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Student Scholarships and Awards

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SLIS Awards

Anna M. Roberts Award for Scholarship, Service, and Professionalism, named in honor of Anna Roberts, the first Professor and first Chair of Library Science department, is given to a graduate of the previous year, majoring in Library Science, who possesses an outstanding scholastic record, who provides evidence of distinguished service to the School of Library and Information Science, the University, and the Community, and who displays promise and leadership in the field of library science.

2024 – Eleanor Bishop
2023 – Regina Dewitt
2022 – Clista Shamley
2021 – Bethanie Finger
2020 – Laura Schreiber
2019 – Barbara Bera
2018 – Phadre Hocker
2017 – Alex Brower
2016 – Ruby Olivia Potter
2015 – Jordan Alexandra Pettigrew
2014 – Alexandra Snyder
2013 – Lori Clendenning
2012 – Kelly Bennett

Warren Tracy Award for Professionalism, Scholarship, and Service, named in honor of Warren Francis Tracy, USM Professor Emeritus of Library Science, is given to a graduate MLIS student of the previous year who possesses an outstanding scholastic record, who provides evidence of distinguished service to the School of Library and Information Science, and who displays professional promise and leadership in the field of library science.

2024 – Phadre Hocker
2023 – Laura Schreiber
2022 – Sarah Hodge-Wetherbe
2021 – Laura Valliant
2020 – Rachel McMullen
2019 – Alex Brower
2018 – Lauren Ashley Howell
2017 – Emilie Aplin
2016 – Jessica Whipple
2015 – Carlos Benjamin Crocker
2014 – Jeannie Ferris
2013 – Christine Hiller
2012 – Sharon Kelleher

National Scholarships, Awards

American Library Association Spectrum Scholarship

Jordan M. Jones, 2023
Lynn Cowles, ProQuest Scholar, 2017
Timothy Nalin Senapatiratne, 2011
Charisse Nicole Byers, 2008
Mantra Henderson, 1998
Jama Lumumba, 1998

American Library Association International Relations Committee's John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award

Amed Demirhan, 2017

Association for Rural & Small Libraries Dr. Bernard Vavrek Scholarship

Hannah Hobbs, 2021
Jenniffer Stephenson, 2009

ASCLA Century $2,500 Scholarship

Cynthia Nugent, 2007

American Library Association Emerging Leaders Program

Phillip Carter, Association of Rural & Small Libraries, 2018
Lauren Ashley Howell, ACRL European Studies Section, 2018
Jennifer Nabzdyk Todd, Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), 2015
Jennifer Walker, Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), 2010

American Association of Law Libraries Emerging Leaders Award

Stephen Parks, State Librarian, State Law Library of Mississippi (2018)

ALA Student-to-Staff Program

Whitney Baswell, 2019
Rachel McMullen, 2018
Charlotte Roi, 2017
Michael Oden, 2016
Jessica Whipple, 2015
Callie Wiygul, 2014
Ginger Rogers, 2013
Deanna Day, 2012

Library Journal Movers & Shakers

Eryn Duffee (Advocates), 2023
Amed Demirhan (Advocates), 2014
Jennifer Wann Walker (Change Agent), 2010
Nadia Nasr, Tech Leaders (Digital Wizard), 2007

Southern Miss SLIS Scholarships

Dr. Elizabeth Haynes LIS Scholarship

2022 – Robert McRae
2021 – Matthew Fillingame
2020 – Carl Jared Ziegler

Dr. Teresa S. Welsh LIS Scholarship

2022 – Jaleesa Kennedy
2021 – Caroline Akers

Molline Mayfield Keyes Scholarship

2022 – Jovonne Carr, Lara Taylor
2021 – Savannah Covarrubias, Anna Morgan
2020 – Elizabeth Latham, Vanessa Armstrong
2019 – Michael Emerson, Cherry Lockett
2018 – Megan Lindsay, Autumn Donaldson
2017 – Lynn Cowles, Kelly Thompson
2016 – Abby Mayfield, Charlayne Burkett
2015 – Floyce Thomas, Scott Manganello

H. W. Wilson Foundation Scholarship

2021 – Therese Rose Beranis, Victoria Patrick
2020 – Laura Valliant, Chrystal Coon
2019 – Deborah Thompson, Dustin Cotton
2018 – Kate Prendergast, Rachel McMullen
2017 – Alex Brower, Carrie Mastley
2016 – Stephanie Evans, Rebecca Humbert
2015 – Kelly Kitzman, LaQuana Burks

School of Library and Information Science Scholarship

2022 – Alicia Bass
2021 – Jennifer Ottinger
2020 – Jennifer Ottinger
2019 – Candace Burkett
2018 – Ever McKinney
2017 – Melinda Smith
2016 – Annie Watkins
2015 – Rebecca Houston

Beta Phi Mu Beta Psi Chapter Scholarship

2022- Amanda Osborne
2021 – Bridy Foster
2019 – Kate Dutro
2018 – Elaine Walker
2017 – Alex Brower
2016 – Emilie Aplin
2015 – Rebecca Houston

Mississippi Scholarships

Mississippi Library Commission Public Librarian Scholarships

2021 – Mandy Hornsby, Cynthia Hudson, Megan Miller, Loraine Walker, Meridith Wulff

Mississippi Library Association Scholarships

Until Peggy May's tragic and untimely death in 1974, she traveled the state to support library colleagues in small and large libraries to develop library services for its citizens. The Peggy May Scholarship was established to honor her dedication to librarianship and her commitment to recruit talented individuals to the profession. The award of about $1,000 is made to a qualified graduate student currently enrolled or admitted in the Southern Miss School of Library and Information Science.

2023 – Erica Will
2022 – Lara Taylor
2021 – Anita Winger
2020 – Amanda Osborne
2019 – Rachel Long
2018 – Katherine Dutro
2017 – Alex Brower
2016 – Lakesha Smith
2015 – Rebecca Houston

The Virgia Brocks-Shedd Scholarship is awarded by the MLA Black Caucus Roundtable (BCRT) in honor of the late Virgia Brocks-Shedd who devoted 26 years of outstanding service to the humanities. This award is made annually to a minority student and is a one-time, non-renewable award paid directly to the recipient. The recipient must attend the Southern Miss School of Library and Information Science.

2023 – Kim Blackett
2022 – Contaka Norman
2021 – Erik Cebrian
2019 – Shirley Ginn
2018 – Juana Harris
2017 – Brenette Nichols
2016 – Zupuriuh Harrington
2015 – Joanna Williams
2014 – Floyce Thomas

Central Mississippi Library Council (CMLC) Scholarship

2020 – Amy Lee
2019 – Diana Brown
2018 – Kelly Thompson
2017 – Hannah Berryhill
2016 – Brittany Tibbett
2015 – Emilie Aplin
2013 – Jillian Rogers
2012 – Jaclyn Lewis
2011 – Jeffrey Stephen Sootheran
2010 – Sarah Welch
2008 – Mara Villa
2007 – Tamara Nelson
2006 – Lorianne Hawkins
2005 – Jennifer Wann

IMLS-Funded MInority Scholarship Initiative, 2009-2012

In 2009, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded a grant of $429,388.00 to Southern Miss SLIS to fund a minority scholarship initiative to increase the number of underrepresented minority librarians in the state. Through targeted recruiting of minority undergraduates in Mississippi's universities and colleges, the project awarded 10 IMLS-funded scholarships to minority students. All 10 recipients earned a MLIS degree and are working as professional librarians in a variety of libraries.