The scholarship, established in 2021, promotes the diversification of the larger archival community by providing financial support to students of color pursuing graduate archival education. The award is given to applicants who demonstrate excellent potential for scholastic and personal achievement and who manifest a commitment to the archives profession.
Intent: The intent of the scholarship is to promote the diversification of the larger archival community of California by providing financial support to students of color pursuing graduate archival education.
The Award: a cash amount established each year by the Board will be awarded by check, along with a one-year membership in the Society of California Archivists and complimentary registration for the AGM held in the year in which the scholarship is awarded. The check will usually be awarded at the AGM Awards Ceremony. The standard award amount established in 2021 is $1,500.
Publicity: Notice of scholarship availability will be publicized by the Awards Committee in SCA publications, on the SCA website, and to relevant listservs. The application form will be made available on the SCA website.
Eligibility: Applicants must be residents of California who have been accepted to or are currently enrolled in a graduate program in archival studies or an archives related program such as history or information studies; or be a student who has been accepted to or is enrolled in such a program at a California institution. Applicants must self-identify as being from historically underrepresented groups. Those from Black/African, American Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern or North African, or Latinx descent are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application Requirements: All applicants must submit an application form, a resume or CV, a brief essay (no more than 500 words) describing their career/goals in the archival profession, and a letter of recommendation from someone familiar with the applicant’s goals in the archival profession. Upon application, candidates will agree, if selected, to write an essay for the SCA Newsletter on their academic activities and how the scholarship supported their graduate archival education. All application materials must be received by the publicized deadline.
Payment of Scholarship: payment will be issued by the SCA Treasurer, usually in the form of a check awarded at the Awards Ceremony at the SCA AGM. (Note: AGM attendance is highly encouraged and complimentary registration will be provided, but attendance is not required for recipients of this scholarship.)
Awards Committee Responsibilities
Revise website information as needed to keep it current with dates and application information.
Notify membership of the availability of the scholarship in the Newsletter and publicize the scholarship through appropriate communication channels. This may include sending a cover letter and website links to archival educators, history departments, and library schools before the end of the fall semester.
Follow-up with reminders to archival educators, if necessary, about a month before the deadline.
Share with Awards Committee members all applications judged eligible and complete.
Conduct discussion and a committee vote on the applicants.
Notify the scholarship awardee(s) and send a formal award letter.
Send an email of acknowledgement and thanks to each applicant.
Request of the SCA Treasurer a scholarship check made out to the awardee(s).
Provide the President with a copy of the application from the awardee(s).
Present awardee(s) to the membership at the Annual General Meeting.
Remind recipient(s) of the next Newsletter deadline, and their agreement to submit an essay to the editors.
Announce the winner(s) in a SCA Newsletter article.
Request Board budget approval for award amount, or modifications, annually.