The Detroit Federation of Teachers established the scholarship to honor past DFT presidents, officers, and members for their significant achievements in labor and education. The scholarship will support students in the Teacher Education Division of the College of Education who are committed to teaching in the public school district of the City of Detroit or "Priority" 1 public schools in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. The history of the scholarship began with Mary Ellen Riordan and in 1980, Patrick Falcusan and Paula Trilety were named to the DFT Memorial Scholarship Committee. The scholarship was originally named after the first three presidents of the DFT, but upon the death of Mary Ellen Riordan, the committee decided the rename it to DFT Memorial Scholarship. When the union endowed the money to Wayne State University College of Education in 2019, it was renamed again. It is now the Detroit Federation of Teachers Endowed Memorial Scholarship. To ensure that the scholarship remains at the $100,000 level so that it lives on for years to come, it needs continuous donations. Without these donations, the scholarship will lessen, and without renewed interest, the scholarship will eventually no longer exist. Every year there is a small management fee, about 2%, and they take out money to give scholarships. The DFT Memorial Scholarship Committee wants to bring our attention to the existence of this scholarship so that it will continue to thrive.
Donations are accepted throughout the year. To donate use the name of the scholarship is Detroit Federation of Teachers Endowed 061006. It's important to use the numbers if you plan to donate. Click here: DFT Endowed Memorial Scholarship link to donate and under designation enter "Other" then input our unique code 066100
