Alumni and Friends
Student Impact
Many of the scholarships the School of Information offered are only possible through donations. Those donations go directly to students to help support their studies in the MLIS program.
2026-2027 Award Cycle
Blackwell Perrault Scholarship
Christi Navarro Batista
"I am deeply honored and grateful to receive the Blackwell/Perrault Scholarship for the Fall 2026 semester. Thank you for your generous support of my education in the M.A. in Library and Information Science program at USF.
As an educator and public health professional transitioning into the LIS field, this award provides meaningful support as I pursue my goal of working in an academic health sciences library. My professional background has taught me the importance of teaching effectiveness and student success, and I look forward to combining that experience with my coursework—such as Health Sciences Librarianship and Teaching Information Literacy—to be champion for both health and information literacy.
Your generosity lightens my financial responsibilities and allows me to focus on my academic milestones, including my service as the 2026–27 Marketing and Outreach Officer for USF’s SOLIS.
Thank you again for investing in my education and for honoring Professor Emerita Anna Perrault’s legacy in collection development and acquisitions."
H.W. Wilson Scholarship
Nur Chodry
"Thank you for selecting me as a recipient of the H.W. Wilson Endowed Scholarship. I am sincerely grateful for your support as I begin the Master of Library and Information Science program at the °µÍøTV.
Libraries were an essential part of my life growing up, as I was lucky to have a family that prioritized education and accessibility. They gave me a place to explore my interests, pursue education beyond the classroom, and access resources that might not otherwise have been available to me. For many years, I understood libraries mainly through what they provided to me personally. It was not until my undergraduate internship at the University of North Florida’s Thomas G. Carpenter Library that I began to truly understand the much broader work libraries and information professionals do.
During that internship, I helped digitize and catalog materials from the Eartha M. M. White Collection, including historical photographs and archival records connected to Jacksonville’s Black history. I realized how digitization, metadata, and thoughtful organization can make history more accessible to students, researchers, and the public. I still recall how friends of Eartha’s were overjoyed to see her collection come to life. It was moving, and I began wanting to spend more of my time preserving stories that have often been marginalized or at risk of being lost.
That experience shaped my decision to pursue library and information science. I want to help ensure that the opportunities libraries gave me are available to others, regardless of their circumstances. I am especially interested in making collections, research materials, and digital resources easier to access and in helping people feel that libraries and cultural institutions are truly meant for them.
This scholarship will reduce the financial burden of graduate school and allow me to focus more fully on building the skills I need to serve communities through libraries, archives, and accessible information systems. It is particularly meaningful to receive support from an organization with such a longstanding commitment to libraries and the education of future information professionals, as it goes without saying that we are on the same page.
Thank you again for investing in my education and future career. I am honored to receive the H.W. Wilson Endowed Scholarship and deeply appreciate your generosity. I will be sure to pay this kindness forward in my academic journey and my career. "
Zohra Qazi
"I am deeply honored and grateful to have been selected as a recipient of the H. W. Wilson Endowed Scholarship through USF’s MLIS program. Thank you for your generosity and your commitment to supporting students such as myself in pursuing careers in library and information science. Your investment in my education is and career is such a clear affirmation of the work I hope to contribute to the profession.
This scholarship will have a meaningful impact on both my education and my future career. By helping to ease the financial burden of graduate school, it will allow me to focus more fully on developing the knowledge and practical skills that will inevitably prepare me for a fulfilling career in academic librarianship. I am especially interested in scholarly communication, digital librarianship, collection development, and expanding access to information through thoughtful metadata and digital infrastructure and hope to seek out internship and volunteer opportunities that will further develop my skills. With the H. W. Wilson Endowed Scholarship, I can train my attention on seeking these experiences rather than worrying about financial burdens. I hope to carry your investment forward by contributing to libraries that preserve cultural heritage, amplify underrepresented voices, and ensure equitable access to knowledge.
Thank you again for your generosity and for believing in students like me. I am sincerely grateful for your support and inspired by your commitment to the future of libraries and information professionals. I look forward to honoring your investment through my work and by serving the communities that libraries empower every day. "
Domarchiné Thompson
"Thank you so much for selecting me to receive the H.W. Wilson Endowed Scholarship. Receiving this award is both an honor and a meaningful investment in my future, and I am deeply grateful. This gift will alleviate my financial burdens and allow me to focus fully on my graduate studies, access essential course materials and pursue professional development opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.
Your generosity allows me to fully lean into the work that will shape the librarian and information professional I hope to become. It gives me the space to develop the skills needed to contribute meaningfully to libraries, archives and cultural institutions.
Thank you again for believing in my potential and investing in my journey.
Your commitment to students like me makes a lasting impression in both our academic and professional paths."
Johnie Key Thompson memorial Scholarship
Crystal Ankura
"My name is Crystal Ankura, and I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for being selected as the recipient for the Johnie Key Thompson Memorial Scholarship in Library Media.
I am beginning the Master’s program in Library and Information Science at USF in the fall 2026 semester. After I graduate, I would like to work as a public youth librarian.
After being a teacher for several years and as a mother of a four-year old I have seen the impact that books can have on a child. I hope to inspire a lifelong love of learning and adoration of books for the next generation of students. I also want to create a sense of community for our youth. As a librarian and with your charitable gift, I will be able to accomplish these goals.
I am deeply grateful to all of the donors of this scholarship for their generosity.
This gift will make an impact on my education by allowing me to dedicate more time
on my studies.This gift will allow me to volunteer for more hours at my local library.
I currently assist with their children's story time program. I also help with the
library's craft events. With the financial
resources granted by this scholarship, I will be able to contribute more hours and
expand my reach to help meet the needs of my community.
The Johnie Key Thompson Memorial Scholarship in Library Media will release me from the financial burden of having to work a part-time job by covering my tuition and textbook expenses for the fall 2026 semester.
Thank you again to all of the donors of this scholarship for selecting me as
the recipient of this scholarship"
Wendy Risk MA in Library & Information Science Scholarship
Stephanie Eades
"I am writing to sincerely express my gratitude and excitement upon hearing that I
have been selected to receive your scholarship. I am both humbled and honored that
I was chosen, and I look forward to completing my degree with this financial assistance.
This generous gift will allow me to continue earning my Masters in Library and Information
Science degree by lessening the financial burden of my tuition and school fees. The
first two semesters of my MLIS have been deeply rewarding, and informative, and I
am grateful that I have been afforded the opportunity to accept the challenge of this
graduate program in order to further my career. However, it has not been without financial
impact. This scholarship eases some of that burden in an incredibly meaningful way,
allowing myself and my family to breathe a bit easier as I move forward with this
degree.
To honor this gift, I plan on utilizing this degree throughout my career as a librarian.
Although I am relatively new to the library field, I immediately fell in love with
this career and have found a deep sense of purpose. In less than 2 years, I have received
2 promotions, offers of potential supervisory roles, and the enthusiastic encouragement
of our library administration to complete this MLIS program to further my career.
With the aid of this scholarship, I will continue to grow and evolve in my role, bring
in new resources and programs, and work to improve our library and community at large.
One of my passions as a librarian is teen programming, a demographic that has been
historically underserved at our branch located near several age restricted communities.
I am proud to share that at our last teen program, a Broadway Party that I conceptualized,
planned and implemented, we had 35 teen attendees which broke records. Hopefully we
continue to grow from here, and I already have plenty of ideas on how to do so, including
a young adult skills program that will help with career, financial and life skills
through expert guest speakers. With the knowledge gained in this degree, I hope to
continue contributing to our community through public librarianship
Again, thank you so much for this incredible opportunity and assistance in earning
my MLIS."