The School of Information Sciences is one of ten library and information
science (LIS) programs nationwide participating in a new Spectrum Doctoral
Fellowship program, whose goal is to increase racial and ethnic diversity
among our profession’s next generation of LIS leaders. The program will
provide full tuition support and annual stipends totaling $20,000 to 10
full-time LIS doctoral students for all four years of study at one of the
ten participating LIS programs listed below.
Individuals interested in a dynamic career in LIS education or executive
level administration are encouraged to apply. The University of Pittsburgh
and the American Library Association initiated the program, which builds on
the success of ALA’s Spectrum Scholarship program, and which has provided
funding to 415 individuals pursuing LIS master’s degrees or school media
certification since 1997.
The ten participating programs include: the University of Pittsburgh School
of Information Sciences, University of Arizona, University of California at
Los Angeles, University of Michigan, Rutgers University, Simmons College,
Syracuse University, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, University of
Texas at Austin, and University of Wisconsin at Madison.
The Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship is open to applicants of American
Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino or
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander heritage who are citizens or
permanent residents of the U.S. and who exhibit intellectual curiosity,
interest in the LIS field, and evidence of the ability to excel as a scholar
or executive administrator in the LIS field. Applicants need not have
received a Spectrum master’s-level scholarship or a master’s degree in the
LIS field, though their applications will be ranked based on evidence of
their ability to impact the profession.
Applications for the Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship will be accepted through
January 12, 2007. Applicants must also apply for admission to one or more of
the 10 participating library and information science doctoral programs.
Spectrum Doctoral Fellows must be accepted at one of the participating
doctoral programs. Winners of the Spectrum Doctoral Fellowships will
be announced on or before May 15, and will begin studies in the fall of
2007.
To underscore the fellowship program’s emphasis on leadership, Spectrum
Doctoral Fellows will attend the expense-paid E.J. Josey Doctoral Leadership
Institute held in conjunction with the annual meeting of ALISE, the
Association for Library and Information Science Education and named for the
University of Pittsburgh Professor Emeritus acknowledged as one of the
profession’s staunchest diversity advocates.
The Spectrum application process includes the following: submission of an
electronic application form (as this form cannot be saved, you may want to
review the questions in advance and be prepared to cut and paste your
answers); submission of official transcripts from all educational
institutions attended; your personal resume or curriculum vitae; a personal
statement; and three letters of recommendation.
Please contact Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship Director, Dr. Toni Carbo,
Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences and
Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, at
tcarbo@mail.sis.pitt.edu with any questions. Applicants are urged to contact
individual participating LIS programs for information regarding graduate
school application or program logistics and requirements.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is providing nearly
$1 million to fund the program.
For more information, visit the
SIS scholarship page.
