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2018 Scholarship Winners Announced

The VLA Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the 2018 scholarship recipients. Congratulations to Melinda Manuel, Chelsea Seddon, and Bonnie Shaw on their academic excellence and dedication to the field of Library Science.

VLA Paraprofessional Clara Stanley Scholarship

The 2018 recipient of the VLAPF Clara Stanley Scholarship is Melinda Manuel from Roanoke County, VA. Melinda works for the Mt. Pleasant Branch of the Roanoke County Public Library System. She says, “My desire to create new library users while serving the current patron base inspires me to continually learn about what is working in other systems, as well as to try big ideas and explore groundbreaking programs. I have a reputation as being enthusiastic, determined, and competitive and these traits will allow me to effectively lead in this industry, which is transforming as technology and other factors necessitate a shift in services in order to stay relevant.” Melinda joined VLA in 2018. She is obtaining her MLIS degree from the University of South Florida and will graduate in spring of 2019. 

VLA Scholarships

The 2018 recipients of the two VLA Scholarships are Chelsea Seddon and Bonnie Shaw.

Chelsea Seddon has worked with the Roanoke Public Library System  in Roanoke, VA since 2016. On her own professional growth, she says, “I have challenged myself by applying for and receiving a more advanced position, attending optional trainings in areas outside of my direct duties, and pursuing cross-training in other departments of my organization. I collaborated with members of my organization, as well as those of its governing body, as I assisted in bringing a branch renovation to fruition this past year. This experience, as well as working on smaller work teams to plan events and being a part of a small branch staff, have shown me how essential collaboration and teamwork are in the field of librarianship.” She has been an active member in VLA since 2016 and is currently Secretary/Treasurer for the New Members Round Table. Chelsea is earning her MSIS degree from the University of Tennessee and expects to graduate in December 2018.

Originally from Chicago, Bonnie Shaw lives in Suffolk, VA and works as a Cataloging Assistant at the Earl Gregg Swem Library at the College of William & Mary. On her future plans she says, “I hope that when I am done with my Masters in the Spring of 2020 that I am able to work at a library, whether public or academic, as Cataloging Librarian in Virginia…I feel with my 7 years of library experience and my over 20 years of customer service experience, I will be a highly marketable library employee once I graduate.” Bonnie has been an active member of VLA since 2015 and will begin working on her MLIS from the University of Alabama in summer 2018.
VLA appreciates the support of this program. To learn more about the program, visit our Scholarships page. To make a tax-deductible donation to the Scholarship fund, please visit our donation page.