OBSOLETE INFORMATION MEANT FOR ARCHIVE PURPOSES ONLY
The Michigan Academic Library Association will award grants to attend the MiALA Annual Conference.
The purpose of the MiALA Annual Conference grants are to support a current MiALA member's attendance at the Annual Conference.
The MiALA Annual Conference grant will cover the cost of full conference registration, up to two night's hotel stay (room and tax only) at a hotel at which the conference has a room block reserved, and a $50 travel allowance that can be used for meals and/or other travel expenses. Up to seven scholarships will be awarded. The grantee and/or grantee's institution will be expected to cover any remaining conference or travel costs.
All grants are non-transferable. If a member is selected and cannot attend, an alternate will be selected from among eligible entries. Grants/prizes/awards obtained from other MiALA programs that cover conference registration fees may not be used in conjunction with the MiALA Annual Conference grants and are non-transferable.
"As a 2019 scholarship recipient for MiALA‘s Annual Conference, I cannot say enough about what a great experience I had attending this wonderful event. As a library support staff member at a community college with a limited budget, I would not have been able to attend the conference without the assistance provided. The knowledge I gained from the keynote speaker, various breakout sessions, and one-on-one conversations with fellow attendees is invaluable. I feel very proud to be part of such a generous and forward-thinking organization.
I strongly encourage anyone wanting to attend MiALA‘s Annual Conference to apply for one of the several scholarships available. You have nothing to lose and if selected as a recipient, the rewards are limitless."
Beth Lieberman, 2019 MiALA Scholarship Recipient North Central Michigan College
Eligibility
To apply for a MiALA Annual Conference grant, an individual must meet the following criteria:
Be a current individual/student/retiree member of MiALA in good standing; and
MiALA annual dues must be current and paid prior to applying
To Apply
The deadline to apply was Friday, February 14, 2020. Winners will be announced shortly.
Important Notes
Current MiALA Board of Directors and Conference Planning Committee members are NOT eligible to apply. Past grant recipients may not apply for another MiALA Annual Conference grant for five years.
Selection Committee
The grant selection committee shall consists of members of the MiALA Board of Directors and Conference Planning committee. The committee will moderate the selection process and utilize the selection criteria below to identify seven grant recipients for each grant and two alternates. The decisions are final and there is no appeal process.
Evaluation Rubric
The selection committee will factor in the following criteria as a guide in making their selections:
Applicants that are new to library employment/library school;
First time attendees to the annual conference;
Have financial hardship due to budgetary restrictions at applicants' institutions;
Volunteerism within MiALA;
How long an applicant has been a member of MiALA; and
Other information provided as appropriate
Greater preference will be given to applicants that are brand new to the library field (whether in employment or in their education), have never attended a MiALA Annual Conference, serve in an intern and/or support staff role, and/or are experiencing financial hardship. Other information shared within their application may also be taken into consideration including the effort put forth in completion of the application and other factors.
If you have any questions, please contact the scholarship team leader, Elizabeth Walker, at Elizabeth.Walker2@arbor.edu
2020 Conference Scholarship Award Announcement
The Conference Scholarship subcommittee is pleased to announce the 2020 Annual Conference scholarship recipients:
Annual Conference Scholarship Recipients (each will receive full registration to the Annual Conference in 2021, up to two nights lodging at the conference hotel, and a $50 travel stipend):
Cara Cadena - Grand Valley State University
Courtney Cooney - Kettering University
Juliana Espinosa - Western Michigan University
Rocio Lopez - Grand Valley State University
Rebecca Renirie - Central Michigan University
Mary Ruge - Grand Valley State University
Jessica Shuck - Cornerstone University
A huge thank you to everyone who applied, and a hearty CONGRATULATIONS to each of the recipients!
Also, a special thank you to this year's scholarship sponsors: North Central Michigan College and Aquinas College for their support!
Though it is disappointing that our recipients will not be able to utilize their awards this year, we hope that they will be able to attend the 2021 conference in Big Rapids. Plans are still underway to determine if additional scholarships will be available for next year's conference. Watch the annual conference webpage for updates!
With sincere best wishes from the Conference Scholarship Subcommittee: Elizabeth Walker, Spring Arbor University (Chair) Beth Lieberman, North Central Michigan College Ashley Rosener, Grand Valley State University Cynthia Simpson, Madonna University Arlene Weismantel, Michigan State University