Posted April 6, 2017
The School of Library and Information Science honored outstanding students, faculty and alumni leaders at the annual Deans' and Directors' Lecture and Awards Ceremony on April 3, 2017. Dr. Michael Eisenberg's lecture "South Carolina – Your Time is Now" capped off the event.
Beta Phi Mu
The awards ceremony began with the initiation of students into Beta Phi Mu, the library and information science honor society. Inductees were selected based on character, academics and professionalism. The initiates were:
Amanda Bullington
Amanda Bullington received her undergraduate degree from USC in experimental psychology.
As a SLIS student, Bullington served as the social co-chair of LISSA, the award-winning
student association on campus. She is currently working as a catalog and serials librarian
at USC's Coleman Karesh Law Library.
Megan Coker (in absentia)
Megan Coker received her BSIS in information science from USC. She currently serves as
a teen librarian at the San Antonio public library.
Leslie Koller (inabsentia)
Leslie Koller earned her bachelor's degree in English from Northern Illinois University.
She is a librarian at the Dorchester County in Summerville, South Carolina.
William R. Mancke (in absentia)
William Mancke received his undergraduate degree in media arts from USC. He is the
principal partner in Mancke Knowledge Management.
Lindsay Rogillio
Lindsay Rogillio earned her undergraduate degree from Augusta State University in
English Literature. Rogillio currently works as a research analyst in the USC development
office. She was the recipient of the 2016 William M. Trafton Outstanding Student Award
for Leadership.
Anna Margaret Stroup
Anna Margaret "Meg" Stroup earned undergraduate degrees in English and philosophy from
Furman University. She is currently the cataloging coordinator for SCLENDS at the
South Carolina State library.
Special awards were presented to individuals who are involved in the community, passionate about library and information science and invested in the school.
Carolyn Delton Service Award
Sponsored by LISSA, this award honors individuals who go above and beyond what they need to do for everyone at the school.
Dr. Clayton Copeland
Dr. Copeland has completed all three of her degrees at USC. She is an instructor for
the School of Library and Information Science and serves as the director of the SLIS
Laboratory for Leadership in Equity of Access and Diversity. Students selected her
for this award because of the "unparalleled commitment to her students" she displays
daily.
Christine Shelek
The program coordinator for Cocky's Reading Express since 2011, Shelek was the 2014 recipient
of the South Carolina Civic Engagement Professional Award from the SC Campus Compact for
her “phenomenal ability to bring an amazing literacy promotion program to all parts
of South Carolina.”
Robert V. Williams SLIS Student Research Award
This award honors a student who has made exemplary contributions to scholarly research.
Dr. April Dawkins
Dr. April Dawkins was honored in recognition of her dissertation "School librarians
and censorship: Examining factors influencing selection decisions." The study related
to intellectual freedom, one of the basic tenets of the profession, was one of the
top 10 in the poster awards at the ALISE conference. Dr. Dawkins was selected by the
Office of Intellectual Freedom as one of their two 2016-2017 news interns.
John N. Olsgaard Distinguished Service Award
This award recognizes an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the school at large through a sharing of their time and expertise and is an outstanding representative of the profession, the school and the university.
Nonie Price
Nonie Price recently retired as continuing education/alumni coordinator for SLIS.
Through her work she ensured the reputation and image of the school and is easily
recognized in the community. Price served as the school’s ambassador and advocate
at numerous events, conferences and meetings and her work to develop and sustain the
diversity leadership group created invaluable relationships for SLIS throughout South
Carolina.
“Nonie was the face of this program. She reached out and she connected to people from all walks of life," said Dr. David Lankes, director of the school. " She saw the soul of this program and she went to share that service out to the world."
Wayne S. Yenawine Distinguished Student Award
This annual award is given to a students with outstanding potential in the field of library and information science. This award is presented to a graduate from the previous year's class based on the entirety of the student experience including grade point average, quality of class participation and the ability to assimilate information and pass it on.
Amanda Bullington
Amanda Bullington completed her undergraduate degree in psychology in 2010 and her
MLIS in 2016. Active in LISSA, she also served as a graduate assistant in the student
services office. She is starting a new job as the cataloging and serials librarian
at the USC Coleman Karesh Law Library.
Mir Parvin
Mir Parvin came to USC from Bangladesh where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s
in information science and library management from the University of Dhaka. While
here, she worked as a degree cataloging assistant for the South Carolina State Library
and as digital project assistant at University Libraries Digital Collections. Parvin
also volunteered with Cocky's Reading Express and served as vice president of the
International Student Association.
William M. Trafton III Outstanding Student Award for Leadership
Given annually to an outstanding student leader.
Garrett Miller
Dr. David Lankes said Garret Miller "has had a massive impact on SLIS. Part of the
joy of coming in to work every day is to see Garret smiling and waving and asking
'What can I do?'"
Lankes credited Miller's natural leadership skills with helping to maintain consistency and continuity in the front office during the SLIS transition in leadership. “Garrett truly is a treasure and one of our bests,” said Lankes.
F. William Summers Outstanding Alumni Award
This award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the school and whose career reflects a commitment to excellence and dedication to the advancement of the profession.
Kim Jeffcoat
Kim Jeffcoat is the executive director of the South Carolina Center for Children's Books and Literacy. Dr. David Lankes said that Jeffcoat was "... one of the people who taught me the pride
and value and the complexity of being a South Carolinian, of truly understanding the
heritage and the amazing dedication that this state has to literacy...."
Jeffcoat was lauded for the great work that she does and for the great team that she builds in support of literacy efforts in South Carolina.
"She has shown in the most glorious way that while we may be privileged at the university that that comes with the responsibility and obligation of service, of dedication and of making a difference," Lankes said.