The I.U.P.A. recently put out a press release, “Statement of President Cabral Regarding I.U.P.A. Member and I.U.P.A. Family Member Being Awarded 2024 Union Plus Scholarships” about two very impressive ladies who were awarded the 2024 Union Plus Scholarship!
- Sophia Grace Finnegan-Ayala of Milwaukee. Finnegan-Ayala, whose father, Alex Ayala, is a member of I.U.P.A. Local 21, has been awarded a $2,000 scholarship.
- Ashley Hope Smith of North Syracuse, New York. Smith, who is a member of I.U.P.A. Local 8, has been awarded a $1,050 scholarship.
Sophia Grace Finnegan-Ayala: 2024 Union Plus Scholarship Winner
Ms. Finnegan-Ayala will attend Marquette University, where she will major in biomedical sciences on the university’s pre-physician assistant (PA) track. Her goal is to enter Marquette’s accelerated PA program in the fall of her third year. She participated in the Medical College of Wisconsin Apprenticeship in Medicine summer program last year and hopes to work in a hospital, specializing in oncology or obstetrics.
Ms. Finnegan-Ayala’s father has been an I.U.P.A. member since 2002 and recently was named Milwaukee Police Union President. “My father has been an unwavering advocate for his fellow officers,” she said. “Witnessing his dedication to his profession has been a lesson in resilience and the broader impact that individuals can have on society through their chosen profession.”
Ashley Hope Smith: 2024 Union Plus Scholarship Winner
Sergeant Smith, who has been a police officer for nearly sixteen years, plans to begin online coursework toward a counseling degree this fall. She hopes to become a licensed counselor and wants to transition to full-time counseling when her police officer career concludes. She is a sergeant for the Town of Cicero [New York] Police Department (CPD), where she is the department’s Public Information Officer. She has been with the CPD since 2013 and was named the department’s Officer of the Year in 2022. Ashley holds numerous certifications and licenses, and she works part-time with the Village of North Syracuse Police Department. She is part of the CPD Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Support Team, which provides counseling services to colleagues and their family members as well as citizens who contact the police department for service.
Sergeant Smith is a proud I.U.P.A. member, serving as a CPD Board Member and Secretary for New York State Union of Police Associations (NYSUPA) I.U.P.A. Local 8. “Unions are extremely important for protection and the overall fairness of making sure the contracts are followed as they should be,” Ashley said. “I am happy that we have such a great union that has our best interests at heart.”
Previous Winner Daniel Padron: 2021 Union Plus Scholarship Winner
A previous recent winner of the Union Plus Scholarship is Daniel Padron, son of Fernando Padron, a member of I.U.P.A. Local 6020. Daniel used his scholarship to study biology at Florida Atlantic University in preparation for his studies in medical school to become a neurosurgeon. This career path was inspired by the neurosurgeons who saved his mother’s life when they removed her brain tumor.
Daniel’s father Fernando has faithfully served in law enforcement for over twenty-five years and he has been with the I.U.P.A. since 2009. In his application for the scholarship, Daniel said, “I.U.P.A. has been instrumental in negotiating fair contracts and mediating disputes with different cities and municipalities.” He continued, “Unions have helped workers throughout history and they are more important than ever today.”
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