William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund
Offered by National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC)
About This Scholarship
The National Association of Letter Carriers, the AFL-CIO union representing city delivery letter carriers, awards five William C. Doherty Scholarships of $4,000 each year to children of its members. Each award renews for three consecutive years if the winner keeps satisfactory grades, making the full value $16,000 per recipient. A companion award, the John T. Donelon Scholarship, adds one $1,000 grant renewable for four years, drawn from the same applicant pool.
Applicants must be high school seniors and the son, daughter, or legally adopted child of a letter carrier who has been an NALC member in good standing — active, retired, or deceased — for at least one year. Stepchildren and grandchildren qualify if they live with the member in a regular parent-child relationship.
The process is old-school but straightforward: a preliminary application signed by the member and a branch officer is mailed to NALC headquarters by December 31, followed by SAT or ACT scores, a biographical questionnaire, and school reports due by March 31. No application essay is required.
Eligibility
- Applicant must be the child (biological, legally adopted, or qualifying stepchild/grandchild living in a parent-child relationship) of an NALC letter carrier member
- The NALC member must be in good standing — active, retired, or deceased — for at least one year prior to application
- Applicant must be a high school senior at the time of application
- Must take the SAT or ACT during junior or senior year and submit official scores
How To Apply
- Print the Doherty & Donelon preliminary application from nalc.org, have it signed by the NALC member and an officer of the member's branch
- Mail it to the William C. Doherty Scholarship Committee, c/o NALC, 100 Indiana Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001 by December 31
- Send SAT/ACT score printouts, the biographical questionnaire, and secondary school report by March 31
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an essay required for the Doherty Scholarship?
No essay is required. Selection relies on academic records, SAT or ACT scores, the biographical questionnaire, and school reports.
What is the John T. Donelon Scholarship?
It is a companion award — one $1,000 scholarship renewable for four years — chosen from the same applicant pool with identical eligibility, so one application covers both.