The American Library Association Spectrum Scholarship Program recruits and provides scholarships to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students to assist them with obtaining a graduate degree and leadership positions within the profession and ALA. The aim is to increase the number of racially and ethnically diverse professionals in the field of library and information science.

In recent years, the ALA has granted about 60 scholarships per year, most worth $5,000. The iSchool provides a match — $5,000 for each recipient.

Recent ALA Spectrum Scholars at the iSchool

2024-25 cohort

Melissa McCall is an online law librarianship student originally from Brooklyn, New York, by way of the Eastern Caribbean and now living in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She currently works for Thomson Reuters as a legal writer. McCall is focused on academic librarianship and becoming a reference librarian, but she is open to other possibilities long-term. Read more

Erica Owan is a first-year student in the residential program from the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi. She has worked with the Hawai’i State Public Libraries System for almost two years in various positions. As a future librarian, she hopes to push for the development, accessibility, and sustainability of libraries. Read more

Jet To is also a residential student originally from Hong Kong who is in their second year of the MLIS program. They came to study library and information science after working in museums and education non-profits. To works in Learning Services at UW Libraries as the McKinstry Fellow. Read more

Sandra Martinez, an online MLIS student, was also among the scholarship recipients.

2023-24 cohort

• Maria Fernanda Arteaga Cuevas
• Sherese Card
• Gabrielle Garcia
• Judy Low
• Emily Valdez

Read about the 2022-2023 scholarship recipients 

2022-23 cohort

• Mei'lani Eyre
• Danielle Galvan Gomez
• Nestor Guerrero
• Michelle Noriega
• Hayley Park
• Bianca Phipps
• Dev Wilder

Read about the 2022-2023 scholarship recipients 

2021-22 cohort

• Truc Ho
• Kaitlin Srader

Read about the 2021-2022 scholarship recipients 

2020-21 cohort

• Dillon Baker
• Lex Barlowe
• Jacqui Howell
• Alice Pérez Ververa

Read about the 2020-2021 scholarship recipients 

2019-20 cohort

• Joanne Chern
• Taylor Healey-Brooks
• Joan Hua
• Courtney Nomiyama
• Tania-María Ríos Marrero
• Conrrado Saldivar
• Meneka Thiru
• Karen Wang

Read about the 2019-20 scholarship recipients

2018-19 cohort

• Jazmine Applin
• Amanda Chin
• Riko Fluchel
• Karen Sánchez
• Julie Varee
• Kelli Akemi Yakabu
• Nam Jin Yoon

Read about the 2018-19 scholarship recipients

2017-18 cohort

• Cristal Fiel
• Jasmine Gutierrez
• Charlene Hien Quach

Past Spectrum Scholars

• Melody Leung, 2016-17
• Erika Miller, 2016-17
• Nicola Andrews, 2015-16
• Erica Ervin, 2015-16
• Sunny Kim, 2015-16
• Sarah Reis, 2015-16
• Karen Chen, 2014-15
• Jessica Humphries, 2014-15
• Xochitl Rocha, 2014-15
• Katherine Van Arsdale, 2014-15
• April Ybarra, 2014-15
• Twanna Hodge, 2013-14
• Melissa Kahili, 2013-14
• Aiyanna Looney, 2013-14
• Mario Macias, 2013-14
• Kimberly R. Tate, 2013-14
• Lisa L. Tyler, 2013-14
• Andrea Barkley, 2012-13
• Brandon Cal, 2012-13
• Connie Thompson, 2012-13