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MALF Andy Ward Scholarship

Andy Ward Educational Scholarship-Points of Information and History

Andy Ward was an attorney in Phoenix whose practice primarily focused on representing labor Unions, labor issues, union members and union retirement funds and benefits. Andy was a founding member of Ward Barrett. Andy passed in 1993 and funds were donated in 1994.

Andy was adamant that people needed to be educated about Union’s. He was adamant about the role of unions in working to improve workers’ rights, pay and benefits. To accomplish this goal, his widow Dorothy Barrett generously set up a scholarship to be administered by the CLC/ALF in Maricopa County with two codicils.

  • Never go into the original principal amount
  • Application process had to include a written essay

The fund can never go below the original gifted amount of $10,000. To be eligible, you must be a Union member and/or their dependents.

In 2002, the Andy Ward Scholarship was assigned to the Maricopa Area Labor Federation.

Funds are to be regenerated by the MALF engaging in fund raising efforts targeting the fund restoration each year.

The fund was to be used to help Union families with their education or vocational expenses at the directive of Andy Ward.

Essay Topic/Prompt: Arizona’s continued antiunion behavior is evident in the right to work status promoted and protected by leaders in the state legislature. How can labor unions protect and promote the wellbeing of blue collar and middle class workers in future elections in Arizona and push back on the right to work status being promoted by politicians across the state?    

Date Essay and Cover Sheet Due: July 24th, 2023, by COB    
Email To: rquintana@aftarizona.org

Applicants are to type their answers in a minimum of one page and a maximum of two pages doubled spaced Times New Roman or Arial font size 12 and email these into the Education Chair for review by the Education Committee. Please ensure essays do not include the author’s name, as they are sent out digitally in PDF files to all committee members anonymously.

The designated Committee, collects, blind reviews and selects winners of the essays.

The Education Committee and the MALF Chair choose each year the number of scholarships and amounts to be awarded. This year those are as follows:

  • One at $2,000
  • One at $1,000
  • One at $500

Download the 2023 MALF Andy Ward Scholarship Packet here!

Please do not forget to forward completed packets to MALF Education Chair Ralph Quintana, at rquintana@aftarizona.org.