Spectrum scholar selected as RUSA Intern

Contact: Eileen Hardy


312-280-4398

ALA News Release


For Immediate Release


March 2001

Spectrum scholar selected as RUSA Intern

The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) has selected Richenda Wilkinson, a 2000 Spectrum scholar attending San Jose State University, as the 2000-2001 RUSA Intern. As the RUSA Intern, Wilkinson will work for two years with the RUSA Vice-President/President-Elect, Carol Tobin, reference department head, University of North Carolina. Wilkinson will receive $3,000 to support travel expenses to attend the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter and Annual conferences.

Wilkinson has a bachelor of arts degree in English and history from the University of California, Davis. She currently serves as librarian at Sequoyah Library, D-Q University, California's Tribal College. She also has worked at the Solano County Library, Vacaville, Calif.; the Dixon (Calif.) Public Library; Yolo County Library, Davis, Calif.; and the University of California, Davis Library.

"The RUSA internship will build upon the unique experience I already have and support my goal of becoming an ethnic studies librarian at a university library," Wilkinson stated.

RUSA selects one Spectrum scholar each year to receive the travel grant and work with the RUSA vice-president. The
ALA Spectrum Initiative provides $5,000 scholarships to students of color from one of the four largest underrepresented groups: African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino and Native American.

RUSA is a division of the ALA.