Spectrum Scholarship winners announced

Contact: Gwendolyn Prellwitz, Communications Officer, Diversity


312-280-5048



For Immediate Release


June 13, 2003

Spectrum Scholarship winners announced

The American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Diversity is pleased to announce the sixth cohort of Spectrum Scholarships at ALA’s Annual Conference in Toronto, June 19-25. The Spectrum Initiative's major drive is to recruit applicants and award scholarships to American Indian/Alaska Native; Asian; Black/African American; Hispanic/Latino; and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students for graduate programs in library and information studies. Its mission is improving service at the local level through the development of a representative workforce that reflects the communities served by all libraries in the new millennium.

ALA committed resources for 50 annual scholarships of $5,000 a year for the Initiative's first four years.
The Spectrum program continues to fund scholarships through the initial endowment and the generous contributions of individuals and organizations whose donations support named scholarships in the Spectrum Family of Funds.
For 2003, scholarships will be awarded in honor of the following individuals:
Leo Albert, Louise Giles, Howard M. and Gladys B. Teeple, and Betty J. Turock.

Additionally, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) has donated funds that provide assistance to library students of color with an interest in academic librarianship to support six ACRL Spectrum Scholars in 2003-4.
The Medical Library Association/National Library of Medicine (MLA/NLM) has committed funds to support one scholarship a year through 2010.
The 2003-4 MLA/NLM Spectrum Scholarship supports a student of color with an interest in the field of medical or health sciences librarianship.

The 2003-4 Spectrum Scholars are:

  • Tahirah Akbar-Williams, Surprise, Az.
  • Natalae Anderson, Spring Lake, N.C.
  • Michael Baradi, Pacoima, Calif., Betty J. Turock Scholar
  • Sandra Blackman, Buffalo, N.Y.
  • Chris Candelaria, Pico Rivera, Calif.
  • Rachel Carreon, Austin, Texas
  • Myka Carroll, Brooklyn, N.Y., Leo Albert Scholar
  • Jocelyn Castillo, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Glenda Claborne, Portland, Ore.
  • Angela Cortez, Stewartsville, N.J., Louise Giles Scholar
  • Ida daRoza, San Francisco, ACRL Scholar
  • Judy Evans, Astoria, N.Y.
  • Elizabeth Fagin, Washington, D.C.
  • Raquel Fernandez, Miami, Howard M. & Gladys B. Teeple Scholar
  • Kimberly Gay, Sulphur Springs, Texas
  • Amy Harper, Seattle, ACRL Scholar
  • Cristina Hernandez, New Orleans, ACRL Scholar
  • Mary Kirk, Midwest City, Okla., ACRL Scholar
  • Zahra Langford, Santa Cruz, Calif.
  • Jody Lovaj, Saint Paul, Minn.
  • Luiz Mendes, Los Angeles, ACRL Scholar
  • Alanna Moore, Chicago
  • James Moore, Portland, Ore.
  • Saidah Ochoa, El Paso, Texas
  • Soran Pan, Providence, R.I.
  • Martha Preddie, Raleigh, N.C., MLA/NLM Scholar
  • Enriqueta Tuason, Daly City, Calif.
  • Vynarack Xaykao, San Antonio. Texas, ACRL Scholar


    In order to continue its dedication to promoting diversity within the profession, the ALA seeks to establish a $5 million endowment to support Spectrum Scholarships in perpetuity.
    For more information on the Spectrum Initiative and how you can contribute, please contact the Office for Diversity at 1-800-545-2433 ext. 5048 or visit
    www.ala.org/spectrum.