GSLIS student named ARL 2012-2014 Diversity Scholar

Washington, DC—The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Committee on Diversity and Leadership has selected 14 masters of library and information science (MLIS) students to participate in the 2012–2014 Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce (IRDW) as ARL Diversity Scholars. Among those named is GSLIS student Thomas Padilla.

The ARL IRDW offers numerous financial benefits to program participants as well as leadership development provided through the annual ARL Leadership Symposium, a formal mentor program, career placement assistance, and a research library visit hosted by the Purdue University Libraries. The program is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and by voluntary contributions from 52 ARL member libraries. This program reflects the commitment of ARL members to create a diverse academic and research library community that will better meet the challenges of changing demographics in higher education and the emphasis on global perspectives in the academy.

Julene Butler, University Librarian at Brigham Young University and member of the IRDW selection committee, offered her reflections on the incoming cohort of ARL Diversity Scholars in stating, "The applicant pool for this award was highly competitive. As a soon-to-retire library director it was gratifying to review each file and be assured that the profession will continue to move forward under such bright, aspiring professionals. During coming years I’m confident I’ll see these names associated with tremendous advancements in ARL libraries."

The 2012-2014 ARL Diversity Scholars are:

  • Christina Chan-Park, University of North Texas
  • Sabrina D. Dyck, University of Alabama
  • Lisa Hardman, University of Michigan
  • Mario Macias, University of Washington
  • Ebony Magnus, University of British Columbia
  • Christian Minter, Catholic University of America
  • Na Qin, Indiana University Bloomington
  • Peace Ossom, Texas Woman’s University
  • Thomas Padilla, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Eva Rios-Alvarado, Simmons College
  • Bredny Rodriguez, University at Buffalo, SUNY
  • Camille Salas, University of Maryland
  • Amber Saundry, University of British Columbia
  • Curtis Small, Simmons College
Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

Huang named a 2025–2026 Linowes Fellow

Associate Professor Yun Huang has been named a 2025–2026 Linowes Fellow by the Cline Center for Advanced Social Research at the University of Illinois. She is also the recipient of a 2024–2025 fellowship, which "provides exceptionally promising tenure-stream faculty with opportunities for innovation and discovery using the Cline Center's data holdings and/or analytic tools."

Yun Huang

Chin receives NSF CAREER award

Assistant Professor Jessie Chin has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award to support lifelong learning and foster information literacy. This prestigious award is given in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Chin’s project, “Search as a Mechanism for Learning,” will be supported by a five-year, $629,451 grant from the NSF.

Jessie Chin

Hassan selected for IAPP Westin Scholar Award

PhD student Muhammad Hassan has been selected as an IAPP Westin Scholar Award honoree. The annual awards were created by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) to support students who are identified as future leaders in the field of privacy and data protection. 

Muhammad Hassan

iSchool to present research at the Digital Humanities 2025 conference

iSchool faculty, staff, and students will present their research at DH2025, the annual conference of the Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations (ADHO), which will take place on July 14–18 in Lisbon, Portugal. The digital humanities (DH) conference is the largest event of the international DH community and unites scholars from across the globe. 

2025 ISAA Annual Awards announced

iSchool Alumni Association (ISAA) is pleased to announce the recipients of its annual awards, which were presented at an alumni reception during the 2025 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition.