Robert G. Porter Scholarship

The Illinois Federation of Teachers supports the continuing education of high school seniors by awarding two scholarships annually. The scholarships were established by the IFT to assist students with pursuing education beyond high school and to promote an understanding of the labor movement in young people that will endure for generations to come. Each scholarship has specific eligibility criteria and strict, unique deadlines, so applicants should review the application forms and eligibility requirements carefully before applying. The Illinois Federation of Teachers shall provide annually two $20,000 scholarship awards ($5,000 each year for four years) to current high school seniors with no less than a cumulative "B" grade average. Successful applicants must plan to attend full-time at an Illinois public university and maintain at least a "C" cumulative grade average after graduating from high school.

An applicant must be the child of a currently employed, active member in good standing of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the child of a member of an IFT retirees chapter, or the child of a deceased member who was in good standing with the Illinois Federation of Teachers at the time of death.

Porter spent his early years in education as a civics teacher in East St. Louis, Illinois. He served as treasurer of the East St. Louis Federation of Teachers, Local 1220. In 1960, Porter became the aide to AFT President Carl Megel at the union’s national headquarters, which was then located in Chicago. Porter was instrumental in chartering many AFT locals in Illinois, building the foundation for the strong IFT that today represents more than 100,000 men and women.

Porter served as AFT Secretary-Treasurer from 1963 until his death in November 1991. The AFT grew from 50,000 members to nearly 800,000 during his 28 years as Secretary-Treasurer. For many IFT members, Bob Porter was “Mr. AFT. To honor his lifelong commitment to education and to the labor movement, the Illinois Federation of Teachers established this scholarship in his name.

AWARD

In 2025, the Illinois Federation of Teachers shall present two scholarship awards in the amount of $20,000 each. (Distributed in the amount of $5,000 each year for four years, provided a student is enrolled full-time at an Illinois public university and maintains a C cumulative average.)

ELIGIBILITY

The award is entirely unrestricted as to race, religion or political affiliation. The applicant must be the child of a currently employed, active member in good standing of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the child of a member of an IFT retiree chapter, or the child of a deceased member who was in good standing with the Illinois Federation of Teachers at the time of death. The applicant must be a high school senior with a cumulative “B” average. Scholarship winners must provide proof of acceptance and registration as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree program at a public Illinois university.

HOW TO APPLY

The application must be completed in full and signed by the applicant and parent or guardian. IFT membership will be verified before presentation of application to the Robert G. Porter Scholarship Committee of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.

The following information must be submitted with this application:

• Official Transcript, including class size.
• Class rank if available
• Extra-curricular activities record, including dates of participation
• Financial information:
  • Anticipated costs of the college you plan to attend
  • List of all monetary scholarships or awards for which you have applied, if any
  • How you anticipate paying the remainder (loans, work, family contributions)
  • Additional financial information you wish the committee to consider
• Work employment record, if any, including type of work, approximate number of years, hours per week
• Statement of recommendation from a teacher, dean, counselor or other educator
• Completion of essay, typed
• Student reflection, typed