Student Awards
These student awards are presented at Convocation in May of each year. View past recipients. Congratulations to the 2024 award recipients!
Berner-Nash Memorial Award
The Berner-Nash award is given to the person writing an outstanding doctoral dissertation. The Award was established by graduate students in the early 1970's in honor of two graduates, Mr. Bill Berner and Mr. Bill Nash, who were tragically killed in an automobile accident.
Eligibility: PhD students
Anne M. Boyd/Beta Phi Mu Award
For many years, Anne M. Boyd was a distinguished and beloved member of the faculty of the School. In her honor, the Alpha Chapter of Beta Phi Mu presents an award to the one master’s graduate each year who is judged to be outstanding. Students, by virtue of a grade point average of 4.0 and graduation in August, December, or May, are to be considered for nomination for the Boyd Award. Additional criteria to be considered are:
- Commitment to the profession of librarianship.
- Ability to relate to other people.
- Contributions to the School through participation in organizations and activities.
- Potential leadership qualities.
Eligibility: MSIM and MSLIS students
Edith Harris Camp Award
Edith Harris Camp (1958 2008) was an artist whose altered books breathe with beauty and spirituality. With a career that also included social work and public libraries, her full life is a tribute to the love and strength of family and community. Her dad, Ed Harris, a minister, and poet, wrote about life as a civil rights activist in the South. Her mom, Sandra Gutridge Harris, discovered storytelling at the iSchool and has pursued her love of gathering and telling family stories in venues that range from prisons to the White House. Her husband, Steve Camp, was one of the first people hired for Prairienet, the iSchool organization that brought technology to communities in need. This award is given to the student, who, like Edith and her daughter Tabitha, inspires and cares for others with courage, creativity, art, laughter, and friendship. This award was established in 2009 by iSchool faculty member Ann (Bishop) Peterson-Kemp.
Eligibility: Any student who inspires and cares for others with courage, creativity, art, laughter, and friendship.
Downs Faculty Special Award of Merit
The Downs Faculty Special Award of Merit is given in honor of Dean Emeritus Robert B. Downs to one undergraduate and one graduate student exhibiting the greatest professional promise. The iSchool's community culture encourages students to become involved in the life of the school. Threaded through coursework, research projects, assistantships, student professional groups, lab time, and social activities are many opportunities to add value to the educational experience of others as well as enhance and refine one's own personal skills and characteristics.
Eligibility: All undergraduate and graduate students (one each)
Entrepreneurial Promise Award
This award is given to a student who exhibits unusual creativity, reflects an innovative spirit and shows the most promise for an outstanding career as an entrepreneur.
Eligibility: All students
Herbert Goldhor Award for Public Librarianship
The Herbert Goldhor Award for Public Librarianship is sponsored by The Friends of the Urbana Free Library to recognize an outstanding student showing excellence and interest in entering the area of public librarianship.
Eligibility: MSLIS students
Henderson Award for Service and Social Justice
This award is given to a student who has a demonstrated record of service to the community (home, campus, fellow students, etc.) through professional activities. As do Kathryn Luther and William T Henderson, the annual recipient will stand as exemplars of the Beta Phi Mu motto, Aliis inserviendo consumor, "Consumed in the service of others."
Eligibility: All students
Lohrer-Meckstroth Award for K-12 Library Services
This award is to be given to a graduate student enrolled in the K-12 Library Information Specialist Certification Program who shows outstanding promise in the field of library services for youth.
Eligibility: MSLIS School Library Licensure students
Selma K. Richardson Award for Youth Literature and Services
This award is given to a graduate student who shows outstanding promise in the field of literature and/or library services for youth.
Eligibility: All students
Yingbo Zhou Memorial Award
This award is presented to an iSchool student who demonstrates excellence and high standards in his or her work, has a passion for life, inspires others, and makes a long-lasting, positive impact on the iSchool community.
Eligibility: All students