LEAP II Scholarship Program

UNT/DLIS will offer full tuition scholarship opportunities for Pacific Islanders living and working in the USAPI in 2016. The LEAP-II Cohort Program will educate librarians and information stewards with skills in curation and preservation of digital projects and collections. This program will increase the number of indigenous librarians among the region's professional library staffs. The twelve scholarships are funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The UNT/DLIS LEAP-II scholarship program will offer twelve $20, 000 scholarships and related support for Pacific Islander citizens living in American Samoa; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI); the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) comprised of the states of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap; Guam; the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI); and the Republic of Palau.

Through funding from the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and partnering with the Brigham Young University—Hawaii Joseph F. Smith Library, students will receive full tuition scholarships to complete the UNT/DLIS master's degree program.

The UNT/LEAP scholarship recipients will receive:

  • Full tuition scholarships including fees for 12 students admitted to the 2016 LEAP-II cohort of the UNT/DLIS master’s degree program.
  • A mentor librarian matched to each student for academic support and professional mentoring.
  • Professional development workshops, library tours, and classes on information literacy and technology.
  • Travel expense stipends to attend the Institute and other professional development and enrichment programs.
  • Hands on workshops and instruction in digital technology, curation, and preservation at the BYU—Hawaii Library.
  • A laptop, software, and funds to support home connectivity during the two year program.
  • Professional association annual memberships to the Pacific Islands Association of Libraries, Archives, and Museums (PIALA) and the joint Hawaii Library Association / American Library Association student memberships .