CLEVELAND, January 27 -- The children of active, retired and deceased BLE members are eligible for various scholarship opportunities in 2003.

The following directory is made available each year to help college-bound families in their search for financial assistance.

Railroad Craft Scholarship Foundation deadline is May 1

The Railroad Craft Scholarship Foundation (formerly known as the Joint Craft Scholarship) is now available through the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers to college-bound children of all railroad operating crafts.

"To my knowledge this is the only scholarship program that covers all craft lines and is available on any railroad," said John D. Mullen, a member of BLE Division 500 (Cleburne, Texas).

The scholarships are available to children of employees working on any railroad represented by any railroad union currently covered under the Federal Employers' Liability Act. It provides financial aid to children of active, retired, or deceased railroad employees who would be unable to attend college without financial assistance.

Established in 1995 by Brother Mullen and other dedicated BLE members, the Railroad Craft Scholarship Foundation has awarded dozens of scholarships over the past seven years.

Intended to provide financial assistance to children who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend college, the scholarship offers several awards ranging from $500 to $1,000.

"There are no stipulations if you are already attending college or are just starting out," Mullen said. "The Committee focuses more on the applicant's financial need rather than his or her academic performance."

Completed applications must be received by May 1, 2003. Applications will be reviewed and award winners determined by the Railroad Craft Scholarship Foundation's Board of Directors at their annual meeting in May of each year.

For an application packet, please contact:

John D. Mullen
Railroad Craft Scholarship Foundation
2609 S. Chase
Burleson, Texas 76028
e-mail: j.d.mullen@worldnet.att.net

SMA Scholarships

The Southeastern Meeting Association (SMA) Scholarship Committee annually awards the Geiger-Brendle Scholarships to children of active or retired BLE members whose divisions participate in SMA.

Check with your division secretary-treasurer to ensure your division participates. The SMA includes divisions located in states east of the Mississippi River, and south of the Ohio River and the Mason-Dixon Line.

The SMA scholarship application deadline varies from year to year.

Winners are usually selected at the SMA's annual business meeting held during the convention, which will be June 16-20, 2002.

For an application, see your division officers or write:

Ronald L. Perkins
SMA Sec.-Treas.
505 Chautauqua Avenue
Portsmouth, VA 23707

SWCM Scholarships

The Southwestern Convention Meeting (SWCM) awards approximately two dozen scholarships annually, according to SWCM Scholarship Committee Sec.-Treas. Leo Srubas.

Applicants must be the child of an active, retired or deceased BLE member whose division belongs to the Southwestern Convention Meeting. Applicants must be accepted for admission to an accredited college, university or institution of higher learning. Only divisions belonging to the SWCM are eligible.

The SWCM will begin distributing and accepting scholarship applications as of March 1, 2002. The application deadline is Sept. 10, 2002, and winners are announced at the SWCM's annual convention, which will be Sept. 28-Oct. 2, 2003. For details or an application, write:

Leo Srubas
SWCM Scholarship Sec.-Treas.
5005 Georgia
Kansas City, KS 66104

EUMA Scholarships

The Eastern Union Meeting Association awards $1,000 scholarships each year based on academic excellence and financial need.

Only children of members (living or deceased) belonging to divisions participating in the EUMA are eligible to apply. Division must be square on the books for the child to qualify.

States represented in EUMA are Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Washington D.C.

Scholarship award winners are announced during the annual EUMA convention, which will be held June 29-July 3.

Completed application should be sent to:

Gary J. Brink, EUMA Sec.-Treas.
12 Kellogg Ave.
Port Jervis, NY 12771

Application forms can be found at:
http://www.ble.org/pr/pdf/eumasch.pdf

Applications due April 1 for GIA, joint GIA-IWC scholarships

The Grand International Auxiliary (GIA) to the BLE offers $1,000 scholarships annually to help the children of BLE and GIA members realize their goals in life.

There are two very strict guidelines that must be met in order to be eligible.

First, the applicant must be a son or daughter of both a GIA and BLE member (living or deceased), with each being a member for at least two years.

Second, the applicant must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an accredited university, college, or school of higher learning.

The GIA also offers a joint scholarship program for children of members participating in the International Western Convention (IWC). This covers Divisions and Auxiliaries in the following states and provinces: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and portions of northern Ontario (such as Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout). Applicants for the GIA-IWC scholarship must have a parent participating in the IWC.

In order to continue to be eligible for the GIA-IWC scholarship beyond the first quarter and/or semester, the recipient must maintain satisfactory academic status. If the applicant is a graduate student or returning to school as a sophomore, junior or senior, he or she must have a 3.0 grade point average or better to be considered. Finally, the applicant must have been accepted to an accredited school.

Deadline for the GIA as well as the GIA-IWC joint scholarships is usually April 1 of each year.

Applications are available through your local GIA auxiliary or BLE division. Members-at-large may obtain applications by contacting:

Anita J. Caruso
GIA International Sec'y.
3341 S. 112th Street
Omaha, NE 68144-4709
Phone: (402) 330-6348

BLE Division 269

BLE Division 269 (Jamaica, Long Island, N.Y.) offers two $500 scholarships to the children of BLE members who are already enrolled in college. Participation is limited to members of Division 269 only.

Winners are picked at random in a raffle held at the division's Christmas party. For details, watch your Division 269 newsletter or contact General Chairman Bob Evers at (516) 932-7130.

BLE Division 57

Two $250 scholarships are available to children of BLE members belonging to Division 57 (Boston, Mass.).

The scholarships are awarded to college-bound high school seniors, and will be awarded based on their score on a labor history exam, administered by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, said Division 57 S-T Walter H. Nutter.

By taking the exam, students also become eligible for eight more scholarships through the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. While the Division 57 scholarship is limited to children of that division's members, the general Massachusetts AFL-CIO scholarship competition is open to children of all BLE members living in Massachusetts. The deadline for these scholarships is early January.

For further details, contact Brother Nutter at: 92 A North main St., North Grafton, MA 01536, phone: (508) 259-9957, or: whnutter@yahoo.com.

Information is also available on the Division's website: .

BLE Division 11

BLE Division 11 (New York, N.Y.) awards a one-time $500 scholarship annually to a child of any active member of Division 11 who pays local dues each month. Children who win are not eligible again. The deadline is the Division's June meeting.

For details, contact Division 11 S-T J.J. Raia, at 20 East Drive, Edison, N.J. 08820, (732) 396-9076, or e-mail: jjob80@ix.netcom.com.

BR&CF sets March 3 deadline for Luther G. Smith scholarships

The Brotherhood's Relief and Compensation Fund (BR&CF) sponsors the Luther G. Smith Scholarship Program. Applications are available only to the children, stepchildren and adopted children, age 27 and younger, of active BR&CF members who are in "Good and Regular Standing," as defined by the BR&CF Constitution.

Financial aid is provided to winners of the Luther G. Smith Scholarships for so long as they maintain continuous post-secondary education at an academic level of not less than 3.0 (4.0 scale), or the equivalent, until they achieve the degree level sought at the time of the initial scholarship award. Aid is provided to awardees for the period in which they would normally be expected to complete their degree, not to exceed four years.

BR&CF President R.J. Myers reports that the deadline for receipt of applications and the required documentation is March 3, 2003.

If you have any questions, please contact Nita Saultz of the BR&CF at (800) 233-7080. For more details, you can visit the BR&CF website at www.brcf.org, or write:

Brotherhood's Relief & Compensation Fund
2150 Linglestown Road
Harrisburg, PA 17110

Monday, January 27, 2003
bentley@ble.org

http://www.ble.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=3670