UNT students named Spectrum Scholars by American Library Association

Monday, September 16, 2013 - 19:29

DENTON (UNT), Texas — Four students in the University of North Texas’ College of Information were selected as 2013 Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association. UNT is one of only three Texas universities to have students selected as scholars, and has more scholars than the other Texas universities. Seventeen UNT students have been named Spectrum Scholars since 2009.

The Spectrum Scholarships, which provide students with $5,000 for one academic year and are non-renewable, are considered to be among the most prestigious scholarships for students earning graduate degrees in library and information science.

The Spectrum Scholarship Program was established in 1997 by the ALA’s Office for Diversity as a national diversity and recruitment effort to address the under-representation of certain ethnic groups in the library profession. In addition to the scholarship, each Spectrum Scholar receives more than $1,500 worth of pre-professional development activities and ongoing leadership training and career placement services.

Several of this year’s scholarships were awarded in honor of donors to the Spectrum Family of Funds and are named for the donors.

All of this year’s Spectrum Scholars in the College of Information are earning master’s degrees in library science. They are:

Rebecca Calderon of El Paso. Calderon will be earning her degree online as she continues as a teacher at Josefa L. Sambrano Elementary School in San Elizario. She will teach first grade for the 2013-14 academic year, after previously teaching fifth grade and being a computer lab teacher and Title I reading teacher. Calderon received her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and master’s degree in reading from the University of Texas at El Paso.

•Carlito Sanchez of Las Vegas.  Sanchez is earning his master’s degree from UNT through the College of Information’s Nevada distance education program. He has worked for the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District since 1999 and is currently the district’s circulation department head. He has also worked as a support services assistant and circulation assistant. Sanchez attended the College of Southern Nevada and the University of Nevada at Las Vega and received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix.

Marco A. Veyna-Reyes of Mesquite, Nev. Veyna-Reyes received the Spectrum Scholarship sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children. He is also earning his master’s degree from UNT through the College of Information’s Nevada distance education program. He has worked for the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District since 2004 and is currently the Young People’s Library/Children Services assistant at the Mesquite branch, after previously serving as reference page, circulation assistant and gallery services assistant. Veyna-Reyes attended the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix.

Robert E. White of Atlanta. White is earning his master’s degree from UNT through the College of Information’s Georgia distance education program. He has worked as a library principle associate for Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System at Atlanta’s West End Branch Library since 1994 and was named one of the American Library Association’s “Movers & Shakers” for 2003. White received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia.   

 

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