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IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Scholarship Winners Attend Commencement
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IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Scholarship Winners Attend Commencement
Library Assistants from Plainfield and Newark Earn College Degrees TRENTON, N.J.(October 13, 2009) —Shileen Shaw knows all about not giving up on education.Shaw, of Newark, earned her Associate in Arts degree from Thomas Edison State College through the IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Scholarship program.
She earned her degree while working full-time as a senior library assistant at the Newark Public Library’s Weequahic branch. Earning her degree enabled Shaw to expand her work to children’s services.
“This degree means so much to me because I never thought I would accomplish the goal,” she said. “It has opened doors to me and continues to motivate me and others to finish their education. I am currently pursuing my BA and I couldn’t have done it without the help of the scholarship and the flexibility of online learning.”
Shaw is one of two library assistants from New Jersey who earned IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Scholarships and completed their degrees at Thomas Edison State College in 2009. The scholarship program focuses, in part, on the development of faculty and library leaders, the recruitment and education of the next generation of librarians and the professional development of librarians and library staff.
Audrey Samuels, of Plainfield, completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies at Thomas Edison State College through the IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Scholarship Program. Samuels works at the Plainfield Public Library as a library assistant and said adults interested in earning their college degree should try to have an open mind.
“The road of life takes us down many paths with each one offering new experiences and new lessons,” she said.
Shaw and Samuels joined approximately 375 graduates from 26 states and Saudi Arabia who traveled to the War Memorial in Trenton to accept their diplomas at the College’s 37th Annual Commencement ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009.
The College awarded more than 2,500 degrees in 2009 and has awarded more than 34,000 degrees since it began providing flexible, high-quality, collegiate learning opportunities for self directed adults in 1972.
About Thomas Edison State College
Thomas Edison State College provides flexible, high-quality, collegiate learning opportunities for self-directed adults. One of New Jersey’s 12 senior public institutions of higher education, the College offers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in more than 100 areas of study. Students earn degrees through a wide variety of rigorous and high-quality academic methods that can be customized to meet their individual needs. Identified by Forbes magazine as one of the top 20 colleges and universities in the nation in the use of technology to create learning opportunities for adults, Thomas Edison State College is a national leader in the assessment of adult learning and a pioneer in the use of educational technologies. The College is home to The John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy. The New Jersey State Library is an affiliate of Thomas Edison State College. Further information about admission to the College may be obtained by calling (888) 442-8372, via e-mail at info@tesc.edu or by visiting the College Web site at www.tesc.edu.
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