ASCC Faculty Member Accepted as LEAP Scholar

ASCC Press Release Monday, July 11, 2011

ASCC Faculty Member Accepted as LEAP Scholar

By James Kneubuhl, ASCC Press Officer

The American Samoa Community College (ASCC) recently received official notice that faculty member Elvis Zodiacal of the Social Sciences Department has been accepted into a new federal project titled Library Education for the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific (LEAP). While retaining his position with ASCC, for the next two years Zodiacal will participate, as a LEAP scholar, in a long-distance learning program towards a Masters degree in Library Science, which begins with a “Web Institute” to take place in Guam next month.

ASCC Social Science instructor Elvis Zodiacal has been accepted into the Library Education for U.S.-Affilated Pacific (LEAP) program. He will participate in a two-year distance learning program towards an MA degree in Library Science from the University of North Texas, funded by LEAP. (Photo: J. Kneubuhl)

“The LEAP project is an unprecedented opportunity for islanders to pursue a career in library information sciences, to meet the needs of students in remote areas, and to develop leadership with a vision for increasing information access in their home islands,” said Jane Barnwell, LEAP Director, in a letter to ASCC President Dr. Seth Galea’i. “I am delighted to have Mr. Zodiacal as part of the LEAP project,” Dr. Barnwell wrote, “and I am confident that he will be a credit to your institution and contribute significantly to your community, the school children learners in your community, and to the advancement of information services in American Samoa.”

A member of the College’s Social Science faculty since 2003, Zodiacal earned his AA from ASCC in 1985 before going on to complete a BS at the University of Guam and his MA from San Diego State University. Besides his regular teaching duties, Mr. Zodiacal has also been a longstanding advisor to the College’s chapter of the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa honors society.

Last year, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (MLS) awarded Pacific Resources in Education and Learning (PREL) and the University of North Texas (UNT) Department of Library and Information Sciences (DLIS) a grant towards the development of LEAP, with the goal of increasing the number of diverse library professionals in the geographically-dispersed U.S.- affiliated Pacific islands (USAPI). The collaborative effort provides 23 full scholarships to qualified Pacific island participants, including Mr. Zodiacal, who work towards a Masters degree from UNT for the next two years. All costs of Mr. Zodiacal’s graduate studies, to include a fully loaded laptop with software and two years of internet connectivity, and attendance in the summer institutes during 2011 and 2013 will be covered by LEAP.

The LEAP participants, their course instructors, and the Project staff will meet in Guam from August 9th to 19th to take part in the Project’s “Web Institute”. UNT faculty members and librarians will provide an introduction to the master’s program and meet with individual participants to offer advice and guidance. Each participant will be assigned to a UNT professional librarian for academic support and professional monitoring via video teleconferencing and online communication throughout the program, which will consist of 36 hours of online courses. The participants’ graduate work will culminate with individual research presentations at the 2013 Pacific Educational Conference.

“My sincere thanks to all those who made this opportunity possible,” said Zodiacal, “especially IMLS, PREL, UNT, the ASCC administration, and President Dr. Seth Galea'i for his unwavering support of faculty development and for enhancing our ASCC mission to serve our students and community in the spirit of ‘saili le atamai’".

“On behalf of ASCC, I congratulate Mr. Zodiacal on his acceptance to this innovative and valuable program,” said ASCC President Dr. Galea’i. “We have great confidence that he will do well within the LEAP project, and we are proud that he has been chosen by PREL to take part in this timely and important work.”

ENDS

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