Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance
Posted By Nicki Leone, Wednesday, January 5, 2022
SIBA Establishes Wanda Jewell Scholarship Fund for Bookseller Professional Development The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance has created the Wanda Jewell Scholarship Fund in honor of its much-beloved former Executive Director who retired in 2020. The scholarship, which is funded by authors, provides financial support for bookseller professional development through education and networking at in-person SIBA-sponsored events.
“I’m so humbled by this scholarship in my name," said Jewell when she was told, "it truly means the world to me. And to have many of my favorite writers stepping forward to fund this is simply the best gift. So much gratitude to SIBA and writers and booksellers I cannot express.”
Initial funding for the scholarship comes from the four author co-hosts of "Friends & Fiction" —Mary Kay Andrews, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Kristin Harmel and Patti Callahan Henry.
In their statement they said "We are pleased to fund the inaugural Wanda Jewell Scholarship. When we created our community almost two years ago, our original mission included the phrase “to support independent bookstores” and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate Wanda Jewell’s contribution to SIBA than by honoring her with this scholarship. Through SIBA, Wanda has supported us and our work for years now, and we are thrilled in turn to support booksellers in their professional development.”
Scholarship applications will open February 1, 2022. Anyone wishing to make a donation in honor of Wanda Jewell may do so here
For more information, contact Linda-Marie Barrett, SIBA Executive Director, at lindamarie@sibaweb.com