2021 Application
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Gilbert Balderrama served 14 years as a special education classroom instructor in Texas and New Mexico until 1993. In 1994, he enrolled in the NEA Intern Program for Women and Minorities and Missouri NEA hired him to be the UniServ Director for the Southeast Unit. He moved to the St. Louis area and continued his employment with Missouri NEA until his death.
Balderrama continued to support and give back to the NEA Intern program by not only teaching courses in the program, but also by mentoring new interns as they progressed from the internship to work. For more than 20 years during his MNEA employment, Balderrama was the staff liaison to the MNEA Human Rights Committee. As a representative from MNEA, Balderrama visited several universities and talked to education students about teaching and the benefits of being part of MNEA.
He had a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas; a master's in Special Education from Texas University in Denton, Texas; and a degree in Administration from Texas University in Denton, Texas. He also completed special certifications in Special Education-Emotionally Disturbed and Bi-Lingual Education.
ELIGIBILITY: Applicant must be a minority high school senior in a Missouri Public School accepted in a college or university pursuing a college degree.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Received or postmarked on or before Jan. 15, 2021.
RETURN TO: Missouri NEA, HR Committee, 1810 E. Elm Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101 or fax to 573-634-5646 or email to roxane.bly@mnea.org.
Current Scholarships/Grants: Please list other scholarships and/or grants which applicant has applied and/or received.
Extracurricular Activities/Leadership/Awards/Achievements: As an attachment, please answer the following question: "What qualities do you have that make you uniquely deserving of this scholarship?"
Letter(s) of Recommendation: As an attachment, include at least one recent letter of recommendation from either a(n) administrator, counselor, teacher or other non-relative. More than one letter of recommendation may be submitted, and each letter must clearly state the name of the applicant being recommended, as well as the name, title, address, and phone number of the individual making the recommendation.
Questions? Contact Roxane Bly, Missouri NEA 1-800-392-0236 or email roxane.bly@mnea.org.
Contribute to the Charitable Fund
To make a tax deductible contribution to the scholarship fund, please complete the online form to set up a one-time or recurring contribution by credit card or mail a check made to “The MNEA Charitable Fund” with memo line notation of “The Gilbert Balderrama Minority Scholarship” to the following address:
Missouri NEA
ATTN: Charitable Fund, GBMS
1810 E. Elm Street
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Gilbert Balderrama
Balderrama served 14 years as a special education classroom instructor in Texas and New Mexico until 1993. As a teacher, he served as the local NEA president, bargaining chair and grievance chair. He also served on New Mexico NEA’s Minority Caucus as Vice Chair and Secretary. In l994, he enrolled in the NEA Intern Program for Women and Minorities and Missouri NEA hired him to be the UniServ Director for the Southeast Unit. In 1995, he transferred to the St. Louis area and remained there throughout his employment.
Balderrama continued to support and give back to the NEA intern program by not only teaching courses in the program, but also by mentoring new interns as they progressed from the internship to work. His last intern group was assigned in 2015, and he was like a “mother hen” as his flock spread out into the world to become UniServ Directors in other NEA state associations.
As part of the Missouri NEA, Gilbert was active in his own staff union, the Missouri Professional Staff Organization, and just recently represented his union brothers and sisters on the MNEA Pension Committee. For more than 20 years during his MNEA employment, Balderrama was the staff liaison to the MNEA Human Rights Committee, and he spent many hours with the activities of that group. As a representative from MNEA, Gilbert visited several universities and talked to education students about teaching and the benefits of being part of MNEA. Balderrama received many letters of commendation from the local MNEA associations that he has served.
Gilbert Balderrama had a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas; a Masters in Special Education from Texas University in Denton, Texas; and a degree in Administration from Texas University in Denton, Texas. He also completed special certifications in Special Education—Emotionally Disturbed and Bi-Lingual Education.