30 years and counting: Maritime scholarship fund tradition continues

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ILA Local 1408 Scholarship Fund golf tournament raises money for Jacksonville students

Written by: Sophia Prudencio

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) 1408 Scholarship Fund hosted its 30^th annual golf tournament in April at the Hidden Hills Golf Club. The tournament is the fund’s primary fundraiser and provides scholarship money for Northeast Florida college students.  

What began as a modest $20,000 fund in 1995 has grown into a force for educational opportunity, thanks to the generous support of corporate sponsors, donors, and proceeds from the annual golf tournament. The ILA 1408 Scholarship Fund was founded by Jacksonville native and long-time ILA union leader Charles Spencer, who was inspired to start the fund by his own experience covering the cost of his children’s education.

The ILA Local 1408 Scholarship Fund is affiliated with the labor union ILA Local 1408, which represents many of the longshoremen and dock workers who move cargo through JAXPORT’s terminals.

Spencer has served Jacksonville’s port community in positions of increasing responsibility with the ILA for decades. He is a nationally recognized labor union leader who started working on the docks at the Talleyrand Marine Terminal in 1963 and raised his family working as a longshoreman.

Once his children became ready for college, Spencer saw firsthand how quickly the expenses for housing, tuition, and books could add up—and at the time, there were no scholarships available to ease the burden. Determined to help families like his, he launched the foundation with a simple yet powerful belief: everyone deserves access to a quality education regardless of financial circumstance.

“My mother taught me the importance of helping others, saying that when you keep your hand open, while you may give a lot, you also invite more in,” he said. “And, indeed, more has come in. Over the years, as the port has grown, many union members have continued to give back, and our corporate sponsors have generously supported us year after year.”

Two-time scholarship recipient Chyna Shine-Bron attended this year’s golf tournament with her mother to give back and personally thank some of the donors. Currently studying at Florida International University in Miami, Chyna plans to transfer to the University of South Florida this fall to major in chemistry. Her dream is to become a cosmetic chemist and launch her own line of beauty products tailored specifically for Black women. “This scholarship has really helped me stay afloat in college and not have to worry about the financial burdens,” she shared.

Robert Hall, a longtime supporter of the tournament, first joined as a player a decade ago. Hall believes in the power of higher learning and is committed to helping others reach their academic goals. For the past six years, he’s taken a more active role in organizing the event. A retired professor who taught political science at Jacksonville University and criminology at the University of North Florida, Hall’s passion for education is deeply rooted in his career. “I have a strong connection with those who need economic assistance to further their education goals. So that meant a lot to me, and I wanted to do more for the tournament,” he said.

Walter Brown, a 17-year ILA 1408 member, has played in the tournament for the past five years. For Brown, the event is also a family tradition. Each year, he brings together relatives from California, Georgia, and Jacksonville to participate. “I love the Fund, and I am happy that a lot of kids will get a good start,” said Brown. For him, the tournament is about more than just golf—it’s about community, family, and uplifting the next generation of students.

Jadene Newborn Whaley, the Fund’s Executive Director, said the organization’s goal for its milestone 30th year is to help more students and give out larger scholarships, creating an even bigger impact on Jacksonville students by investing in their future. “We’ve been sewing into the Jacksonville community, and a lot of those students go out, and come back, and sew back into the Jacksonville community.”

The fund has reached over $1.5 million in scholarship money over the last three decades, which has helped over 1,000 students.

While the tournament is held each year in the spring, scholarships are given out in August ahead of the fall semester. That leaves more time to donate to the fund through the end of July. If you are interested in getting involved or donating to the scholarship, visit ilascholarshipfund.org/.