Committee Description

The UNT Library Scholarship and Awards Committee works to publicize awards and scholarship applications and reviews nominations and applications for four employee awards and two scholarships. The Committee selects potential recipients and offers its recommendations to the University Librarian for final decision. The awards are handed out and the scholarship recipients are announced at the commencement celebration for library employees at the end of the spring semester.

Awards

Outstanding Library Faculty Award

The Outstanding Library Faculty Award is an annual recognition of a library faculty member who has made significant and sustained contributions to the Library, University, or profession as evidenced by the quality of their librarianship, scholarly-creative activities, or service activities.

Previous Recipients

• 2023-2024 Cathy Sassen
• 2022-2023 Doug Campbell
• 2021-2022 Maristella Feustle
• 2020-2021 Jaimi Parker

Please nominate a library faculty member by submitting the nomination form.

S.T.A.R. (Super Talented, Appreciated, and Recognized) Award

The S.T.A.R. Award is presented each year to recognize a classified staff member who has made outstanding contributions to the Libraries.

Previous Recipients

• 2023-2024 Lauren Ko
• 2022-2023 Lynne Wright, Angela Whitfield
• 2021-2022 Rachel McMullen
• 2020-2021 Jodi Rhinehart-Doty
• 2019-2020 Lisa Cuevas
• 2018-2019 Dianne Jansing
• 2017-2018 Nora Martinez
• 2016-2017 Joshua Sylve
• 2015-2016 Briana Knox
• 2014-2015 Betty Monterroso
• 2013-2014 Gene Forst
• 2012-2013 Erica Kaufman
• 2011-2012 Chris Cunningham
• 2010-2011 Nicole Morgan
• 2009-2010 Gary Sanders
• 2008-2009 Bobby Griffith
• 2007-2008 Doris Chipman
• 2006-2007 Diane Davis
• 2005-2006 Nancy K. Reis
• 2004-2005 Martin K. Wallace
• 2003-2004 Mary Ann Venner
• 2002-2003 Edward Hoyenski
• 2001-2002 Nancy Fitz-Gerald Viens
• 2000-2001 James Flowers
• 1999-2000 Susannah Cleveland, Cecilia Hurt
• 1998-1999 Barbara Green
• 1997-1998 Andi Cobos
• 1996-1997 Sandra Atchison
• 1995-1996 Joanne Riggs
• 1994-1995 Bill Kirkley
• 1993-1994 Jennifer Ottervik
• 1992-1993 William (Bill) Brenholtz

Supervisor of the Year Award

The Supervisor of the Year Award recognizes a supervisor whose actions foster departmental community, teamwork, and collaboration in support of the Libraries’ and the University’s goals.

Previous Recipients

• 2023-2024 Janelle West
• 2022-2023 Kevin Yanowski
• 2021-2022 Seti Keshmiripour
• 2020-2021 Julie Judkins
• 2019-2020 Diane Robson

Outstanding Student Assistants Award

The Outstanding Student Assistants Award recognizes student assistants who exhibit a commitment to the work of their department and the goals of the Libraries, have made significant contributions to library services, and have demonstrated outstanding abilities or qualities in their work.

Libraries’ Employee Scholarship

UNT Libraries offers $1,000 scholarships to two library employees who are enrolled in a degree program at UNT: a full-time employee and a student employee. The applicants who are chosen to receive the scholarships demonstrate a financial need and provide evidence of their contributions to the Libraries and their exemplary work.

The John Todd Willis, Jr. and Hester M. Beck Willis Endowed Scholarship for Preservation

The John Todd Willis, Jr. and Hester M. Beck Willis Endowed Scholarship for Preservation is a $1,500 scholarship that is open to undergraduate student employees working within the UNT’s Digital Libraries’ Division in a digitization lab.

UNT Libraries also gives out the George and Ruth Christy Award each year to library staff members. More information about that award is available on the award website.