IBEW Local Union 21 Scholarship

Our Local Union is proud to offer, on an annual basis, the IBEW Local Union 21 Scholarship Program, available to all IBEW Local Union 21 members and their immediate family. Each year, our Local awards winners scholarships of $1,000 each.

2023

IBEW Local Union 21 Scholarship

Essay Topics

There are 10 major strikes talked about across U.S. history: The Great Southwest Railroad Strike, The Great Anthracite Coal Strike, The Railroad Workers Strike, United Mine Workers of America, The U.S. Postal Strike, The Pullman Strike, The 1919 Steel Strike, The Textile Workers Strike, The 1959 Steel Strike, The UPS Workers Strike.  Pick 2 of your choice and discuss how the strikes impacted the current labor movement today.   

With a potential recession on the rise, along with inflation, how do you see that affecting union memberships and labor unions as a whole?

Petitions for unionization in 2022 were on a rise, with a 53% increase from 2021. What do you think are the causes of the increase and how do we keep those numbers increasing in 2023?

Let others know about the scholarships.  Please hang a copy of the bulletin board posting and application on your union board.  Print them now by clicking here.

Applicants must submit their application and a minimum of a 1,000 word essay; double spaced in Times New Roman, size 12 font. No plagiarism.

Applications must be received by
Friday, June 2, 2023.

More information and an application can be found by clicking here.

William A. Lee Memorial Scholarship Awards

The Chicago Federation of Labor will once again offer its William A. Lee Memorial Scholarship to graduating high school seniors who belong to, or whose parents belong to, unions affiliated with the CFL. Applications and information can be found here.

The CFL traditionally awards ten scholarships of $2,000 to students in two categories: academic competition and random drawing. Students may only apply in one category.  Each year, the Chicago Federation of Labor awards 10 scholarships to high school seniors, five to the winners of the Academic Competition and five to the winners of the Random Drawing. The scholarships, valued at $2,000 each, may be used at any accredited college or university in the United States.

IBEW Founders' Scholarship

Offered by the IBEW International, and to be used solely by IBEW members, the IBEW Founders' Scholarship honors the dedicated wiremen and linemen who, on November 28, 1891, organized the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. This award is for $200 per semester credit hour at any accredited college or university toward an initial bachelor's degree in an approved field. All materials must be postmarked prior to May 1 of the scholarship year. Complete rules and applications can be found by clicking here.

Union Plus Scholarship Program

Since 1992, the Union Plus Scholarship Program has awarded more than $2.4 million to students of working families who want to begin or continue their post-secondary education. Over 1,700 families have benefited from their commitment to higher education. The Union Plus Scholarship Program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation. More information can be found here.

2022 Scholarship Winners

Your IBEW 21 Officers, Executive Board and Staff would like to congratulate our 2022 Scholarship Winners:

Emma Hahn
D'Angelo Manzo
Dominic Stancato
Stella Weisfus

2019 Scholarship Winners

We would like to congratulate our 2019 IBEW 21 Scholarship Winners.  These winners trumped the rest with their applications and their essay responses to the questions of "What are the effects of President Trump’s NLRB appointees or Supreme Court Judge appointments to the Labor Movement?"

Mary Collum
Sara Engel
Annie Evans
Jessica Lamberty
Samantha Reattoir

We congratulate our winners and their proud parents!

Scholarship Winners 2018

The scholarship committee met and have awarded scholarships to the family members of IBEW Local 21 members. ur scholars were awarded based on their essays on, “How can the Union grow stronger in the wake of Right to Work?” “What do you get from growing up in a Union home?”

The results are in! 

We would like to congratulate our IBEW Local Union 21 Scholarship winners.  The scholarship committee met and have awarded scholarships to the family members of three IBEW Local 21 members.  Our scholars were awarded based on their essays on "What are the pros and cons of increasing the minimum wage?"