When the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan (SHBP) scholarship program was introduced in 1953, it was considered one of the most progressive and forward-looking measures to be adopted by any trade union. At that time, four full college scholarships in the amount of $1,500 each were awarded to children of Seafarers or to Seafarers not over 35 years of age who qualified in competitive examinations.For more than half a century, the SHBP has continued to award scholarships to deserving Seafarers as well as to spouses and dependents of SIU members, changing the eligibility slightly.
This year, the Plan has selected three Seafarers and five dependents as recipients from the more than 40 who applied—for a total monetary value of $132,000.
Chief Cook Kristen Swain is the Seafarer selected for the four-year scholarship. Brandon Maeda and Jeanette Montgomery both were awarded two-year scholarships. The five dependents of SIU members are Adam Burton, son of Ross Burton; Ashleigh Coppola, daughter of Patrick L. Coppola; Stefan Nikolic, son of Desire Z. Nikolic; Anthony Sabatini, son of Anthony J. Sabatini and Ronald Viernes, son of Leopold A. Viernes.
The scholarship recipients were selected by a panel of professional educators: Dr. Michael Glaser, St. Mary’s College of Maryland; Dr. Gayle A. Olson, University of New Orleans; Dr. Trevor Carpenter, Charles County (Md.) Community College; Dr. Charles Lyons Jr., American Association of Colleges and Universities; Dr. Keith Schlender, Medical College of Ohio; Professor Louis Fernandez, provost and vice president of academic affairs, California State (San Bernardino) and Dr. Henry Toutain of Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota.
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