The UMWA has announced the winners of the 2020- 2021 Lorin E. Kerr Scholarship. Each of the winners will receive $2,500 this academic year to assist them in meeting their educational goals.
Hannah Johnson
“The work ethic my grandfather developed throughout his life and his many years of labor in the coal mines was instilled in each of us. I hope to use the work ethic he taught me to continue my education.” -Hannah Johnson
Hannah Johnson is the granddaughter of Local Union 1569 member David Nease. “My grandfather mined coal for many years,” said Hannah. “He worked extremely hard to provide for our family. The work ethic he developed throughout his life and his many years of labor in the coal mines was instilled in each of us. I hope to use the work ethic he taught me to continue my education.”
Hannah hails from the small town of Cumberland, Kentucky in Harlan County and strongly supports the Labor Movement. “The Labor Movement has fought for better pay, health care, retirement benefits, safer working conditions and education,” said Hannah. “Unions help employees understand and exercise their rights on the job. They give workers a voice on the job.”
Hannah will be attending Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passas, Kentucky, in the fall. She intends to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Kinesiology. “After obtaining my Bachelor of Science degree, I intend to further my education by pursuing a Master’s degree in physical therapy at the University of Kentucky,” said Hannah. “I hope to eventually return to Harlan County, Kentucky, as a physical therapist, so that I can give back to my community.”
Shade Rader
“I plan on doing more than becoming a veterinarian. I want to help drive economic growth back home, so that there is less despair and poverty.” -Shade Rader
Shade Rader is the grandson of Local Union 1335 member Dudley O’Dell. He plans to attend West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia, to begin his studies to become a veterinarian. Once he has completed his courses at West Virginia University, he plans to apply to the veterinarian program at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. One of Shade’s goals is to create a veterinary school in the state of West Virginia.
“I plan on doing more than becoming a veterinarian,” said Shade. “Like many places across the Country, my hometown of Nettie, West Virginia has been through some hard-economic times. I want to help drive economic growth back home, so that there is less despair and poverty. I’ve had this dream for quite a while and hope that with the support from this scholarship that I can make this dream a reality and help the people in my community.”
