SAG-AFTRA Members, Family Members Awarded 2014 Union Plus Scholarships

Winners Honored for Achievement and Union Values

Union Plus recently awarded $150,000 in scholarships to 116 students representing 39 unions, including seven winners representing SAG-AFTRA, in the 2014 Union Plus Scholarship Program. In this 23rd year of the program, more than 5,300 applications were received from union members and families in all 50 states. This year’s SAG-AFTRA New York Local winners are:

•    Evan Griffith of New York, N.Y., whose parents Edward and Lisa Griffith are both longtime SAG-AFTRA members. Evan, who was awarded a $2,000 scholarship, is now a three-time Union Plus Scholarship winner.
•    Sara Romanello of Pelham, N.Y., whose father Paul Romanello has been a SAG-AFTRA member since 1996. Sara was awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

“There are a lot of benefits to being a union member. Economic security is No. 1, and education is the first building block. Education sets up our kids for success, leadership and happiness,” said Leslie Tolf, president of Union Privilege, the organization behind Union Plus benefits and the scholarship program. “By awarding these scholarships, we level the playing field — everyone deserves an equal shot at a quality education. We help union families feel just a little more secure in embarking on successful lives.”

Meet the 2014 SAG-AFTRA New York Local Honorees

Both Evan’s parents have been performers all his life, so he has experienced the joy of the performing arts, as well as the cold reality. Through good times and bad, he says, “the unions have protected their rights and provided for our future.” Evan is a performer himself and he’s making sure to get an education that will prepare him for all the world has to offer. By achieving a double major and then mastering both his craft and the business side as well, he hopes to pursue a career in the music industry — and maybe run his own label one day.

Sara attributes her love of the theater to her father, a longtime SAG-AFTRA member, and her strong work ethic to both her parents. “They taught us the value of hard work and the pride and respect that comes from earning a paycheck,” she says. Sara has been earning a paycheck since she was 12, while maintaining excellent grades and pursuing a wide range of extracurricular activities. She is pursuing a degree in theater because, she says, “I can’t imagine my life without the theater.” 

Click here to learn more about Union Plus and other benefits available to SAG-AFTRA members.

This article was originally featured in the August 2014 local e-newsletter.