About
The Mike Garcia Scholarship
The Mike Garcia Leadership Scholarship was established to honor Mike Garcia, who demonstrated extraordinary integrity and dedication to working families across California.
With the rising cost of education and diminishing public funding, college scholarships become even more critical. Nearly all of the children of property service workers are first-generation college students. Every night, their parents work hard to keep offices clean and safe for tenants and office workers across the state. The majority dream of their children attending college, but unfortunately the combination of their low-wages and the increasing cost of tuition prevent many from providing the financial support needed for their children to attend college.
The Mike Garcia Leadership Scholarship is part of Building Skills Partnership and established as an endowment to honor the legacy and vision of Mike Garcia. With the partnership of SEIU-USWW, we continue to provide the financial support for the children of property service workers to obtain a higher education.
Since 2008, with the donations from individuals, employers, labor and SEIU-USWW, BSP has provided over $400,000 in scholarships to students.
The Martha Cox Nitikman Memorial Scholarship
For over three decades, Martha Cox-Nitikman worked as a tireless advocate as the Vice President of Public Policy for the Building Owners and Managers Association Greater Los Angeles (BOMA/GLA). Martha is remembered for her deep knowledge of industry issues and for her unrelenting approach to solving public challenges.
Martha also served as a founding board member of Building Skills Partnership (BSP) from 2007 to 2019, and was instrumental in advocating for the expansion of its programs throughout California. As a board member, Martha helped steer the organization through immense growth.
Martha Cox-Nitikman is an exemplary example of true commitment and passion to serve. She was a champion of Building Skills Partnership, and demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving opportunities for working families to succeed in their careers and educational endeavors.
Please join BOMA/GLA in honoring her legacy through the Martha Cox-Nitikman Memorial Scholarship. Founded in 2023, the funds will benefit low-income college students who are majoring in public policy, proudly continuing Martha's devotion to community service.
"Immigrant families now and throughout the history of this country strive to build a better life for their children and future generations. This is the fabric of America and this is the top priority and purpose which drives our members’ lives."
-Mike Garcia
The Legacy of Mike Garcia
Mike Garcia was born in April of 1951 in East Los Angeles. As a student at Cal State Northridge, Mike worked his way through college as a janitor, a key experience that would come to shape his life and passion as a fierce advocate for working families. Mike served as the President of SEIU-USWW between 1988 and 2014 where he led 40,000 janitors, security officers, and airport workers in the Justice for Janitors campaign; a movement that helped workers achieve a more just way of living and working. His legacy remains through the Mike Garcia Scholarship, created in 2015 upon Mike's retirement.
Our Vision
Building Skills Partnership was founded on the philosophy that education improves the quality of life for property service workers and their families. BSP is committed to supporting property service workers and their children in their pursuit of higher education. Since 2008, with the donations from individuals, employers, labor and SEIU-USWW, BSP has provided over $200,000 in scholarships to students.