As Graduation Time Nears we have a large number of calls concerning scholarship information, here are a few that are offered to the dependants of U.S.S. Employees,
USW members, children eligible for Union Plus scholarships
USW
Article Brief
The deadline is approaching for Union Plus scholarships that are available for USW members and their children. Click here for more info.
Editors note: The Union Plus scholarship deadline is Saturday, January 30, 2010.
United Steelworkers members and their children are eligible for Union Plus scholarships ranging from $500 to $4,000 to be used for college graduate and undergraduate programs.
Since 1992, the Union Plus Scholarship Program has awarded more than $2.4 million to union members and their families.
You can find eligibility details and download the application here.
New Grants Help Union Members Save for College
Union Privilege
Article Brief
The new Union Plus College Savings Grant offers $500 to qualified union members who open a new tax-free 529 college savings or prepaid tuition plan. Click here for more info.
With the economy in a seemingly endless free fall, the rising cost of a college education is putting working families in a bind. However, if you open a new college savings account, your union may be able to help.
The new Union Plus College Savings Grant offers $500 to qualified union members who open a new tax-free “529” college savings or prepaid tuition plan between January 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009. You are eligible for the $500 grant if you have had a Union Plus Credit Card, Mortgage or UnionSecure Insurance policy for one year and contribute at least $1,000 dollars in the account by Nov. 30, 2009.
Members with a previously opened education savings accounts are not eligible to apply for a grant.
The 529 savings plan is one of several savings programs that can help you afford a college education, which is becoming more and more important in our information-fueled economy (see accompanying box).
The 529 plans, operated by each individual state, encourage people to save for future college costs. The Union Plus College Savings Grant underscores the importance that unions place in higher education.
The college grant is part of a $3 million initiative introduced this year by Union Plus to assist union members facing financial hardship during the current recession. The program – called Union SAFE, for Security, Assistance and Financial Education – provides a wide array of benefits for qualifying members – from financial counseling to help with hospital payments to job loss protection to help avoiding foreclosure.
For more information or an application, please click here.
College Saving Tips
Education is an investment in a career and helps to increase future earning potential. With the cost of education increasing by nearly 6 percent each year, financing that investment can be overwhelming. But with careful planning you’ll be well on your way to affording that education. Start your plan now by looking into these resources:
• Qualifying union members may be able to get a $500 grant by opening a 529 college savings account created this year. (see article)
• Consider a state prepaid tuition account to lock in current tuition prices and avoid future inflation.
• Put away $2,000 each year and use the money, tax-free, to pay for college expenses with a Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs).
• Learn what the benefits of Roth IRA plans are. As long as you only withdraw contributions and not earnings, you can pay for college expenses without having to pay income tax or an early withdrawal fee.
• Research all available grants and scholarships, including federal Pell Grants aimed at assisting low-income families.
• As a union member, you also may be eligible for special union scholarships, including the Union Plus Scholarship Program.
Visit http://www.unionplus.org/education for more information on ways to save money for higher education.
U. S. Steel Scholarship
Objective
The U. S. Steel Scholarship was established to recognize the achievements of sons and daughters of employees of U. S. Steel and to assist in the furtherance of their education.
Administration
Scholarship America (SA), a nonprofit scholarship management organization, administers the U. S. Steel Scholarship program. SA has sole responsibility for responding to inquiries from employees, students, colleges and universities; selecting scholarship recipients; issuing scholarship payments to the colleges and universities; monitoring student performance; and, if necessary, terminating scholarships. Scholarship recipients are selected by SA without regard to race, gender, religion or national origin.
Eligible Applicants
The U. S. Steel Scholarship program is limited to sons and daughters of active, full-time employees of U. S. Steel. Applicants must be high-school seniors who have applied for full-time admission to an accredited, four-year college or university. Foreign colleges and universities are excluded. Sons/daughters include natural children, step-children, legally adopted children and legal wards. Employees include exempt, nonexempt and union-represented. Employees must have attained one year of service prior to November 30, the scholarship application deadline.
Scholarship Awards
Up to twenty-five $10,000 scholarships are awarded each year, payable in four annual installments of $2,500. Payments are made directly to colleges and universities by Scholarship America and designated for tuition, room and/or board. The college or university is instructed to return unused funds to the United States Steel Foundation at the end of each academic year.
A minimum of four recipients are selected from Gary Works (including Gary Works, East Chicago Tin, and Midwest Plant.)
A minimum of three recipients are selected from Mon Valley Works (including Clairton, E.T., Irvin and Fairless.)
A minimum of two recipients are selected from each of the following: Pittsburgh Headquarters (including 600 Grant Street, Pittsburgh Service Center, Research Center, Aircraft Division, Automotive Center, USS Carnegie Pension Fund, USS Foundation, USS Real Estate), Fairfield Works (including Fairfield Tubular Operations), Great Lakes Works, Granite City Works, Minnesota Ore Operations (including Minntac and Keetac) and Texas Operations (formerly Lone Star Steel) including SEG and Fintube.
A minimum of one recipient is selected from Lorain Tubular Operations and Transtar (including Birmingham Southern RR, Delray Connecting RR, E J & E RR, Fairfield Southern Co., Lake Terminal RR, McKeesport Connecting RR, Mobile River Terminal, Union RR Co., Warrior & Gulf RR.)
Four recipients are selected at-large (including all locations plus Double G Coatings LP, ProCoil Company, Feralloy Processing Company, USS-POSCO Ind., Worthington Specialty Processing, PRO-TEC Coating Co., Double Eagle Steel Coating Co. and USS Portfolio Delaware, Inc.)
Selection Criteria
SA selects scholarship recipients on the basis of academic performance (60%); financial need (30%); and leadership qualities (10%). Among the factors considered are academic record; potential to succeed; leadership and participation in school and community activities; honors; work experience; statement of educational and career goals; unusual personal or family circumstances; and a recommendation. Applicants must demonstrate financial need.
Acceptance of a U. S. Steel Scholarship will not obligate the recipient to employment with U. S. Steel, nor will it obligate U. S. Steel to offer employment to the recipient.
Timetable
Students must apply for scholarships by November 30 of their senior year in high school. Awards are announced the following January.How to Apply
Interested students should be certain they meet the qualifications of the program. Scholarship Application Forms may be downloaded from this site or by calling the United States Steel Foundation.
Scholarship applications must be typed or printed in ink and signed. Applicants should take special care to answer each question on the application as completely as possible and to include an official transcript of high school grades through the first quarter of their senior year. Please refer to the Instructions for Completing the Financial Data Section of the U. S. Steel Scholarship Application.
Applicants also must secure the signature of their parent(s) and the appropriate school official. Failure to complete the application properly or secure signatures may result in disqualification of the applicant. Completed applications should be returned with an official transcript to SA at the following address, post-marked no later than November 30:
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U. S. Steel Scholarship Program
Scholarship America
1505 Riverview Road
P. O. Box 297
St. Peter, MN 56082
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Termination
The U. S. Steel Scholarship will be withdrawn if the recipient accepts an appointment to any U. S. Service Academy.
Scholarship recipients must maintain satisfactory progress toward the baccalaureate degree. If the recipient fails to attend full time or is suspended by his/her college for academic or disciplinary reasons, the scholarship will be withdrawn.
Academic performance must be documented by an official transcript from the college. It is the responsibility of each student to inform SA of any changes of address or school enrollment and provide any pertinent information requested by SA. Failure to submit the transcript or other requested information may result in a delay of payment or termination of the scholarship.
On a case-by-case basis, consideration will be given to extending the scholarship beyond the fourth year when a student must withdraw from school for a temporary period due to special circumstances.
Contact Information
All questions concerning the U. S. Steel Scholarship or the application procedure must be directed to Scholarship America at 1-800-537-4180 extension 429.
Scholarship America’s web site can be found at www.scholarshipamerica.org (Internet Access Required) or you can contact Jeanette either by email at jkrohnberg@scholarshipamerica.org, or by phone at 1-800-537-4180 extension 429.
U. S. Steel Endowed Scholarships
U. S. Steel endowed scholarships have been established at a number of colleges and universities throughout the United States. Many of the scholarships give preference to sons and daughters of active, full-time employees of U. S. Steel. The endowed scholarships are administered by the respective colleges, which have sole responsibility for selecting recipients, establishing the amount of the award, monitoring the students’ performance and, if necessary, terminating the scholarships. Selection criteria may include any or all of the following: academic achievement, leadership qualities, potential to succeed, and financial need.
Generally, U. S. Steel endowed scholarships are available to entering first-year students who have been accepted for full-time study toward a baccalaureate degree in a business-related major such as (but not limited to) engineering, accounting, finance, computer science, business, or natural sciences. Several of the scholarships, however, are restricted to specific majors. Please see the U. S. Steel Endowed Scholarships List for a list of the colleges and the U. S. Steel Endowed Scholarships Descriptions for each school’s major requirements.
Scholarship awards are established annually by the colleges according to each institution’s endowment spending policy. Consequently, the awards vary from college to college. U. S. Steel endowed scholarships may be applied only to tuition, room and/or board.
The scholarships are awarded for the first year of study. Many of the scholarships may be renewed for the following three years provided the student remains in school full time and meets the requirements established by the college for retaining the scholarship. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain those requirements from the college and to comply with the college’s administrative procedures for renewing scholarships.
Unless otherwise stated in the U. S. Steel Endowed Scholarships Descriptions, preference will be given to sons and daughters of active, full-time employees of U. S. Steel and its eligible subsidiaries (those in which U. S. Steel holds a 50% or greater interest). Sons and daughters include natural children, legally adopted children, step-children and legal wards.
When applying for U. S. Steel endowed scholarships, students should identify themselves as sons or daughters of U. S. Steel employees and state the parent’s name, U. S. Steel position, unit, and work location. Please see the U. S. Steel Endowed Scholarships Descriptions for instructions on how and when to apply at each college.
Acceptance of a U. S. Steel endowed scholarship does not obligate the recipient to employment with U. S. Steel nor does it obligate U. S. Steel to offer employment to the recipient.
Contact Information
All questions concerning the U. S. Steel Endowed Scholarships or the application process must be directed to the colleges or universities for which you are applying. Please see the U. S. Steel Endowed Scholarships Descriptions page for each college or university’s contact information.
Good Fellowship Scholarship
Objective
The U. S. Steel Good Fellowship Scholarship program recognizes the achievements of sons and daughters of employees of U. S. Steel and provides financial assistance in the furtherance of their education at the University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University, Carnegie Mellon University or Duquesne University. The scholarship program is sponsored and administered by the U. S. Steel Good Fellowship Club. Awards
Awards vary in amount. They are made to incoming first-year students and may be renewed.
Eligibility
New Student Awards
In order for new students to be considered for a U. S. Steel Good Fellowship Scholarship, the following criteria must be met:
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At least one parent must be a present/retired employee of U. S. Steel Corporation (including any wholly-owned company within U. S. Steel.)
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Students must apply and be accepted at the University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University, Duquesne University or Carnegie Mellon University.
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Recipients must be full-time undergraduates working toward a first degree.
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Students must submit a complete financial aid application to the applicable university.
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Renewal Awards
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In order for continuing students to be considered for renewal awards, students must maintain a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) computed at the end of each school year. Students who lose their eligibility can be reinstated if they regain a 2.5 GPA.
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Awards shall not be less than the original scholarship amount.
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Students who maintain the minimum GPA can be funded for the lesser of (i) eight terms or (ii) the equivalent of a four (4) year undergraduate program.
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Identification
Eligible candidates for a U. S. Steel Good Fellowship Scholarship are identified in a variety of ways:
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The university provides a list of eligible students to the Vice President-Scholarships for the U. S. Steel Good Fellowship Club.
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The university contact for the U. S. Steel Good Fellowship Scholarship obtains a list of all admitted freshmen and their parents’ occupations before May 1. Any students who have parents who work/worked for U. S. Steel are identified as eligible candidates.
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U. S. Steel may refer eligible candidates to the U. S. Steel Good Fellowship contact in the university’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid.
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Interviews
Once potential candidates have been identified, the U. S. Steel Good Fellowship Board of Directors schedules interviews.
Decisions
All scholarship decisions are made by the Board of Directors of the U. S. Steel Good Fellowship Club. Following the interviews, the Directors provide written notification of their decisions to the university contact.
Application of Scholarship Awards to Student Accounts
Each university is responsible for applying the awarded scholarship funds to the students accounts.
Contact Information
For more information about the U. S. Steel Good Fellowship Scholarship program, contact:
Last updated on March 22, 2010
