INFO Fund Descriptions
Discover how you can shape the future of information. Explore our funds and learn how your support drives innovation, empowers students, and advances solutions in education, healthcare, government, and more!
Scholarships & Fellowships
B. Parker Hamilton Libraries of the Future Endowed Scholarship
The future of information is happening now. At the College of Information Studies, Maryland’s iSchool, top-notch faculty and graduate students are exploring how information profoundly touches our lives: in government, education, health care, employment and more. Building upon its foundation in library science and information studies, the iSchool has grown into an education and research powerhouse in human-computer interaction, digital libraries, cloud computing, information access, e-government and social media. Your investment will fund student scholarships, hands-on learning experiences and groundbreaking research that shapes information science, management and policy in government agencies, nonprofits and businesses.
B. Parker Hamilton Libraries of the Future Scholarship
Parker Hamilton served as the Director of the Montgomery County Public Libraries for 12 years and had a career of over 36 years with the County. During her tenure Ms. Hamilton made Montgomery County libraries one of the nation’s leading systems and worked tirelessly to make library services accessible to the increasingly diverse population of Montgomery County.
The Hamilton Libraries of the Future Scholarship will support scholarships for MLIS students who champion diversity and promote inclusion and equity in the communities that they serve. As libraries serve many different populations with a wide range of information and other needs, the field must produce MLIS graduates prepared to meet the needs related to issues of race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, disability, geography, socio-economic status, and literacy.
Barbara Van Dongen School Library Media Fellowship
Established by Barbara Van Dongen, an alumna of the College’s School Library Media program, this fund provides support to scholarships for students who are currently enrolled in the School Library specialization in the College of Information (INFO).
Bridging The Gap Scholarship
The Bridging The Gap Scholarship Fund helps INFO students who face unforeseen financial difficulties or extraordinary hardship to stay in school. This fund continues to help students in need only because of the generous contributions of alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff of the College of Information at the University of Maryland.
Often just a few hundred dollars can mean the difference between making a tuition payment or withdrawing from school. Your support will ensure that our students can pursue their dream of a college degree despite experiencing financial hardship.
Bruce Ambacher Archives and Digital Curation Fellowship
This fund will provide financial assistance to a graduate student enrolled in the Archives & Digital Curation specialization in the College of Information.
This fellowship provides significant student support to an important area of 21st century information needs. Highly trained, technical archivists are in demand and this fellowship will both encourage qualified students to pursue a degree in this growing field as well as recognized outstanding work of those enrolled in the specialization. This fellowship will add an important component to an already dynamic program that teaches students how to manage information-textual, multimedia, or digital- vital for society and an informed public.
College of Information Undergraduate Scholarship Fund
Gifts to the College of Information Undergraduate Scholarship Fund provide scholarships, fellowships and awards to our rapidly growing undergraduate student population. The Bachelor of Science in Information Science, also known as InfoSci, provides students with the skills to anticipate the consequences of new information technologies, systems, services and resources. These in-demand skills allow students to design solutions, create systems and lead teams that bring together information, technology, and people to meet critical individual, organizational, and societal needs. By supporting this fund, you are ensuring our undergraduate students get the support they need to become future information leaders.
College of Library and Information Alumni Chapter Scholarship
This fund, supported by the College of Information Alumni Chapter, provides financial assistance to any INFO student enrolled in the MLIS, MIM, PhD or InfoSci degree programs. This need based award also recognizes INFO students who stand out through their leadership or volunteer activities.
Frank G. Burke Endowed Fellowship
The Dr. Frank Burke Fellowship provides an annual award to outstanding students enrolled in the History and Library Science (HILS) program in the College of Information (INFO). This fund honors the legacy of Dr. Frank Burke, professor emeritus in he College and The Archivist of the United States from 1985-1987.
Jenny Preece and Ben Shneiderman Award for Excellence in HCIM
The Jenny Preece and Ben Shneiderman Award for Excellence in HCIM, endowed by, and named in honor of, two influential HCI researchers, educators, and thought leaders from the University of Maryland, will be presented to a member of the HCIM graduating class who has demonstrated leadership, high ethical values, and meaningful contributions both in and outside of the classroom during their time at UMD.
Master of Information Management (MIM) Alumni Scholarship
Established in 2012 by the alumni and friends of the MIM program, this scholarship is available to students currently enrolled in the MIM program at the College of Information Studies and who have demonstrated academic excellence.
Mary Lee Bundy Scholarship
The Mary Lee Bundy scholarship was established in March 2007 by William G. Wilson to honor Dr. Bundy’s memory and her outstanding participation and influence in the Library and Information Services profession. Gifts to this fund supports scholarships to MLIS students who are focusing on a career in public libraries and who are currently enrolled in the College of Information Studies.
Myra Wilson Scholarship Fund
Gifts to this fund will support scholarships for currently enrolled MLIS students with an interest in law librarianship, public library reference service, or international librarianship.
This scholarship was established in 1999 in memory of Myra Wilson, a graduate from the College of Information Studies, to honor “her respect for education, and her delight in finding answers to myriad, often obscure, questions…” The qualifications of the scholarship winner will reflect those of Myra Wilson: excellent interpersonal skills and a terrific sense of humor.
Nancy and Daniel Balz MLIS Scholarship for Returning Students
Gifts to the Nancy and Daniel Balz MLIS Scholarship for Returning Students support scholarships for returning students in the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) Program in the College of Information Studies.
Nancy and Dan established this scholarship because of the positive experience Nancy had taking classes in the MLS program in the early 1990’s. While working as a researcher for the Oxford University Press’ Oxford English Dictionary, she updated her 1972 masters in library science education with the computer skills and technical knowledge being taught to LS students at that time. The support of the UMD faculty gave her confidence to pursue her further goal of working in a public library. She spent the rest of her career working in the Montgomery County Library System as a children’s librarian at four successive libraries.
Noyes Library Association Scholarship
The Noyes Library Association of Kensington Maryland established this scholarship to award financial aid for students in the College of Information Studies
Research Enabled Education Current-Use Graduate Fellowship in the College of Information Studies
A generous Terp established the Research Enabled Education Current-Use Graduate Fellowship in the College of Information Studies in November 2023. This fund provides support for graduate students in the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland who will assist with planning and implementation of undergraduate research experiences.
Research, Events & Awards
Anne Scott MacLeod Children’s Literature Endowed Fund
The Anne Scott MacLeod Children’s Literature Lecture series is a bi-annual program devoted to presenting scholarly issues in children’s literature to broad audiences. Professor MacLeod is a widely recognized scholar and professor emerita of the University of Maryland College of Information (INFO). The MacLeod Children’s Literature Lecture series is made possible by the generosity of alumni and friends who feel strongly about the importance of children’s literature and the legacy of Dr. MacLeod.
Info Challenge Initiative
The Information Challenge Initiative was built upon the belief that providing unrestricted access to data fosters innovation, transparency, and civic engagement. Through Information Challenge (IC) activities designed to inspire creativity and analytical prowess, participants are given a platform to develop their skills with guidance and feedback from expert mentors and judges, and feel empowered to pursue their information and data visions.
Student teams work together with a common goal that fosters community between team members and their mentor. The showcase event on the final day provides a chance for student teams to display their accomplishments and to view the projects developed by other teams. The inclusion of datasets, challenges, mentors, judges, volunteers, and funding from the academic community, the local communities, federal agencies, and industry nurtures leadership, service, networking, and social exchange across multiple dimensions.
Information Challenges for university and college students are hosted by The College of Information (INFO), but are open to all University of Maryland students, in addition to invited academic institutions, such as the United States Naval Academy and Montgomery College. Students at all levels, including undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, are invited to participate.
Information Challenges for high school students are presented as UMD Summer Camps and hosted annually in July. This week-long day-camp offers high school students an opportunity to learn about data science and teamwork, and a chance to experience life on a college campus.
Students of all levels are invited to participate in Information Challenge events. Prior data science knowledge is not required. Students who are creative and enjoy a challenge are drawn to the IC activities and come prepared to learn and experience activities that will enhance their learning about data, teamwork, creativity, and analytical thinking to solve the problems. Our team composition guidelines also encourage collaboration between students at different points of their academic careers.
When you give to the Information Challenge Initiative, you will be providing support for the IC events, both during the academic year and over the summer, as students learn about cybersecurity, data visualization, and user-centered design while seeking solutions to critical practical and societal problems.
KidsTeam Research Fund
Children should have a voice in creating new technology for kids. Their ideas, interests, and insights can contribute to the entire technology design process. At the University of Maryland’s College of Information (INFO) and Human Computer Interaction Lab (HCIL), we’ve been co-designing technologies for children, with children, for over 20 years.
Our technology design team, known as KidsTeam, brings together children (6-14 years old) and adult designers and researchers to brainstorm, prototype, and evaluate existing and emerging technologies for youth. Over the past 22 years, KidsTeam has contributed to the design of interactive learning experiences, websites, and apps with institutional and industry partners such as the U.S. National Park Service, Nickelodeon, the Library of Congress, Carnegie Hall, and Wonder Workshop. We have collaborated with designers and researchers from the fields of human-computer interaction, learning sciences and education, computer science, art, architecture, information science, environmental science, and more.
Founded in 1998 by Dr. Allison Druin, KidsTeam employs a diverse repertoire of ideation and evaluation techniques in a process known as “Cooperative Inquiry.” This design process enables children and adults to share ideas in ways that maximize idea elaboration yet minimize differences in age, ability, and communication styles. KidsTeam research enhances our understanding of intergenerational design techniques and our efforts to co-design technologies relevant to children’s interests and needs.
The children with whom we work need not come with any special background or educational experience. If they like to dream up new ideas, make stories, draw, code, or are interested in any aspect of the design process, they can participate! Many KidsTeam children are from local neighborhoods in Prince George’s County; some have even grown up to study here at UMD and beyond.
If you’d like to join in giving children a voice in the design of new technologies and in so doing, change the lives of the children who participate, contribute to the KidsTeam Foundation Fund.
Laurence B. Heilprin Memorial Fund
The Laurence Heilprin Award honors the late Dr. Laurence Heilprin, professor emeritus of the College of Information (INFO). Dr. Heilprin served on the faculty from 1967-1976, and continued teaching until 1992. This annual prize is awarded to a graduate student in the College for the best student paper.
General Support
College of Information Excellence Fund
Gifts to the College of Information (INFO) Excellence Fund provide support to the College where the need is greatest, most often directed toward student aid, travel and research funding. Donations help the Dean respond quickly to the growing needs of our students and faculty, as well as offer opportunities to enhance the educational experience with expert lectures, conference visits and College outreach activities.
College of Information Undergraduate Programs Fund
The Undergraduate Programs Fund provides general support to enhance the department’s undergraduate program. Your support can further this innovative research, attract world-class faculty, and provide valuable scholarships, fellowships and awards for students. The Bachelor of Science in Information Science major, also known as InfoSci, is a STEM Designated degree program, that provides students with the skills to anticipate consequences of new information technologies, systems, services and resources. The program prepares students to design solutions, create systems, and lead teams that bring together information, technology, and people to meet critical individual, organizational, and societal needs.
HCIL General
The HCIL has a long, rich history of transforming the experience people have with new technologies. From understanding user needs, to developing and evaluating these technologies, the lab’s faculty, staff and students have been leading the way in HCI research and teaching. The lab is jointly supported by the College of Information (INFO) and University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS). Your investment will fund student scholarships, hands-on learning experiences, visits by renowned experts and ground breaking research, including UX/design methods, accessibility, information visualization, privacy and security, creativity and collaboration tools, learning technologies and new media such as wearable computing and AR/VR. Give today!
Travel Funds
Beyond These Walls: Student Travel and Research Fund
Beyond These Walls provides essential funds for INFO students to attend regional, national and international conferences by offering assistance for registration fees, travel and lodging costs. Your support enables students selected to present research, lead workshops or have a leadership role to participate in these important professional experiences. Plus, their presence increases Maryland’s visibility among all attendees. Please help our MLIS, MIM and HCIM students share their work, build their network and benefit from the unique experiences at information conferences.
College of Information Undergraduate Student Travel Fund
Gifts to the College of Information Undergraduate Student Travel Fund provides financial support to undergraduate students at the College of Information (INFO) for travel and research.
B. Parker Hamilton Libraries of the Future Endowed Scholarship
The future of information is happening now. At the College of Information Studies, Maryland’s iSchool, top-notch faculty and graduate students are exploring how information profoundly touches our lives: in government, education, health care, employment and more. Building upon its foundation in library science and information studies, the iSchool has grown into an education and research powerhouse in human-computer interaction, digital libraries, cloud computing, information access, e-government and social media. Your investment will fund student scholarships, hands-on learning experiences and groundbreaking research that shapes information science, management and policy in government agencies, nonprofits and businesses.
B. Parker Hamilton Libraries of the Future Scholarship
Parker Hamilton served as the Director of the Montgomery County Public Libraries for 12 years and had a career of over 36 years with the County. During her tenure Ms. Hamilton made Montgomery County libraries one of the nation’s leading systems and worked tirelessly to make library services accessible to the increasingly diverse population of Montgomery County.
The Hamilton Libraries of the Future Scholarship will support scholarships for MLIS students who champion diversity and promote inclusion and equity in the communities that they serve. As libraries serve many different populations with a wide range of information and other needs, the field must produce MLIS graduates prepared to meet the needs related to issues of race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, disability, geography, socio-economic status, and literacy.
Barbara Van Dongen School Library Media Fellowship
Established by Barbara Van Dongen, an alumna of the College’s School Library Media program, this fund provides support to scholarships for students who are currently enrolled in the School Library specialization in the College of Information (INFO).
Bridging The Gap Scholarship
The Bridging The Gap Scholarship Fund helps INFO students who face unforeseen financial difficulties or extraordinary hardship to stay in school. This fund continues to help students in need only because of the generous contributions of alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff of the College of Information at the University of Maryland.
Often just a few hundred dollars can mean the difference between making a tuition payment or withdrawing from school. Your support will ensure that our students can pursue their dream of a college degree despite experiencing financial hardship.
Bruce Ambacher Archives and Digital Curation Fellowship
This fund will provide financial assistance to a graduate student enrolled in the Archives & Digital Curation specialization in the College of Information.
This fellowship provides significant student support to an important area of 21st century information needs. Highly trained, technical archivists are in demand and this fellowship will both encourage qualified students to pursue a degree in this growing field as well as recognized outstanding work of those enrolled in the specialization. This fellowship will add an important component to an already dynamic program that teaches students how to manage information-textual, multimedia, or digital- vital for society and an informed public.
College of Information Undergraduate Scholarship Fund
Gifts to the College of Information Undergraduate Scholarship Fund provide scholarships, fellowships and awards to our rapidly growing undergraduate student population. The Bachelor of Science in Information Science, also known as InfoSci, provides students with the skills to anticipate the consequences of new information technologies, systems, services and resources. These in-demand skills allow students to design solutions, create systems and lead teams that bring together information, technology, and people to meet critical individual, organizational, and societal needs. By supporting this fund, you are ensuring our undergraduate students get the support they need to become future information leaders.
College of Library and Information Alumni Chapter Scholarship
This fund, supported by the College of Information Alumni Chapter, provides financial assistance to any INFO student enrolled in the MLIS, MIM, PhD or InfoSci degree programs. This need based award also recognizes INFO students who stand out through their leadership or volunteer activities.
Frank G. Burke Endowed Fellowship
The Dr. Frank Burke Fellowship provides an annual award to outstanding students enrolled in the History and Library Science (HILS) program in the College of Information (INFO). This fund honors the legacy of Dr. Frank Burke, professor emeritus in he College and The Archivist of the United States from 1985-1987.
Jenny Preece and Ben Shneiderman Award for Excellence in HCIM
The Jenny Preece and Ben Shneiderman Award for Excellence in HCIM, endowed by, and named in honor of, two influential HCI researchers, educators, and thought leaders from the University of Maryland, will be presented to a member of the HCIM graduating class who has demonstrated leadership, high ethical values, and meaningful contributions both in and outside of the classroom during their time at UMD.
Master of Information Management (MIM) Alumni Scholarship
Established in 2012 by the alumni and friends of the MIM program, this scholarship is available to students currently enrolled in the MIM program at the College of Information Studies and who have demonstrated academic excellence.
Mary Lee Bundy Scholarship
The Mary Lee Bundy scholarship was established in March 2007 by William G. Wilson to honor Dr. Bundy’s memory and her outstanding participation and influence in the Library and Information Services profession. Gifts to this fund supports scholarships to MLIS students who are focusing on a career in public libraries and who are currently enrolled in the College of Information Studies.
Myra Wilson Scholarship Fund
Gifts to this fund will support scholarships for currently enrolled MLIS students with an interest in law librarianship, public library reference service, or international librarianship.
This scholarship was established in 1999 in memory of Myra Wilson, a graduate from the College of Information Studies, to honor “her respect for education, and her delight in finding answers to myriad, often obscure, questions…” The qualifications of the scholarship winner will reflect those of Myra Wilson: excellent interpersonal skills and a terrific sense of humor.
Nancy and Daniel Balz MLIS Scholarship for Returning Students
Gifts to the Nancy and Daniel Balz MLIS Scholarship for Returning Students support scholarships for returning students in the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) Program in the College of Information Studies.
Nancy and Dan established this scholarship because of the positive experience Nancy had taking classes in the MLS program in the early 1990’s. While working as a researcher for the Oxford University Press’ Oxford English Dictionary, she updated her 1972 masters in library science education with the computer skills and technical knowledge being taught to LS students at that time. The support of the UMD faculty gave her confidence to pursue her further goal of working in a public library. She spent the rest of her career working in the Montgomery County Library System as a children’s librarian at four successive libraries.
Noyes Library Association Scholarship
The Noyes Library Association of Kensington Maryland established this scholarship to award financial aid for students in the College of Information Studies
Research Enabled Education Current-Use Graduate Fellowship in the College of Information Studies
A generous Terp established the Research Enabled Education Current-Use Graduate Fellowship in the College of Information Studies in November 2023. This fund provides support for graduate students in the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland who will assist with planning and implementation of undergraduate research experiences.
Anne Scott MacLeod Children’s Literature Endowed Fund
The Anne Scott MacLeod Children’s Literature Lecture series is a bi-annual program devoted to presenting scholarly issues in children’s literature to broad audiences. Professor MacLeod is a widely recognized scholar and professor emerita of the University of Maryland College of Information (INFO). The MacLeod Children’s Literature Lecture series is made possible by the generosity of alumni and friends who feel strongly about the importance of children’s literature and the legacy of Dr. MacLeod.
Info Challenge Initiative
The Information Challenge Initiative was built upon the belief that providing unrestricted access to data fosters innovation, transparency, and civic engagement. Through Information Challenge (IC) activities designed to inspire creativity and analytical prowess, participants are given a platform to develop their skills with guidance and feedback from expert mentors and judges, and feel empowered to pursue their information and data visions.
Student teams work together with a common goal that fosters community between team members and their mentor. The showcase event on the final day provides a chance for student teams to display their accomplishments and to view the projects developed by other teams. The inclusion of datasets, challenges, mentors, judges, volunteers, and funding from the academic community, the local communities, federal agencies, and industry nurtures leadership, service, networking, and social exchange across multiple dimensions.
Information Challenges for university and college students are hosted by The College of Information (INFO), but are open to all University of Maryland students, in addition to invited academic institutions, such as the United States Naval Academy and Montgomery College. Students at all levels, including undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, are invited to participate.
Information Challenges for high school students are presented as UMD Summer Camps and hosted annually in July. This week-long day-camp offers high school students an opportunity to learn about data science and teamwork, and a chance to experience life on a college campus.
Students of all levels are invited to participate in Information Challenge events. Prior data science knowledge is not required. Students who are creative and enjoy a challenge are drawn to the IC activities and come prepared to learn and experience activities that will enhance their learning about data, teamwork, creativity, and analytical thinking to solve the problems. Our team composition guidelines also encourage collaboration between students at different points of their academic careers.
When you give to the Information Challenge Initiative, you will be providing support for the IC events, both during the academic year and over the summer, as students learn about cybersecurity, data visualization, and user-centered design while seeking solutions to critical practical and societal problems.
KidsTeam Research Fund
Children should have a voice in creating new technology for kids. Their ideas, interests, and insights can contribute to the entire technology design process. At the University of Maryland’s College of Information (INFO) and Human Computer Interaction Lab (HCIL), we’ve been co-designing technologies for children, with children, for over 20 years.
Our technology design team, known as KidsTeam, brings together children (6-14 years old) and adult designers and researchers to brainstorm, prototype, and evaluate existing and emerging technologies for youth. Over the past 22 years, KidsTeam has contributed to the design of interactive learning experiences, websites, and apps with institutional and industry partners such as the U.S. National Park Service, Nickelodeon, the Library of Congress, Carnegie Hall, and Wonder Workshop. We have collaborated with designers and researchers from the fields of human-computer interaction, learning sciences and education, computer science, art, architecture, information science, environmental science, and more.
Founded in 1998 by Dr. Allison Druin, KidsTeam employs a diverse repertoire of ideation and evaluation techniques in a process known as “Cooperative Inquiry.” This design process enables children and adults to share ideas in ways that maximize idea elaboration yet minimize differences in age, ability, and communication styles. KidsTeam research enhances our understanding of intergenerational design techniques and our efforts to co-design technologies relevant to children’s interests and needs.
The children with whom we work need not come with any special background or educational experience. If they like to dream up new ideas, make stories, draw, code, or are interested in any aspect of the design process, they can participate! Many KidsTeam children are from local neighborhoods in Prince George’s County; some have even grown up to study here at UMD and beyond.
If you’d like to join in giving children a voice in the design of new technologies and in so doing, change the lives of the children who participate, contribute to the KidsTeam Foundation Fund.
Laurence B. Heilprin Memorial Fund
The Laurence Heilprin Award honors the late Dr. Laurence Heilprin, professor emeritus of the College of Information (INFO). Dr. Heilprin served on the faculty from 1967-1976, and continued teaching until 1992. This annual prize is awarded to a graduate student in the College for the best student paper.
College of Information Excellence Fund
Gifts to the College of Information (INFO) Excellence Fund provide support to the College where the need is greatest, most often directed toward student aid, travel and research funding. Donations help the Dean respond quickly to the growing needs of our students and faculty, as well as offer opportunities to enhance the educational experience with expert lectures, conference visits and College outreach activities.
College of Information Undergraduate Programs Fund
The Undergraduate Programs Fund provides general support to enhance the department’s undergraduate program. Your support can further this innovative research, attract world-class faculty, and provide valuable scholarships, fellowships and awards for students. The Bachelor of Science in Information Science major, also known as InfoSci, is a STEM Designated degree program, that provides students with the skills to anticipate consequences of new information technologies, systems, services and resources. The program prepares students to design solutions, create systems, and lead teams that bring together information, technology, and people to meet critical individual, organizational, and societal needs.
HCIL General
The HCIL has a long, rich history of transforming the experience people have with new technologies. From understanding user needs, to developing and evaluating these technologies, the lab’s faculty, staff and students have been leading the way in HCI research and teaching. The lab is jointly supported by the College of Information (INFO) and University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS). Your investment will fund student scholarships, hands-on learning experiences, visits by renowned experts and ground breaking research, including UX/design methods, accessibility, information visualization, privacy and security, creativity and collaboration tools, learning technologies and new media such as wearable computing and AR/VR. Give today!
Beyond These Walls: Student Travel and Research Fund
Beyond These Walls provides essential funds for INFO students to attend regional, national and international conferences by offering assistance for registration fees, travel and lodging costs. Your support enables students selected to present research, lead workshops or have a leadership role to participate in these important professional experiences. Plus, their presence increases Maryland’s visibility among all attendees. Please help our MLIS, MIM and HCIM students share their work, build their network and benefit from the unique experiences at information conferences.
College of Information Undergraduate Student Travel Fund
Gifts to the College of Information Undergraduate Student Travel Fund provides financial support to undergraduate students at the College of Information (INFO) for travel and research.