Ione Damasco (University of Dayton), Chair

The Diversity Committee is pleased to award the annual Diversity Scholarship for 2008-2009 to Ms. Sanjyot Selkirk. Selkirk is currently enrolled as a graduate student in the Kent State University SLIS program in Columbus. Her scholarship includes tuition, complimentary registration for the annual conference in October, and a year of mentoring with a selected ALAO member.

The Committee was impressed with the overall quality of this year’s applicant pool, but Ms. Selkirk’s record of strong academic achievement and her demonstrated commitment to diversity in both her personal and professional activities ensured her position as the Committee’s choice for this year.

Although Ms. Selkirk is a relatively new student in the field, she is no stranger to the needs of libraries. She is currently employed at OCLC, where she works as a Metadata Specialist and also serves on the OCLC President’s Inclusion Council, created to support inclusive thinking that will improve solutions for libraries and the diverse groups they serve. Her impressive volunteering activities have included working for a literacy initiative in Mumbai, India, aimed at helping women from low-income families improve their basic math and literacy skills. An international student herself, Ms. Selkirk also helped create and lead the first international student safety program for the Office of International Education at The Ohio State University, which continues to be used today to educate incoming international students about campus safety.

Congratulations to Ms. Sanjyot Selkirk! The Committee is confident she will be a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in academic libraries. We hope to see you at the annual conference in October!