Two students from AFSCME Council 4 families will head to college this Fall with some help from their union family.

Council 4 awarded Logan German and Emma DeVito as the winners of the 2023 Education Scholarships. Each will receive $2,000 – renewable for up to four years.

L-R: Emma DeVito and Logan German are the recipents of the 2023 Council 4 Education Scholarship.

Logan German
Logan German is the son of Erin Crowley, a 24-year member of Local 2663 who works as a social work supervisor at the CT Dept. Children & Families. He plans to attend Fairfield University to study business and graduated from Xavier High School in Middletown.

According to German, the union was improving his life before he was even born. The health insurance his mother receives through her union provided coverage for fertility treatments so he could be conceived. Additionally, German was diagnosed with clubfoot as an infant and his family’s medical insurance allowed him to see top specialists to correct the condition during the first seven years of his life.

“The union makes sure that my mother and her coworkers are treated fairly at work, paid the wages they are worth, and have a place to go if they are feeling unsafe or mistreated,” German said. “Most of all my mother was able to be present for me whenever I needed her without worrying that her job would be at risk.”

For German the scholarship is important in helping his parents pay for college so his mother can look forward to her next union benefit, retirement.

“I wanted this scholarship to help my parents pay for college,” he said. “My hope is she can head into retirement knowing that my college debt is manageable and something she does not need to worry about. I do my best to help them out.”

Emma Devito
Emma DeVito is the daughter of retired Local 1565 (CT Dept. of Corrections) member and Council 4 staff representative John DeVito. She is a graduate of Waterford High School and will attend the University of Rhode Island to study education.

In her scholarship essay, DeVito highlighted the importance of union membership for her family. Her mother is also a proud union member and works as a public school teacher. The work hours, healthcare and pensions their unions provided brought flexibility and stability to her family.

“I am lucky to be part of a family where union is a familiar household term,” DeVito said. “I have seen the positive affect that unions have had on not only communities as a whole, but families who have benefitted.”

As a high school student, DeVito started a Women’s Empowerment Club at her school. She raised funds to provide free feminine products in every school bathroom and even worked with the principal to apply for grants to ensure these items were replenished. She credits her union upbringing with teaching her the importance of self-advocacy.

“I will continue the knowledge I’ve gained from union work to fight for equal pay for women and work towards a world where everyone feels as though their voice is heard,” she said. “The union has improved my life in many ways, and I plan to use what being a part of a union has taught me to help improve the lives of others.”

DeVito and German were joined by previous awardees during the Council 4 Executive Board meeting on June 9th. Bernae Webb and Vanden Haviland (2022 winners) and Zachary Jahn (one of the 2021 recipents) shared with executive board members and delegates how the scholarship has helped and provided updates on their college experiences.

Clockwise from left: Zachary Jahn, Bernae Webb, and Vanden Haviland shared with members at the June 8th Council 4 Executive Board meeting how the scholarship has supported them while they continue in their higher education studies. 

“The scholarship has given me many opportunities,” said Vanden Haviland, a current University of Hartford student studying electrical engineering. “I’ve been given the opportunity to become a physics teacher’s assistant…and I enjoyed being able to help other students. I've also joined a research team that involves integral imaging technology. So, the scholarship has given me the opportunity to further explore my interests.”

"Since Council 4 began offering these scholarships in 2021, we have been asounded by the stories of how much the union has impacted the quality of life for members and their families," Jody Barr, Council 4 Executive Director and member of the scholarship committee said. "To hear firsthand the students' testimonies of the union contributing so much meaning to their lives is heartfelt and deeply moving."

The Council 4 Scholarship Committee reviews applications and determines the awardees. Members of the committee include Betsey Grady (Council 4 Membership Coordinator), Jody Barr (Council 4 Executive Director), Marybeth Kaczynski-Hill (President Local 2263), Ruby Blackmon (Retired President Local 196), and Tyrell Alexander (Council 4 Union Organizer/Political Activist Assistant).

2024 applications will be open next March. For more information on the Council 4 Edcation Scholarship and to learn about eligibility, click here for program flyer:  council_4_scholarship_program_2023.pdf