Fire Fighter Families Win Scholarships

June 19, 2008 – One IAFF member and three children of IAFF members are proud recipients of the 2008 Union Plus Scholarship. Recipients are selected based on academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor.

This year’s IAFF scholarship winners are: Manaseh Donaldson (son of Nashua, NH Local 789 fire fighter Brian Donaldson); Blake Kocian (son of Waco, TX Local 478 fire fighter Edward Kocian); David Mizzoni (son of Cranston, RI Local 1363 fire fighter David Mizzoni); and Anne Arundel County, MD Local 1563 fire fighter Keith Wright.

Many Union Plus Scholarship winners are the children of union members. Wright is both. He comes from a union family and has been an IAFF member since 1991. Unfortunately, Wright, a former Local 1563 executive board member, is unable to fight fires because of a job-related injury.

He hopes that by earning a degree, he can do more to help his IAFF brothers and sisters. “By investing in me,” says Wright, “you are investing in the bright future that lies head for organized labor.”

Scholarships are awarded to students attending institutes of higher education after high school. Since 1992, Union Plus has awarded more than $2.4 million in scholarships. Click here for more information.