The San José State University School of Information proudly announces that its American Library Association Student Chapter is the 2023-2024 ALA Student Chapter of the Year. This prestigious honor bestowed by the ALA Student and Student Chapter Outreach Committee includes a $1,000 travel grant to the ALA Annual Conference and special recognition at the New Members’ Round Table Student Reception. The Student Chapter of the Year Award recognizes “student chapters that exemplify our values of excellence, service, and compliance while performing at a consistently high level, making a difference in the lives of their students,” wrote Dr. Michelle Osborne in her award notification email.

Counting the most recent accomplishment, the SJSU ALA Student Chapter has earned the title of ALA Student Chapter of the Year six times (2000, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2022, 2024), a testament to the Executive Board members’ unwavering dedication and hard work. Their commitment and the support of the broader student body have been instrumental in the chapter’s continued excellence.

Expressing pride in the chapter’s achievements, Brianna Morales, chair of the ALASC, said, “The students on the Executive Board have impressed me with their initiative, professionalism, and enthusiasm in their work for the ALASC. They take the work seriously and have a lot of fun doing it.” Morales acknowledged the collective effort contributing to the win, noting, “Everything we do at the ALASC is done as a team, and everyone really contributed to our success this past year.”

Morales, along with Vice Chair Jade Dean and Social Media Assistant Jacklyn Roussin, led the subcommittee that compiled the 28-page award nomination form in under two weeks to apply for the Student Chapter of the Year Award. The document included details on social media growth, outreach efforts, events, conference participation, committee member awards, and finances, with significant contributions from Treasurer Missy McCollum and Faculty Advisor Alison Johnson.

As faculty advisor, Johnson serves as a mentor for the students and has witnessed firsthand the “amazing dedication and commitment shown by the Executive Committee members.” She enthused, “I am so impressed by the dedication, seriousness, and creativity they bring to their roles in the ALASC, even though they are very busy with classes, jobs, family, and other organizations. It shows that we have amazing students here at the iSchool and that they are making a difference in the profession.”

Expressing confidence in the future of the ALASC, Morales said that the ALA Student Chapter of the Year Award “is a recognition of all of the incredible work this team has done. It is also motivation for the committee to continue putting on events, writing blog posts, sharing social media content, and sending out newsletters. As I am leaving my role as the chair, I have every confidence that this team will continue to push the success of our chapter through their support of MLIS students at SJSU.”

The award has already positively impacted the ALASC, with increased website traffic and heightened interest in chapter activities. The recognition serves to inspire more students to participate in ALASC events and consider leadership roles within the Executive Committee.

Johnson commended the following students for their exceptional service:

• Brianna Morales – Chair
• Jade Dean – Vice Chair
• Shannon Broden – Website Coordinator
• Missy McCollum – Treasurer
• Kim McMilin – Archivist/Secretary
• Eddie Lagos – Membership Coordinator
• Cat Tang – Events Coordinator
• Connor Dandridge – Events Assistant
• Irene Miller – Events Assistant
• Rebecca Natali – Social Media Coordinator  
• Jacklyn Roussin – Social Media Assistant
• DiAndra Reyes – Blogging Coordinator
• Sabrina Bobadilla – Blogging Assistant

The ALASC was founded in 1994, and its mission is to ”foster community and connection among all students and across all career pathways within the School of Information, and to support the ALA in its dedication to diversity, equity of access, education and continuous learning, intellectual freedom, and literacy.” For more information on the SJSU iSchool’s ALA Student Chapter and upcoming events, visit the chapter’s website.

Members of the Executive Committee shared their thoughts on what receiving the ALA Student Chapter of the Year award means to them:

“It serves as recognition of all the hard work we’ve put in over the past year, including a lot of infrastructural revision work that Brianna, Shannon, and I will be presenting about at ALA Annual next month. The award also comes at an especially meaningful time, considering that this year was our ALA Student Chapter’s 30th anniversary!” — Cat Tang, ALASC events coordinator

“I think it shows how dedicated, determined, and motivated we are as a team. Working together to serve our communities, our school, and the chapter is something that we will continue to do with humility and enthusiasm.” — Rebecca Natali, ALASC social media coordinator

“For me, the SCOTYA is an honor and also a reminder of the role that we have within our communities and the impact we have among our peers. We can get a lot done when we work together!” — Sabrina Bobadilla, ALASC blogging coordinator

“Winning SCOTYA allows our chapter to gain national recognition and interest from fellow LIS students and professionals. I am so proud of the programming and work our committee has done this year. I hope our efforts can inspire other ALA Student Chapters to submit their applications for consideration.” – Jade Dean, ALAC vice chair