The Kenneth L. Ferstl Endowed Scholarship is awarded through the University of North Texas, Department of Information Science.  To qualify, one must register for graduate studies in the Library and Information fields and maintain a 3.0 grade point average.  The scholarship honors Dr. Ken Ferstl, a former instructor at the University who specialized in cataloging and classification, public libraries, and young adult services.  This respected and beloved faculty member passed in 2018, but his legacy lives on through his support of the College of Information and new information professionals.  

I applied for this scholarship as it most closely aligned with my goals to pursue a career in public libraries.  I have been a part of public libraries for most of my life, as a user, a volunteer, and an employee.  As the child of two librarians, I often describe my childhood as growing up in a library.  I truly value the service aspect of this profession and look forward to many years of service to my community.  This scholarship makes it possible for me to attain this goal.  

I live in a state where an accredited library science program is not available.  The University of North Texas and the online program are a life-line to join a community of like-minded professionals, to gain the knowledge necessary to become an effective librarian, and to help strengthen the professional network that exists for our profession.  Graduate studies can be challenging, and the scholarship I received has enabled me to continue working the online program and complete the coursework within my goal of two years.  I am grateful to have been selected for this honor.  I am currently in my third semester and proud of my work contributions and the connections with other students.  I work in a public library and feel that the lessons and themes of my coursework have improved my ability to collaborate with my co-workers and to envision the next steps in my career path.