For immediate release
November 9, 2007
For more information, contact:
Jerome Offord Jr.
Association of Research Libraries
202-296-2296
jerome@arl.org
Washington DC—The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Diversity Initiatives Working Group has selected 24 MLS students from underrepresented groups to participate in the 2007–09 Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce. The 2007–09 Diversity Scholars will receive:
leadership development via ARL’s annual Leadership Institute, which includes a professional writing seminar funded by Purdue University Libraries, sessions on macro-level issues facing research libraries, networking with ARL library directors and human resources directors, and advice from former Diversity Scholars;
a hosted visit to Purdue University Libraries to learn more about the advanced operations of a research library;
professional mentoring from an ARL librarian or an alumnus of either ARL’s Leadership and Career Development Program or the Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce;
paid membership in a major professional association and in the American Library Association’s five ethnic caucuses; and
a stipend of $10,000 over two years to help defray the cost of graduate school.
The 2007–09 Diversity Scholars are:
Jason K. Alston, North Carolina Central University
Jordan C. Andrade, Florida State University*
RaShauna N. Brannon, North Carolina Central University
Lisa Chow, Pratt Institute*
Michael S. Creedon, Syracuse University*
Freeman D. Culver III, University of Alabama
Natalia de Roock, University of Arizona
George E. Gottschalk, University of Oklahoma
Janice M. Gould, University of Arizona
Yi Jin, University of California, Los Angeles*
Marcellaus A. Joiner, North Carolina Central University
Loretta Lewis, Louisiana State University*
Lin Li, University of Toronto*
Mari Nakahara, Catholic University of America*
Ja’Nean Palacios, San Jose State University
Daryl Payton, North Carolina Central University*
Angel L. Roman, Pratt Institute
Kristal E. Sergent, University of Oklahoma
Manju Tanwar, University of South Carolina*
Christina K. Thach, Indiana University
Lianne V. Valerio, University of Texas at Austin
Dawn M. Waller, Drexel University
Steven A. Ward, Catholic University of America*
Jiguang Zheng, University of Alberta*
* funded under IMLS grant to attract science majors
The Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce offers leadership development and a stipend of up to $10,000 over two years to MLS students from underrepresented groups who are interested in careers in research libraries. The initiative is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and by voluntary contributions from 52 ARL member libraries. This funding reflects a commitment to create a diverse research library community that will better meet the new challenges of global competition and changing demographics. The Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce is located on the Web at http://www.arl.org/diversity/init/.
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 123 research libraries in North America. Its mission is to influence the changing environment of scholarly communication and the public policies that affect research libraries and the diverse communities they serve. ARL pursues this mission by advancing the goals of its member research libraries, providing leadership in public and information policy to the scholarly and higher education communities, fostering the exchange of ideas and expertise, and shaping a future environment that leverages its interests with those of allied organizations. ARL is located on the Web at http://www.arl.org/.