John C. Tyson Minority Fellowship Criteria
The John C. Tyson Minority Fellowship is open to all applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, religion/spirituality, creed, national origin, language, gender, sexual orientation, disability (mental, learning, physical), age, veteran status, marital/partnered status, physical appearance, political affiliation, and social, economic, or educational background, with the restrictions below. Applications will be sent to students in January and the deadline is February 15.
- The fellowship will be available to students who are currently enrolled or have been admitted to the University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences.
- The student(s) awarded this fellowship must have demonstrated successful academic performance.
- The student(s) awarded this fellowship shall have demonstrated leadership during the course of their academic and/or work history.
- Financial need (in the broadest sense) may be a factor.
This fellowship is intended to promote the educational benefits of student diversity which includes the preparation for students to live and work in an increasingly diverse and global society and workforce. The School seeks applicants from different backgrounds, who have different life experiences, perspectives, and goals. The wide-ranging attributes that the School seeks among its students, which are likely to contribute to these desired education outcomes, include but are not limited to: various life experiences, as well as ethnic and cultural backgrounds; career goals; social and economic backgrounds; disability status, age, race and gender.
About John C. Tyson
John C. Tyson, associate professor at SIS, died unexpectedly young at age 44. His distinguished career included four years as State Librarian of Virginia and five years as University Librarian at the University of Richmond. He was a founding member of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, which gave him the 1992 Distinguished Service Award.
The Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) serves as an advocate for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services and resources to the nation’s African American community, and provides leadership for the recruitment and professional development of African American librarians.
In memory of John Tyson, the BCALA Executive Board established an award, which consists of a citation and a check presented in conjunction with the Dr. John C. Tyson Memorial Lecture at each National Conference of African American Librarians.
President of BCALA, two-term ALA Library Council member, International Federation of Library Assocations supporter, academic librarian, library consultant, professor of library and information science, and Virginia State Librarian, John was a consummate professional. In the years since his passing, his influence on BCALA is still very evident.