NEW YORK — The International Longshoremen’s Association and New York Shipping Association, Inc. yesterday announced the eight winners of the 2018 Teddy Gleason Scholarships.
All eight students are dependents of ILA members working for NYSA member companies in the Greater Metropolitan area. The NYSA-ILA Scholarship Fund, named in honor of the late ILA president Teddy Gleason, is open to dependents of active and retired ILA members in the Port of New York and New Jersey. This is the thirty-eighth annual scholarship program. Students will receive an annual grant of $6,000 per year for each one of four years in college. Harold Daggett, ILA President and John Nardi, President, New York Shipping Association, the trustees of the Teddy Gleason Scholarship Program, hosted a luncheon last week at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Jersey City on the Hudson to honor the college bound students.
Stephen Knott, ILA Secretary-Treasurer and Susan Winfree, Vice President, NYSA presented the eight students their scholarships.
The 2018 Teddy Gleason Scholarship winners are as follows:
ALEC KUNCKEN
Son of Mr. & Mrs. William Kuncken of Point Pleasant, NJ. Mr. Kuncken is a member of ILA Local 1, working at Maher Terminals. Alec plans to attend The College of New Jersey, Ewing Township, New Jersey.
TAYLOR CASQUARELLI
Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Frank Casquarelli of West Nyack, NY. Mr. Casquarelli is a member of ILA Local 920 working at Ports America. Taylor plans to attend Libscomb University, Nashville, Tennessee.
BEN WIERZBICI
Son of Mr. & Mrs. John Wierzbicki of Staten Island, NY. Mr. Wierzbicki is a member of ILA Local 1804-1 working at Global Terminal Terminals (GCT), New York. Ben plans to attend New York University, New York, NY.
ARIANA COBB
Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Robert Cobb of Westhampton, NJ. Mr. Cobb is a member of ILA Local 1233 working at Maher Terminals LLC, Elizabeth, NJ. Ariana plans to attend Howard University, Washington, DC.
YOHANA DA SILVA
Daughter of Mr. &Mrs. Luciano Da Silva of Hillside, NJ. Mr. DaSilva is a member of ILA Local 1235 working at APM Terminals, Newark, NJ. Yohana plans to attend Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.
BRIAN GOMES
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Paulo Gomes of Elizabeth, NJ. Mr. Gomes is a member of ILA Local 1235 working at Maher Terminals, Elizabeth, NJ. Brian plans to attend Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
ASHLEY LOPEZ
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Lopez of Teaneck, NJ. Mr. Lopez is a member of Local 1235 working at Red Hook Container Terminals, LLC, Brooklyn, NY. Ashley plans to attend New York University, New York, NY.
SAMANTHA TESTA
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Testa of Toms River, NJ. Mr. Testa is a member of Local 1235 working at Red Hook container Terminals, LLC. Samantha plans to attend Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts.
The Teddy Gleason Scholarship winners are selected on the basis of academic performance and aptitude testing among other determinations. The scholarships are available to qualified applicants who wish to continue education at undergraduate, apprentice or training programs at any accredited colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning. An independent agency – the College Scholarship Service based in Princeton, New Jersey – makes the selection of the scholarship winners.
The eight Teddy Gleason Scholarship winners join 32 other students currently enrolled in colleges and universities who were previously awarded these generous grants. The scholarship program was introduced in 1981 following collective bargaining between the ILA and employers represented by NYSA and it provides $192,000 in yearly assistance for 32 students.