[Asis-l] CUA SLIS 2011-2012 Rovelstad Scholars Selected

[Roberts, Kristin H.]

2011-2012 Rovelstad Scholars Selected

            It is with great pleasure that the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at The Catholic University of America announces that Mr. Trevor Riley and Ms. Rose Asuquo have been selected as the Rovelstad Scholars to receive the 2011-2012 Howard and Mathilde Rovelstad Scholarships.

The Rovelstad Scholarship Committee reported that the pool of applicants was extremely strong this year, and Mr. Riley and Ms. Asuquo distinguished themselves not only in what they have achieved professionally, but also in their clearly articulated vision for how they will provide leadership within our field as they move forward with their career aspirations.

            Mr. Riley shared with the Committee his strong interest in the potential application of embedded librarianship to academic libraries as well as in developing programs that "integrate coursework and learning" into the library. Most recently he has worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as an embedded librarian; volunteered at the Hulsey Public Library and the Washington Middle School for Girls; and attended a conference on Environmental Data management. His references reported his excellent collaboration, patience and flexibility. After graduating from SLIS, he plans to realize his professional goals through scholarly writing, collaborating with colleagues, and pursuing a management role within academic libraries.

            Ms. Asuquo impressed the Committee with her enduring belief that "there is ability in disabilities" and library service to the disabled not only benefits disabled patrons but also benefits society as a result of facilitating the unique contributions of the disabled persons' knowledge and abilities. She has worked at the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped for the last two years; engaged with numerous professional organizations by way of their meeting and volunteer efforts; and presented a poster at a recently held professional conference. Her professors proudly report that her course work consistently demonstrates high quality analysis in her written assignments, thoughtful and insightful comments in class, and professional camaraderie with her classmates. Ultimately, her long-term goal is to open a library for the blind or otherwise disabled in southern Nigeria and to advocate for changes to the "Nigerians with disabilities act" to ensure meaningful support for these peoples.

The late Dr. Mathilde Rovelstad and her husband, Howard, endowed the Howard and Mathilde Rovelstad Scholarships. They were deeply committed to library and information science education and passionate about cultivating leaders for the field. The endowment was established with the largest gift ever given to SLIS and designed to support current students with outstanding academic achievements and great leadership potential. Each scholarship provides tuition support for up to six courses.

The 2011 Rovelstad Scholarship Committee was chaired by Dr. Joan Lussky and included as its members Dr. Deanna Marcum, Associate Librarian of the Library of Congress, and Dr. Bill Kules and Mr. Dave Shumaker, both of SLIS.


Ingrid Hsieh-Yee, Ph.D.
Interim Dean and Professor
School of Library and Information Science
Catholic University of America
Washington, D.C. 20064


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