SEIU Nora Piore Scholarship Program

Born in 1912, Piore was a public health care pioneer. In a career spanning more than 60 years, Piore worked as a union organizer, labor educator, college professor, health care economist, and as a health care activist who changed the face of public health in the United States.

A native of New York, she was born to Russian immigrant parents, both union activists. After graduating with an A.B. and M.A. in economics from the University of Wisconsin, Nora worked as a union organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. She later became an economics professor at Hunter College in New York, where she specialized in medical economics.

In 1965, Piore authored a landmark report, "Metropolitan Medical Economics," which illustrated that government was already paying for one-third of all health care and half of all hospital treatment in large cities. Her arguments were instrumental in winning the passage of Medicare, and in restructuring public health care delivery to reach the maximum number of needy patients through the most efficient channels.

Health care remains a critical issue in the United States today. Nora Piore passed away in 2000. Yet, her work continues to remind us that one dedicated activist can make life better for us all. SEIU is honored to offer the Nora Piore Scholarship to SEIU health care members and their children who wish to follow in her path by pursuing education or training for an occupation in health care or health care policy.

The Piore Scholarship award, renewable for up to four years, is currently set at $4,375. The financial need of applicants is considered during the selection process.