Lois Holt Scholarship for Libraries Student Assistants

History

Miss Lois Holt was raised in the northeast and graduated in 1930 from the Douglass College at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, with a degree in home economics. She worked several years in private industry, before she returned to Rutgers as a home economics instructor.

In 1953, Miss Holt followed her father Frank Holt, a lawyer, to Florida. Like her father Miss Holt invested in the state’s profitable citrus industry and real estate and began amassing her fortune. In the 1970s, when the Central Florida citrus industry was giving way to development, Miss Holt cashed in on some of her valuable land holdings, which included parcels in Old Winter Garden Road, Hiawassee Road, the Lake Mary/I4 interchange, and along US 27 in Clermont.

In 1992, good friend and financial advisor John Stilwell, helped Miss Holt to set up an education foundation to provide scholarships for Central Florida institutions like the University of Central Florida, Valencia Community College, University of South Florida and Miami University. In addition the foundation also gives grants directly to area colleges as well as her alma mater Rutgers.

John Stilwell, who also served as administrator for the Lois Holt Foundation, described Miss Holt as “blunt” but “with a kind heart.” She lived a simple, low-key life in Florida and never married.

Miss Holt passed away in July 1999, at the age of 91, but her legacy through the foundation that bears her name, continues to help students attain the goal of a college education.

Long-time friends of the University of Central Florida Libraries, Lois Holt and John Stilwell set up a scholarship for student assistants who work in the Libraries. Beginning in 1994, the Lois Holt Foundation awarded 12 $2,000 scholarships available only to Libraries student assistants.

In fall 1993, a group study room was dedicated to Miss Holt. The ceremonies were attended by Dr. Charles Millican, first president of UCF, and Dr. John Hitt, the newly appointed president. Dr. W. Rex Brown served as master of ceremonies.

John Stilwell passed away in the spring of 2006. In fall 2006, the Libraries awarded the last Lois Holt Scholarship.

Thanks to Lois Holt’s generosity over $600,000 has been given to more than 100 students from half a dozen countries of origin at 12 southeastern colleges, including 11 fortunate UCF Libraries student assistants. In addition, as of 2004/05, the Holt Foundation contributed $45,000 to the University of Central Florida Library Enrichment Fund. The University of Central Florida community is indebted to Lois Holt for her legacy of kindness, generosity, and respect for academic excellence.

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Current Status

As of spring 2007, the Lois Holt Scholarship will no longer be offered.

Criteria

The Lois Holt Scholarship for Library Student Assistants was established at the University of Central Florida in 1994 through the generosity of the Lois Holt Foundation. Not necessarily based on financial need, the scholarship in the amount of $2,000 per school year was awarded in the fall semester to a UCF student working at the University of Central Florida Libraries. This scholarship was awarded strictly on the basis of the criteria noted below.

Applicants must:

• at the time of application, have an overall GPA (for all college credits) of 3.0 or higher and be a full-time student (twelve (12) hours or more for undergraduate students, nine (9) hours or more for graduate students).
• have worked as a student assistant in the UCF Lbraries for a minimum of three (3) full (not necessarily consecutive) semesters . The semester of application may count as the third semester.
• be working in the UCF Libraries at the time of application and at the time of receipt of award.
• resume UCF Libraries employment in the fall semester of the award year.
• use the scholarship to pursue educational goals at UCF and be registered as a UCF student at the time of application and at the time of receipt of award
• complete the application form. Paper forms available in the Library Administration Office, LR 512. PDF application forms are also available.
• attach the following to the completed application form:
  • a copy of current transcript (photocopy or official)
  • three (3) signed and dated letters of recommendation including addresses and phone numbers of references. Letters should be addressed to "Selection Committee." Letters must be from people (other than family members or members of the scholarship selection committee) who have known the candidate for at least one year. One of the three letters must be from the applicant's library supervisor or the supervisor's designee.
  • a 500-word essay discussing professional and educational goals
  • a resume or personal statement including Awards & Community Service, Work History, and Education.

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Recipients

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