Annual Grants
Jalesia Horton Memorial Library School Scholarship
The Jalesia Horton Memorial Library School Scholarship is awarded annually to a full-time SMU Libraries staff member or intern enrolled in library school and pursuing a career as a librarian. The scholarship honors the memory of Jalesia Horton, former director of Access Services and Resource Sharing, who was a dedicated mentor, colleague, and advocate for equitable access to library resources and services. Jalesia encouraged her colleagues to pursue their goals and inspired others to enter the library profession. Through this scholarship, Friends of SMU Libraries helps carry forward her commitment to learning, mentorship, and librarianship. To make a gift in Jalesia’s memory, donate at the Friends of SMU Libraries giving page.
Student Employee Excellence Award
Each year, Friends of SMU Libraries recognizes two outstanding SMU Libraries student employees with $1,000 awards for excellent performance. Recipients may use the award for any purpose. Through this award, Friends members help celebrate the important contributions student employees make to SMU Libraries and the university community.
2026 Grants & Scholarships
$73,300 awarded
- $50,000 to Fondren Library Student Spaces.
- $5,000 to the SMU Archives and Norwick Center for Digital Solutions for transcription services and student funding for the “Voices of SMU” Oral History Project.
- $5,000 to the G. William Jones Film and Video Collection at Hamon Arts Library to support the ongoing student-led film series, in collaboration with the Film and Media Arts Division of the Meadows School of the Arts and with assistance from SMU’s Student Academic Engagement and Success, for the 2026-2027 academic year.
- $5,000 to the DeGolyer Library to launch a Special Collections Internship pilot program.
- $2,500 to the Hawn Gallery at Hamon Arts Library for exhibition programming expenses for the 2026-2027 academic year.
- $1,800 to the Hamon Arts Library to create a composer workstation.
- $1,000 each to Brianna Ballester, Toby Maingot, Diego Roberts Bucera and Aisha Sulaiman, recipients of the 2026 SMU Libraries Student Employee Excellence Award.
Past Awards
2025
$45,500 awarded
- $25,000 to Fondren Library Student Spaces
- $5,000 to the SMU Archives and Norwick Center for Digital Solutions for transcription services for the “Voices of SMU” Oral History Project.
- $4,500 to Hamon Arts Library for a display case to showcase items from the Ware Collection in Bywaters Special Collections and to support installation costs for mounting a collection of woven works from the Southwest.
- $4,000 to the G. William Jones Film and Video Collection at Hamon Arts Library to support the ongoing student-led film series, in collaboration with the Film and Media Arts Division of the Meadows School of the Arts and with assistance from SMU’s Student Academic Engagement and Success, for the 2025-2026 academic year.
- $2,500 to the Hawn Gallery at Hamon Arts Library for exhibition programming expenses for the 2025-2026 academic year.
- $500 to the Duda Family Business Library for student check-out equipment and supplies.
- $1,000 each to Fiona Graybill and Eddie Marx, recipients of the 2025 SMU Libraries Student Employee Excellence Award.
- $2,000 to Kaitlin Siebert, recipient of the 2025 Jalesia Horton Memorial Library School Scholarship.
2024
$49,700 awarded
- $25,000 to the SMU Libraries Internship program.
- $5,000 to the SMU Archives and Norwick Center for Digital Solutions for transcription services for the “Voices of SMU” Oral History Project.
- $5,000 to the DeGolyer Library for the purchase of photographs of minorities in the West.
- $4,000 to the G. William Jones Film and Video Collection at Hamon Arts Library to support the ongoing student-led film series, in collaboration with the Film and Media Arts Division of the Meadows School of the Arts, for the 2024-2025 academic year.
- $3,300 to Hamon Arts Library for a directional speaker system.
- $2,500 to the Hawn Gallery at Hamon Arts Library for exhibition and programming expenses for the 2024-2025 academic year.
- $900 to the Business Library for teaching supplies for experiential learning and gamification sessions.
- $2,000 to SMU Libraries to support two SMU Libraries Student Worker Excellence Awards in the amount of $1,000 each. This year's recipients are Lillian Nelson and Pavani Palla.
- $2,000 to SMU Libraries to support the Jalesia Horton Memorial Library School Scholarship. This year's recipient is Shruthi Hemasundar.
2023
$40,000 awarded
- $12,250 to the SMU Libraries Internship program.
- $12,250 to the Fondren Collaborative Classroom Renovation project to support updated technology.
- $5,000 to the SMU Archives and Norwick Center for Digital Solutions for transcription services and student funding for the “Voices of SMU” Oral History Project.
- $3,000 to the DeGolyer Library for the purchase of minority photographs.
- $3,000 to the G. William Jones Film and Video Collection at Hamon Arts Library to support a student-led film series, in collaboration with the Film and Media Arts Division of the Meadows School of the Arts, for the Fall 2023/Spring 2024 terms.
- $2,500 to the Hawn Gallery at Hamon Arts Library for programming expenses associated with the Fall 2023/Spring 2024 exhibitions.
- $2000 to SMU Libraries to support two SMU Libraries Student Worker Excellence Awards in the amount of $1,000 each. This year’s recipients are Azeez Akande and Joy Morrow.