Circle of Learning Scholarship

Application information is now available for Circle of Learning scholarships, designed for American Indians and Alaska Natives who are interested in earning a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree.  The program is a partnership between the San Jose School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) and the American Indian Library Association (AILA), and is made possible by a generous grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Circle of Learning students can live anywhere while earning a fully online ALA-accredited MLIS degree from the San Jose School of Library and Information Science. They will receive financial assistance towards their tuition costs and other expenses.  They will also receive other types of support, including career advisement, field experiences, involvement in professional conferences and workshops, and interaction with Native leaders in the profession.  Circle of Learning’s unique blended approach of online curriculum delivery and face-to-face and mediated social and professional interactions will help scholarship recipients receive personalized support and develop a professional network that can benefit them in the years ahead.

Details regarding eligibility for scholarships, application materials, and deadlines are now available on the project website at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/circleoflearning/. Beginning on August 1, Circle of Learning applications will be accepted for students who plan to take MLIS courses during the Spring 2011 semester.

Circle of Learning students will need to be admitted to the School’s MLIS program in order to receive scholarship funding.  For more information about how to apply to the School’s fully online MLIS program, visithttp://slisweb.sjsu.edu/admissions/mlis_application.htm.  Please note that space in the MLIS program is limited and qualified applicants are admitted on a space-available basis. If you are interested in being considered for Circle of Learning, we encourage you to apply to the MLIS program as soon as the application process opens.

To learn more about the American Indian Library Association and its initiatives to improve library and information services for American Indians, visit http://www.ailanet.org/.

For information regarding this announcement, please contact Heather Devine, Circle of Learning Project Manager, at hhdevine@gmail.com.