Scholarships
Les Best Scholarship Program
The Les Best Scholarship Program helps OCSEA members and their families pay for college education. A total of $12,000 is awarded annually for each academic year. The application process is open January 1-April 30 each year.
The scholarship program is closed for the year. The application process will open again on January 1, 2025.
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Requirements
Members' College Scholarship - $500-$1,000 each
To be considered for the Members' scholarship, the applicant must be a dues-paying OCSEA member and enrolled at least part-time in an undergraduate degree program for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Applicants for this scholarship are also automatically considered for one of two $250 awards through the Pat Callanan-Castro Memorial Book Scholarship.
Dependents' College & Vocational Scholarship - $1,000-$2,000 each
To be considered for the Dependents' scholarship, the applicant must be the dependent child of a dues-paying OCSEA member and enrolled full-time at a college, vocational school or union apprenticeship for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Spouses' College Scholarship - $500-$1,000 each
To be considered for the Spouses' scholarship, the applicant must be married to a dues-paying OCSEA member and enrolled at least part-time in an undergraduate degree program for the 2024-2025 academic year.
How to apply
Complete and return the following items to OCSEA by April 30 each year:
Application
Applications accepted January 1- April 30.
Essay
The essay is a major portion of the Applicant's score. Submit a typed, 500-1,000 word essay in response to a prompt. The scholarship essays are a major part of the selection process. You are encouraged to draw from personal experiences. Examples that demonstrate how this issue would have affected working American families like yours are helpful.
Proof of Enrollment
Send a copy of your acceptance letter or other proof of enrollment for the Fall 2024 semester to OCSEA. If you have not yet been accepted, please send proof of your application and the estimated date you will be notified of your acceptance.
Academic or Professional Reference
Ask a person who can be a reference (whether it be a supervisor, college advisor, course instructor or professor) to complete the academic/professional reference form. They may either return it to you to send in with the rest of your application materials or they may send it directly to OCSEA.
Transcript
(Dependents' scholarship only)
All students applying for the Dependents' scholarship must send a transcript from the high school or college they are currently attending. Please allow your school at least two weeks to process your request.
Test Scores
(Dependents' scholarship only)
Graduating high school seniors must submit either ACT or SAT scores if they plan to enroll in an undergraduate degree program. Test scores are not required for students enrolling in vocational or trade schools. If test scores are recorded on your high school transcript, it is sufficient to simply highlight the results and eliminate the step of sending the scores separately. Applicants may also send a photocopy of their scores to OCSEA.
Selection Process
A a group of distinguished educators and labor union representatives not affiliated with OCSEA comprise the Scholarship Selection Committee. This independent committee will select the eight to ten scholarship recipients in June. Their decisions are final. To receive consideration, all completed application packets must be submitted and postmarked no later than April 30 each year. Applicants are encouraged to get their applications and essays in as soon as possible.
Send applications and supporting materials to scholarship@ocsea.org You may also mail the application to:
OCSEA Les Best Scholarship Fund
390 Worthington Road, Suite A
Westerville, Ohio 43082
The deadline to apply is April 30.
More Information
For more information, download the Les Best Scholarship brochure.
Email or call OCSEA at 614-865-2645 with questions.