The Baker Family Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship available to MLIS students who live in the specified counties in the State of Georgia and is awarded once per academic year in the spring.  The scholarship will be applied to the student’s tuition and fees for one course and the students must pay any remaining amounts not covered by the scholarship.

A. Eligibility

  1. MLIS GPA of 3.0 or higher

  2. Preference will be given to current MLIS students who live in the following Georgia Counties: Lowndes, Brooks, Cook, Berrien, Lanier, Echols.

  3. If no qualified students from the preferred counties apply for the Baker Family scholarship then applications from students who reside elsewhere within the State of Georgia will be considered.

  4. Completion of at least 18 credits toward the MLIS degree prior to the date of application.  The 18 credits must be competed at the time of application. Completed Program of Study: a list of the courses you have completed (including grades earned) as well as the courses you plan to take.

    • At least 9 of the 18 credits must be in the MLIS program’s core courses
    • All 18 credits must be taken at Valdosta State University
    • No course grade lower than a 3.0 (B).

B. Submitting an application

  1. MLIS candidates meeting eligibility standards 1 through 4 may apply for the Baker Family Scholarship in the spring semester for use in the subsequent summer or fall semester.

  2. Deadline for submitting applications is February 1.

  3. Write a cover letter that that includes a brief profile of your career goals and your progress towards those goals so far. Your academic advisor needs to review the letter.

  4. Complete the MLIS Program of Study form. Your Program of Study form must include a list of the courses you have completed as well as those you are planning to take, grades for all the courses you have completed, and you and your academic advisor’s signatures. The blank Program of Study form is located on the MLIS Academic Advising webpage under Program of Study Forms: https://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/education/master-of-library-and-information-science/student-resources/advising.php

  5. Have your application letter and signed Program of Study form ready and fill out the MLIS Award/Scholarship Online Application Form.

C. Selection

  1. The MLIS Awards and Scholarship Committee will review the application.

  2. The scholarship recipient will receive an award letter prior to the beginning of the semester in which the scholarship will be applied.

D. Disbursement

For the semester the scholarship is awarded, the award will be applied to the student’s tuition account prior to the fee payment deadline.  Any outstanding balance will be the responsibility of the student.