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National Labor College
Winter December 8, 2004 When college students converge on campuses after the holidays, some will be reluctant to get back to the books. At the National Labor College (NLC), however, the cold weather will be tempered by the excitement, bear hugs and high fives of labor solidarity as unionists from coast to coast arrive on January 22 for the winter week-in-residence Located on a beautiful 47-acre campus in Silver Spring, Maryland outside the nations capital the National Labor College, founded by the AFL-CIO, offers a fully accredited Bachelors Degree program with a choice of concentrations in seven areas of labor studies. Since the colleges beginnings as the George Meany Center for Labor Studies in 1974, hundreds of graduates, including many IBEW members, have taken new skills and enthusiasm back to their unions. The most unique quality of the NLC program is the credit provided to students for lifelong experience and learning. Students compile a portfolio of their accomplishments from apprenticeships to participation in organizing drives and contract bargaining, from administration of local unions to founding their own businesses to coaching youngsters in sports. The portfolio is assessed for credit by a college faculty that values adult learners and appreciates the challenges of work in the labor movement. Courses are offered in week-in-residence sessions four times each year. Students then complete their assignments and communicate with their instructors online. Last June, nine IBEW members received NLC degrees joining 126 fellow unionists. One of the Bachelors graduates, Diana Limon, a compliance officer in Los Angeles, California, IBEW Local 11, encourages members to consider attending the NLC, "an institution that provides a positive and supportive learning environment with people who are, or will be, union leaders that will impact the survival of unions." While she acknowledges the sometimes difficult balancing of time, money and effort of students, Limon who will begin the Masters program in April says, "A key component in becoming an asset to your local union and the labor movement is a personal commitment to learning and a willingness to actively participate in finding solutions to problems." Members interested in attending the NLCs winter semester need to get busy. Online course work starts on December 22. Catalogues are available at www.georgemeany.org or by calling 301-431-6400. Registration may be completed online. If you would like to speak to one of the IBEW graduates about the program, e-mail the IBEW web master.
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