Recent Founders’ Scholarship winners

For any IBEW member who’s considering higher education, the IBEW Founders’ Scholarship can help get you there.

“The scholarship was created with the goal of furthering our members’ education in the electrical industry, which helps both the member and the union,” said Research Director Jim Voye, whose department administers the scholarship.

“It’s a recognition of the IBEW’s commitment to fostering well-rounded members who want to challenge themselves and give back to the IBEW as well as the broader labor movement,” he said.

The deadline to apply for this year’s round of funding is May 1, though applications are accepted year-round.

Winners of the award receive up to $200 per semester credit hour or $134 per trimester credit hour. They can attend any accredited college or university toward an associate, bachelor’s or postgraduate degree in a field that will help further the electrical industry. The maximum distribution is $24,000 per person over up to eight years. Members in both the United States and Canada are eligible.

Those interested in applying need to have three letters of recommendation, one of which must come from the business manager of the applicant’s local. The scholarship requirement also includes a 250- to 500-word essay titled “How I Will Use My Founders’ Scholarship to Benefit the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Electrical Industry.”

The scholarship, which is for working members only, was established at the 28th International Convention held in 1966 as a way to honor the IBEW’s 75th anniversary.

Previous scholarship winners have used their funding for an array of courses, including electrical engineering, labor and employment relations, occupational safety and health, and law school. 

For more information and a complete list of application requirements, go to ibew.org/FoundersScholarship.