ATU Announces Winners of Mike Siano Scholarships
The following students beginning post-secondary education in the 2023-2024 academic year won scholarships in memory the Mike Siano, a fearless negotiator who devoted more than 50 years to the ATU. Short bios and excepts from their essays appear below:
Adeena Durrani, daughter of Nadeem Durrani Local 1572-Mississauga, ON, is attending McMaster University to study Humanities – Linguistics and Languages to pursue a career as a speech language pathologist. Co-chair of the Muslim Student Association and a member of the Student Activity Council and the Student News Association, Adeena also volunteers at the SacredHand Canada tutoring programe where she earned the title of ‘tutor of the month.’
“The working class in Canada has a rich history of powerful protests and movements conducted with a single goal in mind – the improvement of working conditions for Canadians. The progression of rights that have been achieved over time due to these movements are now being protected and upheld by Canadian organized labour to ensure that the welfare of working Canadians will not be threatened again.”
Xing Xia, daughter of Shaohui Xia Local 583-Calgary, AB, is attending the University of Waterloo to study Biomedical Engineering to pursue a career designing healthcare devices and creating technological solutions to real-world medical problems. A member, executive, and leader of the Yearbook Club, Math Club, and the Student Wellness Action Team, Xing also plays and teaches piano, is an author and editor of the Westmount Literary Anthology, and volunteers for the Calgary Public Library.
“Through unions, working people gain a collective voice and are able to advocate for equality, fair treatment, and economic security. They prevent exploitation in the workplace and ensure workers can enjoy a quality standard of living and financial security.”
Shannon Harvey, daughter of Charles Harvey Local 308-Chicago, IL, is attending Stanford University to study Human Biology to pursue a career as a physician. On top of taking various AP classes in microeconomics, environmental science, calculus, and others, as well as being a member of the Lindblom National Honor Society, Shannon is also a violinist and tennis player.
“Unions are a vital part of American society, As citizens, we have an obligation to work in order to make a decent living. Unions ensure that we can work in humane conditions and receive fair treatment.”
Kayla Mims, daughter of Kareem Mims Local 1056-Flushing, NY, is attending Borough of Manhattan Community College to study Accounting for Forensic Accounting to pursue a career as a financial fraud investigator. Kayla has received honors and awards in various activities at her school and volunteer work in her community, including track and field, basketball, My Sister’s Keeper, and her high school peer connection group, among others as well. A member of the National Honor Society, she has excelled in school in various AP courses in calculus, English literature, and English language.
“One of the most significant contributions of organized labor is the establishment of workplace standards that benefit all workers. Unions have been at the forefront of advocating for better working conditions and ensuring that employers comply with labor laws. As a result, non-unionized workers have benefited from the improvements in workplace safety and health standards.”
Brady Connell, son of Timothy J. O’Connell Boston Carmen’s Union Local 589, is attending UMass Amherst to study Education to pursue a career as a history teacher. Brady is an honors student who has taken various honors courses, including Algebra II, Biology, English, Chemistry, and more. In addition to his academic achievements, Brady was also the Captain of the Varsity Soccer and Track and Field teams, along with volunteering with the Holbrook Food Pantry and the Boy Scouts of America.
“Organized labor has made immeasurable contributions to the welfare of the people of the United States. Through collective bargaining, labor unions have secured better wages and benefits, improved working conditions, and other benefits that have contributed to the overall well-being of workers and their families.”
Marc Orent, son of Stephen Orent Local 824-New Brunswick, NJ, is attending Lehigh University to study Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace to pursue a career as an aeronautical engineer. Amongst Marc’s various talents, he was a member of the marching band, the Technology Student Association, a Senior member of the International Baccalaureate Council, and the National Honor Society. He also plays varsity tennis and takes flight lessons.
“There lies tremendous power in numbers. By unifying workers to fight for their interests, the rise of organized labor has allowed for one of the more considerable advancements in the quality of life for civilization as a while.”