Michael Weiner Scholarship | MLB Players Trust

Providing support to the next generation of worker advocates in honor of the MLBPA’s late Executive Director

The Michael Weiner Scholarship for Labor Studies seeks to recognize and support the efforts of graduate and/or law school students dedicated to improving the lives of workers.
The Players Trust awards $50,000 annually to fund up to five scholarships at a minimum of $10,000 each. To date, the Trust has proudly awarded $400,000 in scholarships.

The Players Trust also provides support, resources, and networking opportunities to alumni of the scholarship program as they continue to move forward in their educational and vocational journeys.

About Michael Weiner

Michael Weiner spent 25 years, nearly his entire professional career, with the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) working in support of Players –past, present and future. Despite being diagnosed with cancer in August of 2012, Michael continued working on behalf of the players until passing in November 2013, at the age of 51.

By nearly every conceivable measure, baseball players are better off today than they were when Michael first walked into the MLBPA offices in 1988. Michael fundamentally believed that workers –in all facets – deserved a voice on the job. Michael was widely respected for his love for family, infectious personality and his brilliance. The MLBPA and the players want him to be remembered as a champion for all workers seeking an opportunity to better their lives.

Selection Committee

Scholarship recipients are selected by a committee made up of some of those who were closest to Michael, both professionally and personally. Meet our 2023 selection committee members:

Diane Margolin Weiner, Wife of the late Michael Weiner | Of Counsel, Margolin & Neuner

Cindy Abercrombie, Contract Administrator, MLBPA

Jeff Fannell, Outside Counsel, MLBPA

Bob Lenaghan, Assistant General Counsel, MLBPA

Ian Penny, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, MLBPA

Scholarship Application and
Eligibility Requirements

THE 2023 APPLICATION IS NOW OPEN THROUGH FEBRUARY 16TH.

To be eligible for an award, applicants must be graduate or law students enrolled in an accredited educational institution in the United States and graduating no sooner than December 2023.  Further, applicants must have a demonstrated interest in, and wish to make a career out of, working in the labor movement and on behalf of workers’ rights. To receive an award, eligible candidates must also meet a combination of criteria identified below:

A strong academic record;
Demonstrated prior commitment to workers’ rights as shown by employment, volunteer work, or other relevant experience;
Demonstrated financial need;
A recommendation from an academic or a labor/workers’ rights practitioner, and
Strong written and oral communication skills.

We encourage all interested students to apply as consideration for the scholarship will be based upon a candidate’s entire portfolio.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for the Michael Weiner Scholarship for Labor Studies Scholarship Program, please follow the instructions below:

Go to https://aim.applyists.net/MLBPT/. If you have an existing ISTS account, log in. To create a new account, click “Don’t have an account? Register!” to create an ISTS account. You should be automatically redirected to the application form.
- If you are directed to the ISTS Home Page, click Add New Application, enter the Program Key MLBPT, and click Apply Now.
Complete all required fields, upload your required documents, and Submit your application.

If you need assistance, you may reach out to the ISTS Program Support Team via email at ContactUs@applyISTS.com or click the green help widget on your application to live chat with an agent during normal business hours.

Direct Link to Apply: https://aim.applyists.net/MLBPT/
Key: MLBPT