Robyn Konkel and Melissa Maceyko, children of long-time members of BMWE, have been selected to receive Union Plus Scholarship awards. Konkel, the daughter of 25-year Local 2853 member Lloyd Konkel, will receive a $2,000 scholarship. Maceyko, whose father, Anthony Maszgay, is a 27-year member of Local 3008, will receive a $1,000 award.

Konkel and Maceyko are two of 115 students, representing 31 AFL-CIO unions, who have been selected to receive $151,000 in scholarships from the Union Plus Scholarship program this year. The program’s top $4,000 award went to 12 students, while 79 students attending four-year institutions received awards ranging from $500 to $2,000. Twenty-four students attending community colleges and trade schools will receive scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,000.

The Union Plus Scholarship program is an example of the labor movement’s commitment to higher education. Since 1992, Union Privilege, through the Union Plus Scholarship program, has helped fulfill the educational dreams of students representing more than 13 million working families across the nation. The Union Plus scholarships are presented annually to union members or members of their families who want to begin or continue their secondary education.

A resident of Janesville, Wisconsin, Konkel, whose father works for Union Pacific, is an accomplished, award-winning scholar. She plans to attend Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, and major in public policy.

"My career in public policy has grown with time," says Konkel, who is a member of the National Honor Society and has been named to the list of Who’s Who Among American High School Students. "If the course of events and my best efforts turn my dreams into reality, I will be a federal judge."

"The award from the union is greatly appreciated and will not go to waste," says Konkel, because financial issues within her family have shown her the importance of capitalizing upon given chances.

"My mother survived a cancer diagnosis, but medical bills continue for follow-up care," says Konkel. "Family savings are exhausted. Dad travels a lot in order to keep his union job and benefits." She adds that in her family "opportunities for learning are valued and not taken for granted. The Union Plus scholarship will translate into a bachelor’s degree. I work hard when opportunities present themselves."

Connie Meek, Konkel’s calculus teacher, agrees that Konkel has the drive and determination necessary to succeed. "Robyn is an excellent choice for the Union Plus Scholarship," says Meek, who has known Konkel since her freshman year, when she joined Meek’s high school math team. "She has shown a disciplined and responsible attitude by thoroughly completing all assigned work. She possesses that extra inquisitiveness that demonstrates her desire to learn as much as possible."

Melissa Maceyko is a freshman at Allegheny College, where she holds a 3.7 grade point average. While she is pursuing a joint degree in English and economics, she intends to eventually practice law, the success of which she says hinges on analyzing contrasting perspectives.

"Studying varying perspectives is imperative to success in both the professional world and life itself," says Maceyko, who was an active and prominent student throughout high school. "Desiring a career in law, I need to be open-minded enough to view these perspectives. Although remaining passionate about my own viewpoint is important, I must search beyond myself to truly find the meaning of justice in our system of law."

Maceyko, whose mother, Rhonda Maszgay, is also a member of BMWE [both parents work for Norfolk Southern], says that awards such as the Union Plus Scholarship are essential to her college education because her parents are unable to afford to pay for her schooling. "Due to my parents’ financial situation, my only sustenance to fulfill the high cost of my education goals comes from my personal income, grants, loans and scholarships," says Maceyko.

As with Konkel, Maceyko has made favorable impressions on her instructors, particularly her high school English teacher Daniel Clara, who says he enjoyed Melissa’s work immensely.

"In my English course, Melissa showed her versatility, creativity and talent for the written word," says Clara. "She demonstrated that she was capable of making good decisions based on evidence, and she was able to express these opinions in a variety of ways, including writing for our news magazine, the CYMBAL.

"My sole regret in [recommending Maceyko for the scholarship] is that I am reminded that our school has lost a good student, a gifted writer, and an excellent member of our student body. It is my pleasure to endorse her."

The students selected for awards represent a wide sampling of demographics, union affiliations, goals and accomplishments. Representatives from the American Association of Community Colleges, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the United Negro College Fund judged the applications.

According to the judges, the caliber of students this year made the selection process very challenging. The students are from diverse backgrounds, and as a whole, they received top SAT scores, were well-rounded in their studies and extracurricular activities, and they understood the value of working families and union membership.

In addition to demonstrated academic ability, applicants submitted essays of no more than 500 words describing their career goals, detailing their relationship with the labor movement, and explaining why they are deserving of a union scholarship.

The program is open to members, their spouses and dependent children, of unions that are participating in the credit card program. Individuals must be accepted into an accredited college or university, community college or recognized technical or trade school at the time the award is issued. Eligibility for the scholarship program is not contingent upon carrying the credit card.

The program is funded and administered by Union Privilege and Household Credit Services. It is part of the union-endorsed Union Plus Credit Card Program.

More than 3 million union members carry the Union Plus Credit Card, a MasterCard with no annual fee, and a low variable Annual Percentage Rate (APR). The credit card is issued by Household Bank (Nevada), N.A., an equal-opportunity lender.

Applications for the 2002 awards will be available in September 2001. To download the application from the Union Privilege Web site, go to www.unionprivilege.org. Or, send a postcard with your name, return address, telephone number and international union affiliation to: Union Plus Scholarship Program, P.O. Box 34800, Washington, DC 20043-4800.

The application deadline is January 31, 2002. Recipients’ names for the 2002 program will be announced May 31, 2002. However, due to the high volume of applications only winners will receive notification.

Railroad Craft Scholarship Foundation

In May this year, the Railroad Craft Scholarship Foundation awarded 29 $1,000 scholarships and four $500 scholarships to children of active, retired or deceased railroad employees in four different crafts from eight different railroads across the U.S. The $1,000 scholarship recipients include10 from the BMWE.