2025 IBEW Founders' Scholarship

IBEW Founders' Scholarship

Awarded only to IBEW members

The IBEW Founders' Scholarship honors the dedicated wiremen and linemen who, on November 28, 1891, organized the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Each year the officers of the IBEW are pleased to offer its working members scholarships on a competitive basis. It is hoped that the awards will not only contribute to the personal development of our members but also steward the electrical industry that our founders envisioned.

The award is for $200 per semester credit hour at any accredited college or university toward an associate's, bachelor's or postgraduate degree in an approved field. The maximum distribution is $24,000 per person over a period not to exceed eight years.

All IBEW members who have been in continuous good standing for four years preceding May 1 of the scholarship year in which they plan to apply are eligible for the IBEW Founders' Scholarship. Spouses or children of IBEW members are not eligible for this scholarship. Click the link below to apply.

https://www.ibew.org/Portals/31/documents/Application-revised%208-2014.pdf

2025 EDWIN MARSH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

1. Up to four (4) scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year will be awarded to up
to four (4) applicants who shall be one of the following:
• an immediate family member of a building trades union member who is a
full-time college or vocational training student, or
• a building trades union affiliated apprentice, or
• a building trades union member engaged in furthering his/her education
or skills to the benefit of his/her craft and Indiana's Building Trades
Unions.
The value of each scholarship is $1,000.00. Each applicant must be a member or
dependent child of a member of a local building trades union in good standing with
the Indiana State Building and Construction Trades Council.
2. The winners will be selected from all entrants who submit a short essay on the
below listed 2025 Essay Topic.
3. Each essay should be between 600 and 1,500 words in length, be typewritten,
double-spaced, and follow APA guidelines for formatting style.
4. Entries MUST include a cover sheet with the following information:
• Student’s name,
• Mailing address,
• E-mail address,
• Name of university, college, or vocational school which he/she is
attending or plans to attend; or the name of joint apprenticeship training
center in which entrant is currently enrolled; or the name of the building
trades local union and continuing education sought or engaged in,
• His/her relationship to a building trades union member, the members
name, and the name of the local union of which that person is a member
in good standing.
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5. Entries MUST be mailed to: The Edwin Marsh Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o
Indiana State Building and Construction Trades Council, 150 W. Market St., Suite 805,
Indianapolis, IN 46204.
6. Entries MUST be postmarked by July 25, 2025. Entries postmarked after this
time will not be considered. A seven-day delivery time will be allowed for receipt of
essays from the deadline, after which the review process will begin.
7. When received, each essay will be assigned a number. A master list will show the
number and the name of the person submitting the essay. The review committee
will NOT see the name of the applicant or the cover sheet accompanying the
essay. Any personal information included within the essay will be
redacted. Therefore, the review committee makes their selection based solely on the
content of the essay.
8. All essays submitted shall become the property of the Indiana State Building and
Construction Trades Council and entrants give express permission for publication of
all entries including the name of each author.
9. The Executive Board of the Indiana State Building and Construction Trades Council
shall administer this scholarship program, and its decision shall be final.
10. Selection of scholarship recipients will be announced on or after August 18th,
2025. Winners will be notified by both e-mail and U.S. Mail. Those not winning will
be notified via e-mail.

2025 Edwin Marsh Memorial Scholarship Essay Topic:

Many building trades apprenticeships offer an associate’s degree from Ivy Tech Community
College upon completion. This requires an additional five classes beyond the usual
apprenticeship curriculum. As a student, would you find value in obtaining this degree for
your construction career, or would you prefer a shorter apprenticeship that leads to
journeyperson status sooner? Why or why not?