PARENT AFFILIATIONS

You may be eligible for financial assistance because your parents were in the military or work for a particular company or belong to a union. A trade group or association can become a source of aid; so can parental membership in patriotic, civic or fraternal associations. Locating these opportunities will require a systematic approach and considerable parental cooperation. Here are some samples you will uncover.

Scholarships

Many companies sponsor scholarships for employee children: Merit scholarships. Approximately 1500 renewable, need-based awards (ranging from $500 to $4,000) sponsored by over 400 corporations for employee children who are Merit Program Finalists (see The A's & B's of Academic Scholarships).

General scholarships for employee children. Examples: Westinghouse, RJR Nabisco, The Horace Mann Company (for children of public school employees).

FEEA Fund Scholarships for civilian federal employees and their dependent family members. The 250+ awards range from $300 to $1,200. By June 1. Essay req'd. For an application, send a SASE to the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund Scholarship Award, 8441 W. Bowles Ave., Suite 200, Littleton, CO 80123.

Savings Plans

RJR Nabisco has exceptional education benefits. The company matches employee contributions (up to $4,000 per child) that are set aside for education. RJR Nabisco also pays the guarantee fee and subsidizes the interest rate for PLUS loan borrowers.

NIKE employees may deposit up to $1,000 annually per child through payroll deductions. NIKE will match these deposits at a ratio of 25 cents for each $1, beginning the year the child enters 9th grade. NIKE also has an employee scholarship fund that provides need-based awards ranging up to $3,000 to children of full-time employees.

Trade Groups and Associations

Employees of member firms may be eligible. Examples: National Continental Association of Resolute Employers; National Office Products Association; National Association of Tobacco Distributors. Look up addresses in Gale's Encyclopedia of Associations.

Patriotic/Civic/Fraternal Associations

Among many organizations making awards to members and members' children: Knights of Columbus; International Order of Job's Daughters; United Daughters of the Confederacy (61 Awards); Yes--even the Society for the Preservation of Barber Shop Quartets has sixteen scholarships. Look up addresses in Gale's Encyclopedia of Associations.

A Union?

Examples: AFSCME, American Federation of Teachers, Communications Workers of America, Fire Fighters, Food and Commercial Workers, Teamsters, Letter Carriers, Chemical Workers, Postal Workers, Hotel and Restaurant Employees, Garment Workers, Hospital & Health Care Employees, Machinists, Mine Workers, Transport Workers, etc. Request the AFL-CIO Guide to Union Sponsored Scholarships, Awards, and Student Financial Aid. Free to union members. All others should send $3.00 to AFL-CIO Publications and Materials Office, 815 16th Street, NW, Rm. 209, Washington, DC 20006.

Return to Special Areas -- Parents Page

Return to Special Areas Page

Return to Financial Page