The Union Plus Scholarship Program has provided over 30 years of higher education support for working families.
The Union Plus Scholarship program is an example of the U.S. labor movement's commitment to higher education.
Since 1991, Union Privilege, through the Union Plus Scholarship program, has helped fulfill the educational dreams of students representing more than 13 million working families across the nation.
The Union Plus Scholarship awards are presented annually to union members or members of their families who want to begin or continue their post-secondary education.
In 2023, 205 union members and union family members have been awarded $200,000 in scholarships, ranging from $500 to $4,000.
2023 Scholarship Winners
$4,000 Winners
- Timothy E. August, AFT
- Payton E. Bucki, UAW
- Zachary Byington, IAFF
- Joanna A. Escalante, CSEA
- Eduardo Evaristo, CSEA
- Yaman A. Inamdar, CSEA
- Marianna R. Lombardi, AFT
- Janagan Ramanathan, AFT
- Journey E. Roseborough, UAW / SEIU
- Emma R. Slate, UAW
- Jayla A. Travis, CWA
$3,000 Winners
- Isela A. Guillen, CSEA
- Kayla M. Rivera, IBEW
- Justis Walker, AFSCME
- Alana Werner, AFSCME
$2,500 Winners
- Amy J. Doty, IBEW
- Angie N. Martinez-Heffner, AFT
- Declan B. Smith, UFCW (Isaiah’s Award)
$2,000 Winners
- Francisca Alivia, AFT
- Louis Attard, AFT
- Katherine Barrows, IFPTE
- Madeline R. Baumann, OPEIU
- Ryan L. Beach, IBEW
- Ryan L. Bennett, AFT
- Megan L. Brewer, CSEA
- Cassidy Butler, IBT
- Isaac A. Byrd, LIUNA
- Ted T. Chor, CSEA
- Linkon B. Snedeker, BMWED
- Ethan L. Vargo-Thomas, AFT
- Preosha M. Waller, AFSCME
- Esther Ward, AFT
$1,000 Winners
- Andres S. Chirino-Segura, IBEW
- Tiffani A. Dabrowski, AFSCME
- Eden Farias, SEIU
- Cliesha Hodo, CSEA
- Matt Holuj, IAFF
- Madison L. Johnson, IAFF
- Nicholas Jones, IAFF
- Bryant Kennedy, IAM
- Krystle Klein, AFT
- Olivia Knight, AFSCME
- Victoria M. Koch, IBEW
- Esther Lee, AFSCME
- Meaza L. Light-Orr, IATSE
- Jeannie Lockwood, IBEW
- Sadie B. Lord, AFSCMe
- Brody Macias, IBT
- Austin Malley, SMART / AFT
- Amina R. Malone, UNITE HERE
- Caris L. Mann, AFSCME
- Michael Manns, IAFF
- Ashley M. Mathews, IBEW
- Irasema McAllister, CSEA
- Samantha G. McElroy, AFT
- Eoin J. McGill, IBEW
- Charisse L. Miller, AFGE
- Jacob Mohring, AFSCME
- Kyle-Lamar Morgan, AFSCME
- Blake C. Morrison, CSEA
- Esteban A. Murillo, CWA
- Ethan L. Patterson, AFT
- Ava P. Paulsen, IBT
- Breona Pizzuta, AFT
- Cheryl A. Pope, CSEA
- Ciara G. Quinn, NALC
- Allen Reji, NPMHU
- Kaylee B. Savell, UA
- Bianca J. Solano, UFCW
- Asia T. Terry, AFSCME
- Belen L. Trujillo, CSEA
- Clare C. Verbert, IBEW / IUPA
- Nicholas Weinerth, AFT
$750 Winners
- Joanna R. Bonney, UFCW
- Alysia B. Freegard, CSEA
- Ciara K. Hartema, NALC
- Allie Kohl, IUOE
- Morgan L. McAndrew, IBEW
- Cason L. Rice, CSEA
- Rosie Rogers, BMWED
- Malia L. Schneck, AFSCME
- Michael A. Virgadamo, IAFF
- Angel M. Zarobinski, IUPAT
$525 Winners
- Maya Abounaja, ATU
- Joyzel Acevedo, WGAE
- Mariana Aguilera Lara, BAC
- Francisco Alcala, UURWA
- Eliana Amoh, AFSCME
- Katherine Arosteguy, AFT
- Sydney M. Benson, SMART / AFT
- Michael Binney, IAFF
- Abigail Bolin, IBT
- Hazel R. Bramble, AFT
- Christopher R. Burch, AFSCME
- Monica Chicas, AFSCME
- Ricardo Corona, AFSCME
- Benjamin Coyle, AFT
- Mason C. Crook, IBT
- Michael J. Cucinella, IBEW / AFT
- Daniel Dein, AFT
- Kimberleigh Del Vecchio, AFT
- Madison A. DesPres, CWA
- Melih Dookie, CSEA
- Claudia J. Elliott, NALC
- Stephen M. Escochea, AFT
- Emma M. Fredman, CSEA
- Amelia P. Gardiner, IRONWORKERS / AFT
- Zoie Gavel, SEIU
- Maggie M. Gazda, IBEW
- Erandi A. Godoy Nava, IUPAT
- Jeremy Gomez, AFT
- Sofia Gonzalez, AFGE / AFT
- Lily G. Grassel, USW
- Hamel Haile, OPEIU
- Nuhamin H. Haile, OPEIU
- Kollin J. Harris, USW
- Steven T. Harris, II; AFSCME
- Abigail E. Heck, CWA
- Cayden N. Hernandez, UAW
- Kelsey Hewitt, IFPTE
- Katherine Heyn, AFSCME
- Jerry T. Hill, AFT
- Drew Howard, IBEW
- Katelyn A. Hunsberger, AFGE
- Joseph S. Hunt, CSEA
$500 Winners
- Kaitlynn E. Ball, BMWED
- Frenchie D. Barnes, SEIU
- Lisa Bell, CSEA
- Seth W. Bowers, AFT
- Danielle Bylow-Hebner, CSEA
- Dianne Escalona, AFA-CWA
- Kevin J. Flinn, IBEW
- Savanna Y. Frank, BLET
- Jade E. Gardner, UAW
- Lindsay Gneiting, IAFF
- Royce Jacobs, CWA
- Christopher R. Jodoin, AFSCME
- KeNysha J. Johnson, BMWED
- Alyssa Kanyo, LIUNA / AFSCME
- Troy J. Karavias, AFT
- Carmella A. Karcic, AFSCME
- Caleb J. Kench, AFT
- Ila A. Kipilman, AFSCME
- Joshua L. Klein, IAFF
- Isabelle N. Kolleth, AFSCME
- Meghan Kostka, CWA
- Veronica D. Kowalewski, AFSCME
- Christopher Kubicki, IBEW
- Faith LaCroix, AFSCME
- Jacob J. Langille, NALC / AFT
- Jacob D. Leggiero, AFSCME
- Megan A. Linder, BAC
- Adam D. Luther, IBT
- Mitzi A. Martinez, AFT
- Madysen R. McVey, IBEW
- Magdalyn F. McAbee, IBEW
- Travis R. McAnally, IAFF
- Makenna D.B. Milam, IAFF
- Jordan Morgan, IAFF / AFSCME
- Mahirah Morshed, SEIU
- Mary E. Naughton, AFT
- Justin Nicholson, SIU
- Ebba M. Nordstrom, AFT
- Maggie O’Brien, SMART
- Briana Ortiz, IAFF
- Elizabeth Pappas, AFSCME
- Josephine E. Parish, IUOE
- Levi M. Paxton, AFT
- Jasmine K. Peck, OPEIU
- Jeremy Pepin, IAFF
- Nicholas S. Piesen, AFT
- Kylie M. Plasch, CSEA
- Carli Platt, CWA
- Alexander Prokopiou, IBEW
- Austin M. Rae, IAFF
- Emily M. Reppy, IUOE
- Jake M. Richter, AGMA
- Emily E. Rinnier, IBEW
- Cassandra J. Rodgers, BLET
- Baylor G. Sampson, IRONWORKERS
- Breanna M. Schlueter, IBEW
- Jared Schultz, AFT
- Brooklyn B.M. Siedlecki, UA
- Chesni Simpson, BLET
- Roy E. Smith, AFM
- Madison L. Sorenson, IBEW
- Lanie C. Spivey, IAFF
- Elizabeth Starkey, AFSCME
- Jaymi L. Steele, IUPA
- Abriella B. Stommel, TCU-IAM / NALC
- Caleb M. Sullivan, UTU
- Jordanna Takaki, AFSCME
- Derek W. Thomas, BCTGM
- Avery E. Timmerman, AFT
- David Tran, UAW
- Trinity Vang, OPEIU
- Matias A. Vergara, UWUA
- Emmaline Verratti, AFSCME
- Paige Vrankovic, IUEC
- Julianna L. Wallace, CWA / AFT
- Erin Walling, CWA
- Alexander Weaver, AFT
- Madison D. Weese, UMWA
- Hayden L. Wells, IAFF
- Madison R. Wells, NALC
- Adin A. Williams, AFA-CWA
A diverse group of hardworking students
The students selected for awards represent a wide sampling of demographics, union affiliations, goals and accomplishments. Representatives from the American Association of Community Colleges, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the United Negro College Fund judged the applications.
According to the judges, the caliber of students this year made the selection process very challenging. The students are from diverse backgrounds, and as a whole, they received top SAT scores, were well-rounded in their studies and extracurricular activities, and they understood the value of working families and union membership.
How the Scholarship Program works
In addition to demonstrated academic ability, applicants submitted essays describing their career goals, detailing their relationship with the labor movement, and explaining why they are deserving of a union scholarship.
The program is open to union members, their spouses and dependent children of unions that are participating in any Union Plus program. Individuals must be accepted into an accredited college or university, community college or recognized technical or trade school at the time the award is issued. Members do not have to purchase any Union Plus program product or participate in any Union Plus program to apply.
The Union Plus Scholarship Program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation.
Applications
Each year, the application deadline is January 31 and the chosen scholarship award recipients are notified by mail on May 31. All applicants are notified when the award winner list is posted in early June.
The 2024 Application will be available in mid-June, 2023.