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BLET members and their dependents seeking academic scholarships are encouraged to explore the 2024 BLET Scholarship Directory, a resource for a variety of financial aid programs. If you or a family member are looking for scholarship opportunities, don’t delay. Deadlines are quickly approaching.

Each year, the BLET National Division provides members and their families with a list of scholarship programs to consider. The National Division itself does not maintain its own scholarship program, nor does it oversee or otherwise play any role in the administration of any programs included in this directory. Interested parties are advised to contact the scholarship providers for additional information. Those aware of additional scholarship opportunities not included in this directory are urged to contact the BLET Public Relations Department at: Bentley@ble-t.org.

ScholarshipDetails
New for 2024! Teamsters Scholarship Fund

The newly-established Teamsters Scholarship Fund (TSF) will award 600 one-time $2,000 awards for the upcoming school year. To apply, please visit the TSF website (http://aim.applyists.net/TSF) and create an account.

To be eligible for an award from the TSF, you must:

  • Be a current high school senior OR a community college student planning to transfer in the upcoming academic year to a four-year college, vocational school, or technical school; AND
  • Must be a financial dependent of an International Brotherhood of Teamsters member considered to be in “good standing” as defined in Article X, Section 5 of the International Constitution (including members of the BLET, BMWED, and TCRC). The children or financial dependents of full-time local union officers, full-time staff of local unions, and International Union staff are ineligible.

Eligible dependents may apply for financial aid from both the new TSF as well as the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. A list of Frequently Asked Questions is available here

The application deadline is March 29, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time Zone).

James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund

The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund (JRHMSF) is now accepting applications, and the deadline is March 1, 2024.

All applications must be completed through the online portal on the Fund’s website: www.jrhmsf.org. This JRHMSF website outlines eligibility requirements and application procedures, and applicants must complete a brief registration process to access the registration area.

There are two types of scholarship applications available: Academic Scholarships (college/university), which range up to $10,000, and Vocational/Training  Scholarships, which range up to $2,000. Full details and eligibility requirements for each type of scholarship are available on the JRHMSF website at the link above.

For general questions about the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund, please call (855) 670-4787 or email: contactus@applyISTS.com or JRHfund@gmail.com.

BLET Auxiliary and LECMPA Scholarships

Established in 1991, the BLET Auxiliary Scholarship Program provides $1,000 scholarships to qualifying students who wish to pursue higher education. In addition, the Auxiliary also offers two $2,500 scholarships annually in collaboration with Locomotive Engineers and Conductors Mutual Protective Association (LECMPA). The two $2,500 scholarships are fully funded by LECMPA.

To apply for an Auxiliary Scholarship, the applicant must be a son, daughter, stepson, or stepdaughter of a BLET Auxiliary member and a BLET member (living or deceased), each being a member for at least one year. An exception has been made for those children of single-parent BLET members with at least one year of membership in the BLET and at least one year as a BLET Auxiliary Associate Member. To qualify for the LECMPA-funded scholarships, the BLET member in the family must also be a member of LECMPA for no less than one year. Children of an unmarried BLET member who has been an Associate Member of the BLET Auxiliary for at least one year are also eligible.

Applicants must be accepted for admission by an accredited university, college, trade school, or institute of higher learning. Recipients are chosen based on academic record, leadership, character, and personal achievement.

Important: For high school seniors entering an institute of higher learning for the first time, a copy of ACT or SAT scores and a current copy of cumulative grade point average (GPA) must accompany the application. For graduate students or students returning to an institute of higher learning, a copy of last term’s (or most current) GPA must accompany the application. Applications submitted without these documents will not be considered.

The LECMPA-funded scholarships will be awarded to the two applicants who score the highest amongst those who qualify (by having one parent who is an Auxiliary member for at least one year, and one parent who is a BLET member and LECMPA member for at least one year). If an applicant meets the eligibility requirements for the LECMPA-funded scholarships but is not selected for one of the two $2,500 scholarships, he/she will still be eligible for a $1,000 scholarship.

Completed applications must be received by BLET Auxiliary Secretary Jodi Wallace by April 1, 2024. Applications received after that date will not be considered.

For questions, please contact Jodi Wallace (jwallace.bletaux@yahoo.com). Applications, instructions for scholarships, and a mailing address for submission may be found on the Auxiliary website at www.bletauxiliary.net .

BLET UP-Southern Region GCA

The BLET’s Union Pacific-Southern Region General Committee of Adjustment (UPSR GCA) is excited and proud to announce applications are being taken for the UPSR Scholarship Program for the 2024-2025 academic school year. The Scholarship Program was established to encourage and aid in furthering the formal educations of those qualified children and financial dependents of eligible members of a BLET Local Division who are represented by our GCA. Our program has been providing scholarships to our member’s children since 2017. Click here to download a 2024-2025 Scholarship Application and view details of the UPSR Scholarship Program. The deadline is March 1, 2024.

California State Legislative Board

The BLET’s California State Legislative Board is once again offering a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior attending a college/trade/vocational school, whose parent or guardian is a member in good standing with his/her BLET Division chartered in California. If interested in an application, please email Ryan.Snow@caslb.org with the subject line: “Scholarship Application,” or download from the California SLB website caslb.org/scholarship/.

The deadline is May 15, 2024 to receive the application and all supporting documentation.

Illinois State Legislative Board

The BLET’s Illinois State Legislative Board is currently accepting applications for its Don Little Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was established in 2013.

Up to three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to applicants whose parent or guardian is a BLET member in good standing with a BLET Division represented by the Illinois State Legislative Board (IL SLB). Applicants must be 26 years of age or younger.

Brother Don Little was a locomotive engineer with Metra commuter rail in Chicago and a proud member of Division 294 (Bensenville, Ill.) for 35 years. Brother Little served for more than 10 years on the Executive Committee of the IL SLB and always dreamed of establishing a scholarship program for the family members of fellow Brothers and Sisters who belonged to divisions chartered in Illinois. Unfortunately, Brother Little passed away before his dream was realized.

In 2013, The IL SLB executive board helped make Brother Little’s dream a reality.

Scholarship applications and all accompanying documents must be received by May 1, 2024. Specific eligibility requirements, detailed instructions and application forms are available for download from the BLET National Division website. 

For questions or assistance completing the application, contact Joyce A. Piekarski, Selection Committee Chairperson at (630) 963-6099 or Joyce.Piekarski@gmail.com.

Wyoming State Legislative Board

The BLET’s Wyoming State Legislative Board (WYSLB) is offering two recipients a $1000.00 scholarship. 

WYSLB Chairman Cory Runion stated the Board annually presents two recipients with a $1000.00 scholarship, and that in the event there is only a single applicant then one $1,000 scholarship will be awarded. Applicants must be an immediate family member of a BLET member that is in good standing and holds a membership in a Division chartered within the state of Wyoming. The WYSLB scholarship has been offered since the late 1980’s and is awarded by the WYSLB Scholarship Committee. 

Completed application must be postdated by June 1 of current year. Specific eligibility requirements, detailed instructions and application forms are available for download from the BLET National Division website and also can be requested from your Division Legislative Representative. Currently, the BLET has nine Divisions chartered in Wyoming — Division 31 (Bill); Division 207 (Casper); Divisions 44, 103 and 115 (Cheyenne); Division 94 (Gillette); Division 869

(Greybull); Division 142 (Rawlins); and Division 624 (Sheridan).

Please contact your Division Legislative Representative for questions about or assistance with completing the application.

Information and application form available here.
BLET Division 622

BLET Division 622 (Alliance, Neb.) offers two $500 scholarships to the children or dependents of Division 622 members. Scholarship winners will be chosen at random during a Division meeting in August. Applications must be received by July 31, 2024. For more specifics, please visit the Division 622 website. You can also contact Division Secretary-Treasurer Neil Burri at nburri@blet622.com.

BLET Division 188 Clyde Larson Memorial Scholarship

BLET Division 188 in Superior, Wisconsin, is proud to announce the fourth year of its scholarship program dedicated to the memory of Clyde Larson — a devoted rail, union leader, and mentor to many — whose untimely passing in 2017 left a void in the local railroad community.

Division 188 raises scholarship funds through the efforts of the Clyde Larson Memorial Scholarship (CLMS) Committee. Fundraising events are planned throughout the year and BLET members and their families are encouraged to participate (and to suggest other methods of raising funds toward this worthy cause).

Eligible applicants include the children (or children under the permanent care of) current BLET Division 188 members who are attending any post-secondary education (college, trade school, union apprenticeship program, etc.). Total monetary awards distributed will not be less than $1,000, and the number of winners is determined based on qualifying applications received. Scholarships are awarded to applicants chosen at random at Division 188’s regular meeting each August.

Applications will be emailed to all Division 188 members on the Division’s email list. Those who have not received an application by June 20, 2023, should email Division 188 Local Chairman Steven Moerke at: steven.moerke@gmail.com .

Applications must be postmarked or received by August 15, 2024, 2359 hours.

BR&CF Scholarship Program

The Brotherhood’s Relief and Compensation Fund (BR&CF) is pleased to provide opportunities for the sons and daughters of BR&CF members to participate in the Luther G. Smith Scholarship Program.

Children, including adopted and step-children, of BR&CF members who are in “Good and Regular Standing,” are eligible. Applicants must be 27 years of age or younger. Applicants may be current high school students who have applied for admission as full-time students in accredited post-secondary schools or may be attending or enrolled as full-time students in accredited post-secondary schools.

International President Jesse Taylor advises that 20 scholarships of $2,500 each are awarded every year.

The BR&CF’s 2024 scholarship program commenced on October 1, 2023, with applications due on March 1, 2024. The scholarship application is available by visiting BR&CF’s website at www.brcf.org.

Union Plus Scholarships

Union Plus awarded $200,000 in scholarships to 205 union members and union family members in the 2023 Union Plus Scholarship Program. Individual awards ranged from $500 to $4,000. The deadline is January 31 each year.

Rising education costs are making it difficult for many union families to afford the cost of tuition. That’s one reason Union Plus, which provides important consumer benefits to union members and retirees, offers a unique scholarship program. It has distributed more than $5.4 million in scholarships to over 3,800 union members and their children since 1991. Recipients are selected based on academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is recommended.

The students selected for university, college, trade or technical school scholarships represent a wide sampling of backgrounds, union affiliations, goals and accomplishments. The selection process is very competitive since Union Plus receives over 5,000 applications each year. The Union Plus Scholarship Program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation, supported in part by contributions from the provider of the Union Plus Credit Card. You do not need to be a Union Plus Credit Card holder to apply for this scholarship.

Visit the Union Plus website to learn more.