MEDIA RELEASES

James MacDonald, a resident of Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood, has been awarded the 2008 Helen Cohen Outstanding Student Award from Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS). MacDonald recently graduated from the university with a master’s degree in library science.

The Helen Cohen Outstanding Student Award is given each year to a student exhibiting initiative and creativity and exemplifies overall excellence and leadership in the field of librarianship. Students are nominated for the award by fellow students, librarians and faculty members of the university.

MacDonald, who graduated with a 4.0 grade point average, served as the GSLIS student representative to the 2007 American Library Association annual conference. He also served as a graduate assistant at the university and assisted with the annual spring symposia, the Follett Lectures, alumni career days and the Library Information Science Student Association. He is a volunteer at the Newberry Library in Chicago.

The Helen Cohen Award is named in honor of GSLIS graduate Helen Cohen, who had a successful career in public and academic libraries. After her death, friends and family established a fund in her honor. The honor is accompanied by a $500 monetary award.

Accredited by the American Library Association, Dominican University’s GSLIS has been educating future library leaders and information professionals since the 1930s. The school offers master’s degrees in library and information science and in knowledge management.

Founded in 1901, Dominican University is a comprehensive, coeducational Catholic institution offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In the 2008 issue of America’s Best Colleges, U.S. News & World Report again ranked Dominican University in the top tier of Midwest master’s level universities and as a “best value” for the tenth consecutive year.