Walter Cantrell Memorial Scholarship – Now Accepting Applications!

Local 1621 is proud to encourage all eligible members and their families to apply for the Walter Cantrell Memorial Scholarship.

This scholarship provides an excellent opportunity for the children and legally adopted dependents of our members to receive financial assistance while pursuing higher education at an accredited college, university, vocational school, or trade school.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicant must be under 25 years of age.
• Applicant must be the child or legally adopted dependent of a member in good standing with IUPAT District Council 16 for at least one year.

Essay Topic (1,000–2,000 words):
“With the drastic and immediate rise of technology, automation, and artificial intelligence, the current workforce is facing new and unique challenges. How are technology, automation, and artificial intelligence changing the workforce, and what role should organized labor play in protecting workers during these times?”

Submission Deadline: July 31, 2026

Essays must be submitted in PDF or Word format through the online application. Please remember that all essays must be original work and may not be generated by AI tools.

We encourage every eligible Local 1621 family to take advantage of this opportunity. It’s a great chance to earn scholarship assistance while sharing your thoughts on the future of work and the important role unions continue to play in protecting working people.

We wish all of our applicants the very best of luck!