Through a collaboration between the School of Library and Information Science at San José State University (SJSU) and the ARMA Silicon Valley Chapter, for the first time, the SJSU information school will be able to offer scholarships specifically for students enrolled in the Master of Archives and Records Administration (MARA) program. 

Members of the Silicon Valley Chapter of ARMA International decided to create the new scholarship program because they have been continually impressed by students and faculty at the SJSU information school, and they want to invest in future information governance professionals. The new scholarship program will initially fund two $500 scholarships for MARA students, although the chapter hopes to raise money to fund additional scholarships.

Rachel Stewart, Community Director for the Silicon Valley Chapter of ARMA, sees these new scholarships as a way to give back and help support students who are dedicated to the records management field. “The ARMA Silicon Valley Chapter has a long history of giving to the local community,” Stewart said. 

She and the members of her chapter hope the scholarships will benefit “students who embrace archiving and records management, and who have a passion for a box of papers or are excited about the challenge of developing a records retention schedule.” Chapter members are also eager to help support students who plan to become Certified Records Managers (CRMs).

The new scholarships are funded completely by the chapter’s members, Stewart said. Chapter funds are raised at meetings and seminars, some of which will pay for the scholarships. ARMA Silicon Valley Chapter hopes to raise even more money for the scholarships through raffles and auctions.

MARA program coordinator Dr. Patricia Franks feels equally excited about the new scholarships and the school’s partnership with the ARMA Silicon Valley Chapter. “The Silicon Valley Chapter of ARMA has long been recognized as a leader in advancing the improvement of records management and related fields by sponsoring various activities, including educational conferences, seminars, and CRM exam preparation workshops,” said Franks. “We are grateful to the members of the Silicon Valley Chapter for providing this scholarship to support MARA students.”

Each spring, the SJSU information school awards several scholarships to students enrolled in its Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program.  Students are encouraged to apply during March, and winners are announced in April. This spring, the scholarship for MARA students will also be awarded for the first time.

Students interested in applying for the new scholarships, or any of the existing scholarships, should check out the Scholarship, Award, and Grant Information page on the SLIS website. Applications for scholarships are accepted between March 1 and March 30.