William C. Doherty Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by National Association of Letter Carriers

Overview

The William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund is administered by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) to support college-bound dependents of NALC members. The program awards five scholarships annually, intended to assist recipients pursuing undergraduate degrees at accredited colleges. Awards and procedures are managed by the NALC Scholarship Committee with decisions rendered by an independent panel of judges. Applicants must follow specific application and documentation deadlines to be considered.

Description: Five scholarships awarded to children of NALC members in good standing; selection based on academic record, qualifications, and test scores.

• Administered by the NALC Scholarship Committee
• Five regional awards each year
• Requires adherence to documented deadlines and submission rules

Eligibility

Eligibility is limited to children who have a qualifying relationship with an NALC member in good standing. The applicant must be a high school senior at the time of application and the member-parent must have been in good standing for at least one year prior to application. Stepchildren and grandchildren may qualify if they live with the letter carrier in a regular parent-child relationship. Children of NALC national officers are explicitly ineligible.

Eligibility: Applicant must be the son, daughter, or legally adopted child of an NALC member (active, retired, or deceased); stepchildren and grandchildren are eligible when living in a regular parent-child relationship; member must have one year of good standing prior to application.

• Applicants must be high school seniors when applying
• Member-parent must be in good standing for at least one year
• Children of national officers are not eligible

Application Timeline

Applicants begin by completing and mailing the preliminary application form to the Scholarship Committee by the December due date. All standardized test score printouts (SAT or ACT), biographical questionnaires, and secondary school reports must be received at NALC headquarters by midnight, March 31. The preliminary application should be mailed to: William C. Doherty Scholarship Committee, c/o NALC, 100 Indiana Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001-2144. Missing or late documents may disqualify an application.

Application Timeline: Preliminary application due in December; SAT/ACT scores and all supporting documents due by March 31 at NALC headquarters.

• Print and mail preliminary form by the December deadline
• SAT/ACT scores and school reports must arrive by March 31
• Address: William C. Doherty Scholarship Committee, c/o NALC, 100 Indiana Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001-2144

Requirements

Applicants must take the SAT or ACT during their junior or senior year and submit an original printout of scores from the administering organization. All biographical questionnaires and secondary school reports must also be submitted to NALC headquarters by the March 31 deadline. The application form requires signatures from the NALC member and an officer of the member’s local NALC branch. Meeting these documentation requirements is essential for application review.

Requirements: Mandatory SAT or ACT with original score printout; completed biographical and school reports; application signed by the member and a branch officer.

• SAT/ACT must be taken by junior or senior year
• Original score printouts required (no unofficial copies)
• All supporting documents due by March 31

Regulations

Scholarships must be used toward pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited college chosen by the recipient. Winners may accept other scholarship assistance in addition to the NALC award, but any change of school or course of study requires prior approval from the NALC Scholarship Committee. Recipients must submit an annual transcript at the end of each school year and may request the award be held in abeyance for up to one year for certified serious illness or other approved interruptions.

Regulations: Funds apply to undergraduate study at an accredited institution; committee approval required for interruptions or changes; annual academic reporting required.

• Funds restricted to accredited undergraduate programs
• Annual transcripts required to maintain funding
• Committee reviews abeyance or interruption requests

Award Details

One scholarship is awarded in each of the five USPS regions by a panel of experienced educational judges, based on secondary school records, personal qualifications, and test scores. Each award is $4,000 annually and is renewable for up to three additional consecutive years provided the recipient maintains satisfactory grades. Award funds are deposited with the recipient’s college and credited to the student account for required fees, including tuition, room and board, and transportation as the college’s policies allow. Decisions of the judges are final.

Award Value: $4,000 per year, renewable for three additional years contingent on satisfactory academic performance; funds paid directly to the college for required fees.

• Five regional awards of $4,000 each annually
• Renewable up to three years with satisfactory grades
• Funds deposited with and administered by the recipient’s college

History of the Award

The scholarship is named in honor of William C. Doherty, who served as president of the National Association of Letter Carriers from 1941 to 1962. The program recognizes his legacy by supporting the higher education aspirations of NALC members’ children. Administration and award decisions are handled by the NALC Scholarship Committee. The fund continues to operate under NALC oversight to benefit qualifying applicants each year.

History of the Award: Named for William C. Doherty (NALC president, 1941–1962) and administered by the NALC Scholarship Committee to support members’ children.

• Honors the legacy of William C. Doherty
• Established and administered by NALC
• Supports undergraduate education for members’ dependents