Sheet Metal Scholarships

The advancement of education throughout the unionized sector of the sheet metal industry must receive the highest priority to ensure full participation in an expanding world economy. In support of that objective, the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Scholarship Fund awards 34 scholarships in the amount of $6,000 per year* for up to four years for full-time undergraduate study at any accredited college or university. Two of these scholarships may be awarded to participants and their eligible dependents that are enrolled in an undergraduate course in Mechanical Engineering and Architecture. 

The Mechanical Engineering and Architecture scholarships are for up to five years and will result in payments of $6,000 for the first year and $12,000 per year for years two through five, for a total scholarship of $54,000. The Scholarship Foundation awards 20 one-year $4,000 scholarships and two one-year $5,000 awards: the Joseph J. Nigro award and the Joey Nigro, Jr. memorial award. *Please note that only qualified applicants from locals that participate by collectively bargaining to contribute or to authorize check-offs at one cent per hour worked are eligible for the four-year scholarships. All other eligible applicants will be considered for the scholarship foundation’s single-year scholarships for undergraduate study. A selection committee comprised of an esteemed group of union, academic and civic leaders makes all selections for the awards. This group is independent of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers and makes its determination of scholarship awards after thoroughly considering each applicant’s academic records, recommendations and a written essay. The committee’s annual selections are published in the fall issue of The Members’ Journal

ELIGIBILITY

In general, eligibility for a scholarship under the Fund or Foundation requires that an applicant be an active member of SMART’s former SMWIA, a covered employee or a dependent spouse or child under the age of 25 of a SMART/SMWIA member or covered employee. The applicant must also be a full-time student or be accepted to be a full-time student at an accredited college or university. The scholarship may be used for any field of study by UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS only. Definitions of eligibility (member, dependent, spouse, full-time) are printed on the application. Please read the definitions carefully before completing the application. Note that dependents must be under the age of 25, unmarried and claimed as a dependent on the Plan Participant’s (eligible member’s) Federal income tax return. Grandchildren are not eligible.

HOW TO APPLY

FIRST: Obtain an Application Request Form from the scholarship office between the dates of September 1st and February 15th. Application Request Forms can be downloaded for printing or can be completed online and returned to the scholarship office by email. Make sure you have an up-to-date version of Adobe and save your document accordingly before emailing. Application Request Forms are also printed in the fall issue of The Members’ Journal. The Scholarship Programs Office will review the information on the Application Request Form and will mail the appropriate application (Fund or Foundation) to the address provided by the applicant.

NEXT: Upon receipt of the application packet, the applicant must complete the application and provide the following information:

1. Information on the active SMART/SMWIA member and scholarship applicant. The applicant must provide the Scholarship Programs’ representatives with full information on their or their family member’s SMART/SMWIA membership, including International Association membership number, the number of the local union of which he or she is a member and, if different, the local union in whose jurisdiction he or she was employed during the preceding calendar year.

2. An official transcript stating the unweighted grade point average of the applicant. For high school seniors, transcripts are available from the high school administration/guidance office and should be enclosed with the application in an officially sealed envelope. If the applicant is currently enrolled in college, the official college transcript is required in lieu of high school grades.

3. A letter of recommendation on behalf of the applicant must be enclosed with the application.

4. Complete a one- to two-page essay on the topic provided in the instruction packet which accompanies the paper application.

NOTE: It is important to read the application instructions thoroughly before submitting. If the application packet is missing a signature or any other required element, it will be disqualified and not acknowledged.

Deadline:

Submission of requests for applications must be done by February 15th. Requests received after the deadline will not be considered or acknowledged. Completed applications and their related materials must be postmarked no later than March 1st. Applications and related materials postmarked after that date will not be considered or acknowledged.

Matching Grants

Certain schools have agreed to work with the Sheet Metal Workers’ Scholarship Programs Office by offering supportive grants to the Scholarship Fund recipients. If accepted to a participating school and approved for a scholarship award under the fund, students might be able to increase the amount of financial assistance available to them for the academic year. Those requesting application forms will also be sent a current list of participating schools.

RETURN THE COMPLETED APPLICATION

After receiving the six-page application, please print and return the fully completed and signed application to: Sheet Metal Workers’ Scholarship Programs 1750 New York Avenue, NW, 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20006-5386. You can contact the Sheet Metal Workers’ Scholarship Programs via telephone at (202) 662-0858, by email at scholarship@smart-union.org or by facsimile at (202) 662-0859.