Meet Sophia, a 2026 AFSCME Family Scholarship Recipient

For Sophia Thai, receiving the AFSCME Family Scholarship is about more than financial support; it's about creating opportunities for herself, her family, and her community.

Each year, the AFSCME Family Scholarship Program provides ten $2,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors, renewed each year for up to four years. This is available to graduating high school seniors whose parent, legal guardian or financially responsible grandparent is a full dues-paying AFSCME member. Applications for 2027 will be available in August.

A recent graduate of Adrienne C. Nelson High School, Sophia plans to attend Drake University, where she will study actuarial science and music with a focus on piano. Throughout high school, she balanced academics with a commitment to service and leadership, serving as an officer in multiple student organizations and dedicating countless hours to volunteer work.

One of her proudest accomplishments was participating in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Student Visionaries of the Year campaign, which she wrote about in her application for the scholarship. Working alongside students from across Oregon, Sophia helped raise more than $111,000 to support blood cancer research and education, as well as cancer patients and their families. Sophia became familiar with leukemia and other cancers as they affected members of her community, which led to her volunteering.

Behind Sophia's success is a strong support system, including her mother, Hoa Vu. Hoa is a member of Oregon AFSCME Local 88, representing Multnomah County workers. As an immigrant family, both Sophia and Hoa emphasize the importance of community, support, and creating opportunities for future generations.

The oldest of three siblings, Sophia says the scholarship will help make her college dreams a reality while easing the financial burden on her family. She also hopes her story will inspire other young people, especially those from immigrant communities, to pursue new opportunities and believe in what they can achieve.

Whether she's leading a fundraising campaign, volunteering in her community, or playing piano at local churches, Sophia embodies the values of service, leadership, and perseverance. We are proud to celebrate Sophia's accomplishments and the support of her union family as she begins this exciting new chapter.

Hear directly from Sophia and Hoa by watching the interview here: https://youtu.be/TepODYcKf54 

To learn more about the AFSCME Family Scholarship and who is eligible to apply, visit https://www.afscme.org/member-resources/scholarships/afscme-family-scholarship.