University of North Texas 
Empower, Inspire, Connect
This mentorship program honors the work and legacy of Dr. Yvonne J. Chandler, for whom it is named. Colleagues, former students, friends, and family of Dr. Chandler were asked the best way to continue her legacy in light of her passing, and the theme that was brought up each time was her strong and active work as a mentor to the students in her life while they were in the program and even after they graduated. Therefore, the College of Information is proud to present this mentoring program for the COI community bearing her name.
The Dr. Yvonne J. Chandler Mentorship Program is a benefit for students/new professionals and more experienced professionals to enhance their professional knowledge, skills, and success in their fields. It was created to continue the legacy of Dr. Yvonne Chandler in providing mentorship to students.
The purpose of the Mentor Program is to offer opportunities for industry, alumni,
and students to develop deeper relationships, network for job opportunities, share
best practices, collaborate on research, and increase engagement within the UNT community.
To join the Dr. Yvonne J. Chandler Mentorship Program, please follow the links below.
The Mentor Program starts at the beginning of each long semester (January or August).
“Dr. Chandler, whose teaching philosophy and goals rested on the idea of preparing
students to “adapt theoretical implications to fit practical applications” dedicated
her time and energy to teaching and service in many ways to the Library and Information
Science (LIS) profession.
Passionate about LIS education, particularly for students of color and first-generation
college students, Dr. Chandler received several federal grants totaling over $4M dollars
to support education for the pursuit of master's degrees in library & information
science. Two of her major grants were her Institute of Museum and Library Services
(IMLS) grants - the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian programs - LEAP: Library Education
for the American Pacific: A Project to Strengthen Libraries in the US-Affiliated Pacific
Islands that she received in 2010 and 2015. These grants provided full tuition scholarship
opportunities for Pacific Islanders living and working in the USAPI and became known
as the LEAP I and LEAP-II Cohort Program.
Dr. Chandler will be remembered for her commitment to providing a solid education
to her students, her mentorship, and her profound dedication to the LIS field.”
"Participating in the Yvonne J Chandler Mentorship program allows me to reflect on
my career and pass along lessons learned. My hope is that these insights will save
my mentee time and effort while at UNT and beyond. Our candid conversations also provide
a chance for me think about my current work and develop interpersonal skills. The
program has been a great way to meet and positively influence a diverse set of future
information professionals."
- Marlon Hernandez, Information & Configuration Management Engineer at NASA
"This program helps me learn more insider perspectives. I was so nervous about my future career. However, after talking with my mentor, I have a clear goal to work on and definitely would like to join this program again!"
- Zoe Li, MS, Library Science