholarship programs. The consultant will make selections and determine award amounts.
Awards:
- Cash awards: The amount of the scholarship award ranges from $500-$3,000. These are one-time cash awards sent and paid directly to individual winners for study and related expenses within the following 12 months.
- Mentoring: Some scholarship winners will be matched with current union leaders to participate in a special mentoring program.
Mentoring
Interested in being matched with a union leader to participate in a special mentoring program?
The Union Leaders of the Future Mentoring Program helps women and people of color set and reach defined union leadership goals. Selected mentees are matched with current leaders in the labor movement. The program includes an orientation program in Washington, DC where you meet your mentor. Then your mentoring relationship continues with contact on a regular basis over the phone and through email.
Two ways to apply to be a mentee:
- Complete the Mentoring Program Application section at the end of the Scholarship Application and send with your scholarship package. (This is an optional part of the Scholarship Application). OR
- Only apply for the mentoring program using the application in the green box above.
Scholarship & Mentoring Details
Eligibility:
- A current union member from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Guam and the Virgin Islands of a union participating in any Union Plus program. Find out about all of your union's Union Plus benefits here.
- Staff employees for an AFL-CIO affiliated organization are also eligible.
- Completed application form with a recommendation letter from a union leader who has knowledge of the applicant's leadership potential.
- Applicant must be female and/or a member of a racial/ethnic minority, defined as American Indian or Alaskan, Asian or Pacific Islander, African American, Hispanic, or multi-racial.
- Scholarship recipients can re-apply for future awards.
Evaluation criteria:
- Applicants for scholarships are evaluated for union leadership potential. Important factors include career goals, social awareness and financial need.
- Scholarship applications will first be judged by a Union Privilege consultant who is a career professional with extensive experience in union scholarship programs. The consultant will make selections and determine award amounts. The AFL-CIO Civil Rights & Women's Committees will ratify selections and award amounts.
Mentoring program:
- Helps women and people of color set and reach defined union leadership goals.
- Selected mentees are matched with current leaders in the labor movement.
- The program includes an orientation program in Washington, DC where you meet your mentor in person; afterwards you meet with your mentor on a regular basis over the phone and through email.
- There are two ways to apply for the mentorship program:
- Complete the Mentoring Program application section at the end of teh Scholarship Application and send with your scholarship package. (This is an optional part of the Scholarship Application.) OR
- Only apply for the mentoring program using the application above in the green box.
Awards:
- Scholarship awards: $500-$3,000. These are one-time cash awards sent and paid directly to individual winners for study and related expenses within the following 12 months.
- Mentoring: Some scholarship winners and mentoring program applicants will be matched with current union leaders to participate in a special mentoring program.
Interested in being a mentor to a future union leader? Sign up to be a mentor.
Eligibility
For the Union Leaders of the Future Scholarship, an applicant must:
- Be female and/or a member of a racial/ethnic minority, defined as American Indian or Alaskan, Asian or Pacific Islander, African American, Hispanic, or multi-racial.
- Be a current union member from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Guam and the Virgin Islands of a union participating in any Union Plus program. Stafff employees for an AFL-CIO affiliated organization are also eligible.
- Complete an application form with a recommendation letter from a union leader who has knowledge of the applicant's leadership potential.
- Scholarship recipients can re-apply for future awards.
Who is eligible?
- All dues-paying labor union members
Customer Service
All applications must be postmarked by: May 30, 2009.
Questions about the scholarship? Email info@unionprivilege.org

