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The Morton Bahr Scholarship Program Application Essays

In addition to the questions on the application form, there are two essays required.

1. The first essay should discuss your personal, career, and educational goals and accomplishments, and explain how a Bahr Scholarship will help you to accomplish your goals.
    
2. For the second essay, use one of the following quotes from the late president of the Communications Workers of America, Morton Bahr, as a platform for launching your own ideas or the ideas of others on a similar theme. In a one to two-page essay, create your response to these ideas. We will use this essay as a sample of your writing and communication skills.
    
   Quote 1: I believe we can seize upon the opportunities created by historic change and help bring about a resurgence of the American labor movement. Communications Workers of America is uniquely situated to take a leadership role in moving the labor movement into the 21st century and in making the American dream available again for workers. But we must first clearly articulate the new role of trade unions in a rapidly changing world and determine how unions can best serve the needs of workers in a global economy. (p. 20.)
    
   Quote 2: American labor unions have traditionally been deeply involved in their communities. The 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, employer-provided health care, and a variety of government programs from Social Security to health and safety regulations, unemployment insurance and workers compensation – all were fought for and won by organized labor. And they benefit working families, not just union members. We need to return to what made the labor movement great, advancing the cause of working America as a whole. (p. 23.)
    
   Quote 3: If America is going to succeed in the 21st century, we need to become a nation of lifelong learners. Today for the first time in our history, a majority of all new jobs require a postsecondary education. Tomorrow’s workers will be expected to have a command of reading, computing, and oral and written communication skills to qualify for many of the least skilled jobs. And, all future good jobs will demand continued learning and education … Employees who are involved in learning have a better attitude toward their company. Because of their employers’ commitment to their education, workers realize that they do not have to be anti-company in order to be good union members. They begin to understand that management and labor have the same goal – a profitable company. We need to change our basic culture to make lifelong learning a priority for everyone. Instead of thinking of school as a gas station where you stop once, get filled up and then go on, we need to think of education as the road itself. (pp. 197, 209.)
    
   - Bahr, Morton. (1998). “From the Telegraph to the Internet.” Washington D.C.: National Press Books, Inc.