2023 MiALA Annual Conference Scholarships: Guidelines & Information
The Michigan Academic Library Association will award scholarships to attend the MiALA Annual Conference.
The purpose of the MiALA Annual Conference scholarships are to support a current MiALA member's attendance at the Annual Conference.
The 2023 MiALA Annual Conference Scholarship will cover the cost of full in-person conference registration as well as up to two nights lodging in the conference hotel. Up to seven scholarships will be awarded. The scholarship recipient and/or recipient’s institution will be expected to cover any remaining conference costs.
All scholarships 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 scholarships 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 Scholarship, an individual must meet the following criteria:
Be a current individual/retiree member of MiALA in good standing; and
MiALA annual dues must be current and paid prior to applying
Important Notes
Current MiALA Board of Directors and Conference Planning Committee members are NOT eligible to apply.
Past scholarship recipients may not apply for another MiALA Annual Conference scholarship for five years.
Selection Committee The scholarship selection committee shall consist 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 scholarship recipients 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;
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, 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.
2023 Conference Scholarship Award Announcement The MiALA 2023 Conference Scholarship subcommittee is pleased to announce the 2023 Annual Conference scholarship recipients:
Amy Klebba – Kettering University Katie Edmiston – Central Michigan University Sheila Garcia Mazari – University of California, Santa Cruz Patti Skinner – West Shore Community College Kyle Ceci – Delta College Gerald Natal – University of Toledo Robin Daniels – Syracuse University
A huge thank you to everyone who applied, and a hearty CONGRATULATIONS to each of the recipients!
If you have any questions, please contact the scholarship team leader, Elizabeth Walker-Papke, at elizabeth.papke@indwes.edu.