The Gundlach Scholarship provides $5,500 in financial support, distributed over two years (about $2,750 per year), to an undergraduate or graduate student who exhibits a strong commitment to Labor Studies.
Created by the estate of Jean Gundlach, a long-time labor activist and secretary for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), this scholarship honors the memory of Jean and her siblings Wilford, Ralph and Betty, all of whom were University of Washington alumni. A UW professor, Ralph Gundlach was fired in 1948 after being branded a communist by the notorious Canwell Committee. Thanks to Jean's efforts in the early 1990s, then UW President William Gerberding issued a formal apology for the UW's role in the Canwell hearings.
Deadline to Apply for 2024-2025 Academic Year
Monday, May 6, 2024 at 11:59PM
Who Should Apply
The Gundlach Scholarship is awarded yearly to either undergraduate or graduate students at any of the University of Washington's three campuses (Seattle, Tacoma, or Bothell). In their applications, students must show commitment to the principles of justice, equality, and diversity. Students with an interest in labor studies or a family background in labor and social justice are encouraged to apply.
Scholarship winners must demonstrate high academic achievement and be enrolled for Autumn Quarter of the upcoming academic year. If you have applied to the University of Washington but have not yet received notice from the Admissions Office, you are eligible for the scholarship. However, the award will be contingent on your admittance to the UW.
How to Apply
To apply, a student should prepare the following materials:
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Essay responses. Please prepare written answers to the following questions. We recommend compiling answers into a separate document before entering them into the online application. This will ensure your responses are saved on multiple platforms, as answers entered in the online application are not saved until they are submitted.
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Tell us about any labor, social justice, or racial justice issues that you are passionate about and why these issues matter to you. Please share your history of involvement with these issues, which may include but is not limited to personal experience, advocacy, or research. If relevant, highlight issues related to waterfront industries or organized labor. Please limit your response to 800 words or less.
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How will funding from the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies support the goals you have for your education at the University of Washington? How do you plan to engage with the labor movement during your studies here? How will the fellowship prepare you for what you want to accomplish upon completion of your degree? Again, if relevant, highlight issues relevant to waterfront industries or organized labor. Please limit your response to 400 words or less.
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A brief letter of support from a teacher or community member.
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A high school or college transcript (whichever is most recent). Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
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Up to date contact information, including e-mail, mailing addresses, and phone number.
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Optional: Additional documents demonstrating your commitment to labor or Labor Studies, such as a resume or curriculum vitae, may also be submitted.
How to Submit Your Application
The online application for all Labor Studies scholarships and fellowships for the 2024-2025 academic year opens in Spring Quarter. A link to the on-line application portal will be posted on the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies website.
Questions about the application or scholarship terms? Call (206) 543-7946 or e-mail hbcls@uw.edu.
Previous Scholarship Recipients
2011: Eunice How
2012: Grace Flott
2013: Sigolene Ortega
2014: Garrett Strain
2015: Michael Reagan
2016: Aditi Rajendran
2017: Riddhi Mehta-Neugebauer
2018: Brian Serafini
2019: Perla Bravo
2020: Maria Soto
2021: Selena Caldera
2022: Joshua Davis & Elizabeth Lu Gao
2023: Anna Nguyen