CLEVELAND, January 13 — BLET members are now eligible to participate in the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. The parents or grandparents of applicants must belong to the Teamsters for at least 12 months in order to be eligible for a scholarship.
James R. Hoffa became a Teamster member in 1934 and served as General President for 14 years, and, in recognition of his tireless service to the Union and its members, was honored as General President Emeritus for life. At the November 1999 General Executive Board meeting, General Secretary-Treasurer C. Thomas Keegel presented a resolution to establish the new scholarship fund.
The Teamsters website describes the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund and outlines eligibility requirements and application procedures. This information is available at: http://www.teamster.org.
The deadline for applications is March 25, 2005.
One hundred scholarships will be awarded this program year. Applicants compete in one of the five geographic regions where the Teamster parent’s local union is located.
Thirty-one of the awards total $10,000 each. These four-year scholarships are disbursed at the rate of $2,500 per year and are renewable annually. Sixty-nine of the awards are one-time $1,000 grants. These scholarships are disbursed to the college or university at the beginning of the recipient’s freshman year.
Eligibility requirements and application procedures are the same for all awards. Recipients are selected by an impartial committee of university admissions and financial aid directors based on academic achievement, SAT/ACT scores, character, potential and financial need. We consider all applicants without regard to race, religion, gender, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Guidelines
The Scholarship Fund has established some guidelines to be used by students when deciding whether or not to apply to this program.
Applicants should:
1. Rank in the top 15 percent of their high school class;
2. Have, or expect to have, excellent SAT or ACT scores; and
3. Demonstrate financial need.
Due to the highly competitive nature of the program and the large number of applicants, students should carefully consider these criteria before submitting an application.
After the BLET eligible student completes the application, it should be forwarded to: William C. Walpert, National Secretary-Treasurer, BLET, 1370 Ontario Street, Cleveland, OH 44113. The National Secretary-Treasurer’s office will verify membership status and sign the application form. The completed form will then be sent directly to the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund for processing.
Additional information and application forms are available on the
Teamsters website at: www.teamster.org, or by contacting the following:
James R. Hoffa
Memorial Scholarship Fund
25 Louisiana Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 624-8735
E-Mail: scholarship@teamster.org