(via the American Library Association)
The American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services awarded the 2021 Spectrum Scholarships to 61 exceptional students pursuing graduate degrees in library and information studies.
Since 1997, the ALA has awarded more than 1,300 Spectrum Scholarships. During the 2021 application cycle, the Spectrum Scholarship Program received four times as many applications as there were available scholarships, and the majority of this year’s applicants were deemed highly fundable. A prestigious committee of 28 jurors selected this year’s Spectrum Scholars based on their commitment to community building, leadership potential and planned contributions to making social justice part of everybody’s everyday work in LIS.
The 2021-2022 Spectrum Scholars studying at Illinois-based programs in library and information studies are listed below.
- Ashley Bolger, University of Illinois
- Sheridan Cazarez, University of Illinois
- Bonita Dyess, University of Illinois
- Brandi Hart (ACRL Scholar), University of Illinois
- Cordiah Hayes (YALSA Scholar), University of Illinois
- Leslie Lopez Holder, Dominican University
- Kaila Thomas, University of Illinois
- Ide Thompson, University of Illinois
- Celina Tirona Dominican University
- Cynthia Wade, University of Illinois
- Kelly Zuniga (MPHSLC Scholar), University of Illinois
The Spectrum program funds scholarships through its endowment and the generous contributions of individuals and organizations whose donations support named scholarships in the Spectrum Family of Funds.
For more information on the program’s sponsors, along with a full list of this year’s winners, please go here.