IBEW, Local 103, presented ten scholarships totaling $100,000 to children of IBEW Local 103 members. The students were presented with the scholarship awards at the 54th Annual AFL-CIO Scholarship Dinner on May 13, 2012 at IBEW Local 103.

IBEW, Local 103, Business Manager, Michael Monahan, said, “ We are pleased to award these scholarships to ten bright and talented young men and women to help alleviate their college education costs. It is another benefit we are proud to provide to IBEW, Local 103, members and their families.”

                                        PRESS RELEASE

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 103 Awards 10 Scholarships Totaling $100,000

54^th Year of Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship Program Surpasses $1 Million Mark Again

Over $11.6 Million Awarded Since 1999

(Dorchester, MA ) IBEW, Local 103, presented ten scholarships totaling $100,000 to children of IBEW Local 103 members. The students were presented with the scholarship awards at the 54^th Annual AFL-CIO Scholarship Dinner on May 13, 2012 at IBEW Local 103.

IBEW, Local 103, Business Manager, Michael Monahan, said, “ We are pleased to award these scholarships to ten bright and talented young men and women to help alleviate their college education costs. It is another benefit we are proud to provide to IBEW, Local 103, members and their families.”

IBEW, Local 103, member and parent, Arnold Gaffne,y said, “I am a single-parent with two kids and this is a huge help. Ten thousand dollars covers a significant cost of my daughter Emily Gaffney’s college education at Curry College to become a nurse. I am so greatly thankful for the scholarship award from IBEW, Local 103.”

Emily Gaffney added, "Our family is so deeply vested in IBEW, Local 103. They have done so much for our family including this generous scholarship. I also benefited from the IBEW, Local 103, SAT Prep they offered.”

Ida Lloyd, mother of IBEW, Local 103, scholarship recipient, Bethany Lloyd, said, “This scholarship is a tremendous help to our family. We weren’t sure if our daughter, Bethany, was going because it is so expensive, but we are pleased she will be attending Assumption College in the fall. IBEW, Local 103, has so many great benefits!” 

IBEW, Local 103, Scholarship Winners include the following:  Randi Doherty, Everett, MA, Simmons College, Nursing;  Nicholas Frotten, Medford, MA., University of New England, Environmental Studies; Emily Gaffney, Quincy, MA, Curry College, Nursing;  Kevin Hamilton, Wakefield, MA., Villanova University,  Physics, Minor in Mathematics; Theodore Hammel, San Dimas, CA., Villanova University;  Bethany Llolyd, Gloucester, MA., Assumption College, Math, Concentration in Elementary Education; Stephanie  Lucas, Pelham, NH., Southern New Hampshire, Business;  Kaylee Nardelli,, Dracut, MA., University of New England, Pharmacy; Andrew Ruiz, Braintree, MA., University of New Hampshire, History & Education, Abigail Sheehan, Weymouth,  MA, UMass Lowell, Physical Therapy.

The AFL-CIO presented over 715 scholarships totaling $1,189,285 by the labor organization’s  Scholarship Program. The most severe economic crisis in the country since the Great Depression is still impacting many working families despite positive trends. College tuitions continue to skyrocket at the same time as parents are experiencing tenuous economic stability so scholarships provide a tremendous financial relief to families.   

Reflecting on the important scholarship program, President Steven A. Tolman of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, said, “Our scholarship program is one of the biggest examples of unions standing for what’s right and doing what’s good for all working families. Even in good times, these scholarships are essential to helping these families afford the higher education needed to be successful in our ever-evolving workforce. In times like these, with a slow recovery that has not yet picked up, for struggling working families, our scholarship program is that much more important. I am proud of our organization and of the amazing generosity of the affiliates who help make it such a success.”

The mission of IBEW, Local 103, is to provide the most skilled and productive workforce in the world, while at the same time protecting the rights and benefits of every worker. Our success in training and developing workers who deliver on-time and on-budget projects and foster a safe working environment speaks for itself. Our members and contractors have been literally lighting the skyline of Eastern Massachusetts for over 100 years. More recently, Local 103 has become the industry leader in emerging markets such as Wind Power and Solar Energy. A number of our contractors have wisely embraced these opportunities and our Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee now offers innovative curriculum in these growing fields.

For more information contact: Christina Chatalian, The Construction Institute, 617/436-4159 or 978/833-3953 or Michael Monahan, Business Manager, IBEW, Local 103, 617/436-3710.