Benefits for AFGE Members

Vester Howard III, Christopher M. Pesto and Alice M. Todd have been selected to receive 2005 Union Plus scholarship awards.  Howard, child of AFGE Local 538 member, Shirley Flynn was awarded $1,000.   Pesto, child of AFGE Local 1923 member, Catherine Pesto, was awarded $4,000.  Todd, a member of Local 2022, was awarded $750.

They are among 107 students from 37 AFL-CIO unions who have been awarded $150,000 in scholarships from the Union Plus Scholarship program.

Christopher Pesto’s Dreams

            Christopher, son of Catherine Pesto of Local 1923, will pursue his interests in engineering and physics. “Ever since I was a small child, I have been fascinated by the way things work,” he says. But his interests are much broader and include government, politics and unions. Christopher was one of about 20 teenagers from Carroll County, MD, to provide assistance at the polls during last November’s presidential election. He also served as a Federal Page, working on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.  “Many of my experiences in these activities have shown me the incredible difference people can make in this world when they join together to accomplish a common, positive goal,” he says. “This understanding has been reinforced by my personal observations of the powerful potential of unions to provide better conditions for working families.”

Vester Howard’s Dreams

Described as a charismatic, courageous and engaging student, Vester, who is disabled and uses a powered wheelchair, has overcome many obstacles posed by his physical limitations. “Everything my classmates take for granted is a challenge for me,” he says.  Vester is planning to attend Rider University in the fall. Coming from a union family, he understands how unions speak for workers. “That’s why I want to major in communications. When I speak it will be with confidence, authority and knowledge of the subject matter,” he says.       

Alice Todd’s Dreams

Alice is a medical assistant who works in the emergency room for the 101^st Army at Fort Campbell, KY, and a member of Local 2022.  “I am a mother, grandmother, wife of a retired Navy man, and now a student in college,” she says. “I have always motivated my children, and taught them that they can accomplish anything with a good education. Now that my youngest child is in high school, and the oldest is in college, they now motivate me in attaining my career goal – and dream – to become a registered nurse.”

Since 1992, the Union Plus Scholarship program has awarded nearly $2 million to union members or members of their families who want to begin or continue their secondary education. More than 1,200 families have benefited from the commitment of unions to higher education.

The Union Plus Scholarship awards are presented annually. The program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation with funding provided by Household Credit Card Services, issuer of the Union Plus Credit Card.

Rising Costs, Increased Needs

For years, policy makers and economists have described how higher education increasingly is critical to American workers and to the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. The union movement has been at the forefront of providing such opportunities for working-class college students.

Today, these opportunities are threatened by skyrocketing college tuition costs, cuts in federally funded college grants and scholarships and increasing loan burdens at exorbitant interest rates. Union support through scholarships and grants is more vital than ever to working families.

A Challenging Process

The students selected for awards come from diverse backgrounds and union affiliations and have varied 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. Students earned top SAT scores, were well-rounded in their studies and extracurricular activities and showed an understanding of the value of working families and union membership.

How the Scholarship Program Works

In addition to demonstrated academic ability, applicants submitted essays of no more than 500 words describing their career goals, detailing their relationship with the union movement and explaining why they are deserving of a union scholarship.

The program is open to members of unions that participate in any Union Plus program, their spouses and dependent children. 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.

2006 Applications

Applications for the 2006 awards will be available in September 2005. Return to this site to download the application at that time, or, send a postcard with your name, return address, telephone number, and that you are an AFGE member to: Union Plus Education Foundation, c/o Union Privilege, P.O. Box 34800, Washington, D.C. 20043-4800.

The application deadline is Jan. 31, 2006. Recipients’ names for the 2006 program will be announced May 31, 2006. However, due to the high volume of applications, only winners will receive notification.