The Oviatt Library student employee scholarship recipients, including Ashley English (center, with purple jacket), along with Marianne Afifi, associate dean (far left), and Mark Stover, dean of the library (far right). Photo by Oscar Kwok.

The Oviatt Library, heart of the California State University, Northridge campus, is home to thousands of volumes, priceless archives and innumerable resources for students, faculty and staff. However, one of the library’s greatest assets is its group of student employees. Every semester, more than 140 students work with full-time library staff to aid researchers, ensure collections are organized and keep the Oviatt running smoothly as an invaluable campus resource.

On April 17, library staff and donors gathered at a luncheon to honor student employees. Library officials presented 23 scholarships, totaling $22,000 in aid to deserving library student employees.

Virginia Elwood-Akers M.A. ’81 (Mass Communications), a retired university archivist who worked in the Oviatt Library for nearly 30 years, now funds one of the scholarships awarded at the event—the Virginia Elwood Scholarship—which this year was presented to Ashley English, a CSUN student who plans to graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in public health.

“I went to school on scholarships and working, so I know how important the scholarship can be,” said Elwood-Akers. “I hope that this little bit of money would keep Ashley going if she ever got discouraged. It took me eight years to get my B.A. I understand how hard it can be.”

English received the Virginia Elwood Scholarship as well as the Bonita J. Campbell Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Endowment Scholarship, one of the campus programs funded by a 2009 gift from professor emeritus Bonita J. Campbell of CSUN’s Department of Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management.

English was surprised and grateful for the awards. “I felt honored to be a recipient of the two scholarship awards,” she said. “By receiving these scholarships, I will be able to complete my education at CSUN and further continue my education by attending nursing school next year. I would like to thank the donors.”

English encouraged fellow students to apply for scholarships and be persistent.

“CSUN offers several scholarships for students,” she said. “The scholarships can be found on CSUN’s financial aid website, scholarship fliers around campus or at the Oviatt Library for student employees. I applied for a scholarship for the Oviatt Library last year and, unfortunately, did not receive one. However, this year I applied again and was a recipient of two.”

For more: Help other students by contributing to CSUN student scholarships.

Oviatt Library Scholarship Recipients

Marianne Afifi Scholarship
Tiffany Navales
Rachele Pedraza
Daniel Ramos
Paria Soroushi
Vince Morel Vilan
Gaja Yoon

Bonita J. Campbell WISE Endowment Scholarship
Ashley English

Mary & James Cleary Scholarship
Anuradha Krishnamurthy

Dr. Karin Duran Scholarship
Luisa Gonzalez

Virginia Elwood Scholarship
Ashley English

Ardis Flenniken Scholarship
Erika Panosian

Friends of the Library
Cristina Gutierrez

Bernice and Leonard Haber Scholarship
Juan Garcia

Richard and Diana Homer Scholarship
Edrina Younan

Anne and Dave Perkins Scholarship
Tiffany Argumedo
Jose Avendano
Zachary Burgenbauch
Mehrbanoo Farehi

Lois & Ralph Prator Scholarship
Rebecca Harris
Liliana Jimenez
Edras Lepe-Zapata

Ronald & Elizabeth-Ann Purcell Fellowship Scholarship
Carlos Vazquez

Cindy Ventuleth Scholarship
Jose Gonzalez

Gifts and Grants, Oviatt Library, Scholarships