LIS Conference Funding

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Last updated: Mar 08, 2022 by Blythe Bennett
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Through the generosity of iSchool donors – including the Fuel and ReFuel campaigns – funding is available to provide limited support for LIS/LISSM students to attend professional information/library science conferences. Conference funding from the iSchool is meant to help in covering registration fees, lodging, travel expenses and/or meals.  However, it may not pay for all expenses incurred by the student or student group.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with deadlines approximately monthly. The Grant Committee meets once after each deadline to consider all applications received by that time. For all deadlines, you must start your travel on or after July 1 of the current academic year and before June 30 of the subsequent year. Travel after that date will be considered in the next academic year.

Not all students who complete the application will receive a grant. Individual grants are limited to $500 maximum. Group grants are limited to $1000 maximum. Applications may be funded as the committee sees fit up to the maximum amount for the category (individual/group).

Deadlines for applications

  • September 15
  • October 15
  • November 15
  • January 15
  • February 15
  • March 15
  • April 15

Application

The Conference Funding Application can be found below. The form asks questions which will help the faculty committee assess the need for funding. In order to complete the application, you will need information about the conference/event, why this conference/event is important, applicable costs (registration, travel, lodging, and/or meals), and how costs not covered by the iSchool funding will be paid.  If you are completing the form on behalf of a group, you will need to know the names of students who will be participating

There are a number of guidelines to consider when filling out the form:

  • The applying student must be a currently enrolled, matriculated graduate student in the MSLIS or MSLIS-SM program in the Syracuse University iSchool, both at the time of submitting an application, and at the time of travel. Campus and online students are eligible to apply.
  • Students must be applying for funding toward attendance at an academic or professional conference, case competition, workshop, or other similar event.
  • Conference/event funding will only cover early registration costs. Funding will not be given to cover the higher advanced or on-site registration fees. Funding will not be given to cover the cost of any conference supplemental ticketed events.
  • Applications may be submitted for individual or group attendance. In the case of a group submission, names of all participating students must be submitted as part of the application.

The iSchool MSLIS Conference Scholarship Committee makes final decisions concerning all awards. All applications are assessed on the following criteria. The committee does not make comments on applications, and will not disclose the details of a specific application decision. 

For individual applications

  • Applicants will be given higher consideration if they are the first author or primary presenter for a presentation at a conference.
  • Applicants will be given higher consideration based on the importance and relevance of the conference to the student’s future career plans and professional development.
  • Applicants will be given higher consideration if they demonstrate a clear plan for covering additional expenses not covered by the iSchool. Students should not be dependent solely on iSchool subsidies since these funds are not guaranteed.
  • Additional weight will be given to applicants who have made efforts to reduce their costs and find additional sources of funding toward their travel.
  • Additional weight may be given based on the reach and impact of the conference (i.e. local, state, regional, national, or international scope).
  • Each student is eligible to receive one individual travel grant per academic year, with a maximum of two individual grants per their entire academic program. If you apply unsuccessfully, you may apply for a different conference in the same academic year. The academic year is defined as fall semester through the summer sessions of the following calendar year.

For group applications

  • Applications maximizing the number of students who are included in conference participation will be given higher consideration.
  • Applications that include student authors/presenters will be given higher consideration.
  • Applications will be given higher consideration based on the importance and relevance of the conference to the students’ future career plans and professional development.
  • Applications will be given higher consideration if they demonstrate a clear plan for covering additional expenses not covered by the iSchool. Students should not be dependent solely on iSchool subsidies since these funds are not guaranteed.
  • Additional weight will be given to applications that demonstrate efforts to reduce costs and find additional sources of funding toward travel.
  • Additional weight may be given based on the reach and impact of the conference (i.e. local, state, regional, national, or international scope).
  • There is no limit to the number of group applications in which a student may take part. However, priority consideration will be given to applications supporting students who have not previously received iSchool funding in the current academic year. The academic year is defined as fall semester through the summer sessions of the following calendar year.

Apply

The conference funding application can be found at this link: https://syracuseuniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_03z26eR9o77lJAx.

If you encounter any issues with the form, please contact Dr. Rachel Clarke, LIS Conference Funding Committee chair, at rclark01@syr.edu. 

Additional Funding Opportunities

Besides conference funding from the iSchool, be aware that conferences frequently offer scholarships or may have volunteer opportunities.  This includes the ALA Student to Staff program at ALA Annual.  Please contact the conference organization for information on their scholarship opportunities.

There are also two specific conference scholarships:

  • The Theresa C. Huang Scholarship was established by Theodore S. Huang, in honor of his late wife, Theresa, who attended Syracuse University from 1956 to 1958 and received her MSLS in 1958. Huang scholarship is given each year to an MSLIS student for attending the ALA Annual Conference. This scholarship is $500 towards registration and travel. Apply for this scholarship using the general conference funding application and note you are applying for the Huang Scholarship.
  • The NYLA Dewey Scholarship is given to one MSLIS student each year from each of the seven MSLIS programs in NYS. This scholarship is $1000 towards tuition and gratis registration for the following year’s NYLA Conference.  One scholarship is given each fall.  Students are notified at the start of the fall semester of the application process, with applications due by Sept. 30.