James E. Walker Library student workers eligible for new scholarship

James E. Walker Library Dean Kathleen Schmand recently announced a new $250 stipend that will be available to library student workers. (Book shelf photo courtesy of Cottonbro via Pexels.com)

James E. Walker Library Dean Kathleen Schmand, shown at upper right, is launching a new scholarship fund this fall to provide a $250 stipend to library student workers. (Book shelf photo courtesy of Cottonbro/Pexels.com)

Student workers in the James E. Walker Library now have an opportunity for additional financial aid.

The library’s administration committee will determine later this semester which library student worker will receive a $250 stipend from a newly created fund.

The new scholarship is the brainchild of Walker Library Dean Kathleen Schmand, who created a similar fund when she worked at Northern Arizona University.

Kathleen Schmand

“I really wanted something that was open to all library student employees,” said Schmand, adding that her goal is to offer the scholarship every fall and spring semester and to continue to add donations to the initial contribution from library donors.

“I hope that it will get to endowment (status) and can be endowed at that point, which is $25,000,” Schmand said. “After that, we can use the income to consistently grow the size of the scholarship.”

Each applicant must complete a short essay, which will be evaluated by the administration committee. Financial need, as determined by the university, is a requirement.

Each scholarship is for one academic semester. If a recipient fails to maintain at least a 2.8 GPA, they will forfeit any unpaid balance of the award. Prior recipients won’t be disqualified from consideration in subsequent years.

“I’m a huge advocate for student employment,” Schmand said. “I think that students gain a tremendous set of skills when they work and learn at the same time. We have an opportunity to support the educational priorities the students have set.”

To learn more about the scholarship, contact Paul Wydra, director of development initiatives, at 615-898-5329 or paul.wydra@mtsu.edu.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)

Sean Strickland, a student worker at Makerspace, staffs the help desk behind Plexiglass shields while wearing a mask to adhere to pandemic protocols. Figurines made with Makerspace equipment adorn the shields. (MTSU Photo by J. Intintoli)

In this fall 2020 file photo, Sean Strickland, a student worker at the James E. Walker Library’s MakerSpace, staffs the help desk behind plexiglass shields, wearing a mask to adhere to pandemic protocols. Figurines made with MakerSpace equipment adorn the shields. (MTSU file photo by J. Intintoli)