Eugenio H.Villasante: 212-539-2940
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New York, NY – Thirty high school graduates and college students were awarded scholarships for undergraduate and graduate education from the Building Service 32BJ Thomas Shortman Training, Scholarship and Safety Fund, a joint labor-management program. The students, who come from throughout the greater New York area and are dependents of 32BJ members, were honored at a luncheon today at 32BJ headquarters in lower Manhattan.
“We are proud to honor these remarkable young men and women, who are our future professors, doctors, scientists and so much more,” said Michael Fishman, President of 32BJ. “The Thomas Shortman Fund is one of the hallmarks of 32BJ membership – through education and training for members, and academic scholarships for their children, 32BJ members have the chance to build a better life for themselves and their families.”
This year, twenty two high-school graduates going on to college and eight students going on to graduate school received academic scholarships. Each undergraduate scholarship provides $4,000 annually for four years at the students’ college of choice, while each graduate scholarship provides $8,000 annually for the life of the program.
The Scholarship awards students for accomplishments beyond the academic realm. Scholarship winners will attend Brown University, Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, City College of New York, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Fordham University among others.
“Overcoming language and cultural barriers, caring for ailing family members, and holding part-time jobs to help family finances are just a few of the inspirational challenges these young people faced and wrote about in their application essays,” said Linda Nelson, Director of the Shortman Training Fund.
Representatives from the labor and management program who attended the event included: Hector Figueroa, Secretary Treasurer of 32BJ, Howard Rothschild, President of the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations Inc. and Patricia Frank, Executive Director of the Realty Foundation of New York.
The Shortman Fund was founded in 1968, and since 1974, Thomas Shortman Scholarships have been enhancing educational opportunities for the sons and daughters of 32BJ members.
With more than 120,000 members, including 70,000 in New York City, 32BJ is the largest property services union in the country.
updated 6/11/2010
