Scholarship

This scholarship competition is open each year to members of the IAM and their children throughout the United States and Canada under the procedures and rules of eligibility explained in this Announcement. 

The 2009 Scholarship Competition begins in August 2008 and runs through February 27, 2009.  Beginning in August 2008, applications will be accepted for the 2009 Scholarship Competition.  Applications will be available to seniors in high school and IAM members and may be downloaded and printed from this web page.  Applications will not be accepted until August 2008.  An application can also be obtained by mail from the IAM Scholarship Department after printing, completing and mailing the request form on this web page or in the 2008 Fall IAM Journal issue. 

The IAM Scholarship Fund, which is used exclusively to make possible these awards, was established by the delegates to the 1960 IAM Grand Lodge Convention.

The Scholarship Competition

Scholarships to make possible attainment of a Bachelor's degree or a two-year vocational/technical certification are determined in a competition among eligible applicants that is judged by a special Selection Committee.

Amount of Awards

Awards to Members are $2,000 per academic year.  They are granted for a specific period from one to four years to enable the member to earn a Bachelor's degree or a two-year vocational/technical certification.

Awards to Children of Members are: College - $1,000 per academic year.  All awards are renewed each year until a Bachelor's degree is obtained or for a maximum of four years, whichever occurs first.  Vocational/Technical School - $2,000 per year until certification is reached or for a maximum of two years, whichever occurs first.

At the 2004 Grand Lodge convention, the delegates voted unanimously to name one of the scholarships after Roman A. Mayfield, a 55-year member of D.L. 751, now deceased.  This will be given to one of the scholarship recipients who best represents the spirit of volunteerism and strong sense of service to their community that was the hallmark of Brother Mayfield.  Learn more about Brother Mayfield.

A distinguished panel of four academics met at the IAM William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center to select 24 winners from among 602 applicants in the 2008 IAM Scholarship Competition.  The winners, from each IAM Territory in the U.S. and Canada, will receive a $4,000 scholarship to pursue a college degree or vocational and technical training.  “The winners were notified by mail,” said IAM Safety & Health Department Director Mike Flynn, whose department administers the popular program.  "The scholarships are a great opportunity for IAM parents and a great way for members themselves to continue their own education."

To see the past Scholarship Winners click the link below:

The 2008 IAM Scholarship Winners:

ELIGIBILITY FOR COMPETITION 

Any Applicant Must Be Either-- 

• an IAM member, or 
• the son, daughter, stepchild or legally adopted child of an IAM member.

A Member Applicant--  

• must have two years of continuous good-standing membership up to and including the closing date of the competition which is February 27, 2009, 
• the IAM member must maintain continuous good-standing membership throughout the life of the award, 
• must be working in a company under contract with the IAM, 
• may apply, whether entering college or vocational/technical school as a freshman or at a higher level with some college credits already completed,
• may apply as a full-time or part-time student,
• if not a winner, may apply again the following year.

Child of a Member Applicant-- 

• must have one living parent with two years of continuous good-standing membership up to and including the closing date of February 27, 2009, 
• must be planning to graduate during the winter or by the end of the spring 2009 school year (i.e., normally a high school senior or completing the last year of college preparatory work), 
• must plan to take a regular college or vocational/technical program on a full-time basis, maintaining qualifying grades, 
• will be eligible if the parent died after the son or daughter entered high school, if the parent had two years of "continuous good-standing membership" at the time of death,
• A "continuous good-standing membership" is understood to be a period of membership during which the member continuously has paid monthly dues uninterrupted by withdrawal cards,  
• the IAM member must maintain continuous good-standing membership throughout the life of the award.

Ineligible Applicants Include-- 

• applicants who do not intend to work without interruption for a bachelor's degree or completion of a vocational/technical school certification, 
• members' children who are attending or have already attended college or vocational/technical school, 
• children of members on the payroll of the Grand Lodge, 
• graduate students, 
• applicants who do not plan to enroll in an accredited college or vocational/technical school.  

How to Apply

To be valid, an application must be submitted on the appropriate form.  Application Packets for the 2009 competition may be obtained by writing to the IAM Scholarship Program, indicating whether applicant is a member, or the child of a member.  Use a coupon from the 2008 Summer IAM Journal issue or download and print from the link below. 

A self-addressed LABEL must be included with every request for an Application Packet.  Do not send a self-addressed envelope.  Requests for Application Packets should be made as early as possible.

NOTE:  If an Application Packet is not received within 30 days after it was requested, or if the wrong packet was received, the Scholarship Program should be notified promptly so that the correct packet may be sent.

Application packets postmarked later than February 27, 2009, will NOT be acknowledged or considered.  No exceptions will be permitted even if a third party is responsible for delay.

There are three different Application Packets and a Personal Reference form that may be downloaded and printed from this page.

• Children of members (college) - Print Application and two Personal Reference forms.
• Children of members (vocational/technical school)  - Print Application and two Personal Reference forms.
• Members (college or vocational/technical school) - Print Application and four Personal Reference forms.
• Personal Reference form   

All Scholarship Applicants are Advised--

• to obtain guidance from their high school teachers and counselors in pursuing a college education or for attending vocational/technical school,
• not to wait until awards are announced before making other plans for financing a college education,
• to apply early for scholarships or awards from several other sources, and
• to make early application for admission to at least three colleges.

The Selection Committee

Award recipients will be chosen by an independent Selection Committee composed of four qualified educators from the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

The Selection Procedure

The Committee attempts to select from each IAM territory applicants who have demonstrated learning ability and all-around suitability for college work or for attending vocational/technical school.  In reaching this determination, many factors are taken into consideration, including:  grades, attitude toward study, personal references, available test scores, the opinion of counselors and teachers and activities outside of school.  For member applicants, weight is given to participation in local lodge responsibilities.  Canadian students are judged according to Canadian scholastic standards.  The IAM scholarship winners and honorable mentions will be announced in the 2009 Summer issue of the IAM Journal. 

All Award Recipients

• are responsible for obtaining admission to the college or vocational/technical school of the student's choice
• must take a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree or its equivalent if attending college or required courses for vocational/technical school
• may attend a two-year accredited college and transfer for the last two years.**
  **For college recipients only.

General Information

When proper notification is submitted to the Scholarship Committee, the following may be approved:

• If the recipient enlists in the military, the award will be held in reserve for a period no longer than three years.
• If the recipient enters the Peace Corps, the award will be held in reserve for a period no longer than two years.
• The recipient must apply for reinstatement of the scholarship within three months after discharge from the military service or Peace Corps and must enroll in college.
• A request for temporary suspension for academic reasons may be granted for a period not exceeding one year.
• In the case of illness or accident, the award may be held in reserve for a period not to exceed two years.  The student would be expected to resume college or vocational/technical work as soon as possible.
• The IAM will set aside the total amount in the Scholarship Fund necessary to finance the student through the period of the award.  The program was established in the confident expectation that it will remain indefinitely, as long as donations continue.  If unforeseen circumstances should cause the program to be discontinued, scholarships in effect would be continued for their duration, and all money remaining in the fund would be used solely for education purposes.

Alternate Resources

Union Plus CreditCard Scholarships.  Send a postcard with your name, return address, telephone number and union to:  Union Plus Scholarship Program, P.O.Box 34800, Washington, D.C. 20043-4800 or download the application from the Union Privilege web site in early September:  www.unionplus.org/benefits/education/

AFL-CIO's Scholarship Guide.  The web site is www.aflcio.org for links to all unions and Federally-funded scholarship programs.

Federal Student Aid Information Center.  Call 1.800.433.3243 for a free copy of "The Student Guide."  The web site is: www.StudentAid.ed.gov then link to publications or www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Vocational-Technical Information.  The web site is: www.trade-schools.net for information on Voc-tech schools in the U.S. and Canada.