Meet the 2026 Friends of the Libraries Scholarship Winners

From first-year undergraduates to graduate students, Ohio University Libraries is home to dedicated student employees who help shape the academic experience for the entire campus. Each year, the Friends of the Libraries Scholarship recognizes students whose work stands out. This year’s recipients, Autumn Burkhart, Avah Six and Sarah Rocha, show exactly why student employees are such an important part of the Libraries’ story.

When Autumn Burkhart first started working at the Libraries as a freshman, she didn’t expect it to become such a big part of her college experience. Now a junior studying studio art, she serves as a student team leader for Patron Initiated Circulation (PCIRC), the service that keeps OhioLINK materials moving throughout the state.

For Autumn, a job at the Libraries was a place to develop skills in a team setting.

“It’s really given me a sense of belonging,” she said. “… I still get that sense of working together to get things done every day.”

Her leadership role means she can meet new people while serving students, faculty and staff in the process.

Avah Six, a junior majoring in psychology, said she initially wanted a job where she could work with fellow students. The Libraries became a great fit.  

On a typical shift, she helps anywhere from 25 to 50 patrons. On the busiest days, she helps close to 100.

“I’ve learned how to help with any situation,” she said, “including community members who need community resources and students who need community resources.”

Avah said that she enjoys supporting Libraries patrons, no matter the challenges that they bring to the service desk.

Sarah Rocha, a fourth year graphic design major, works in the Music and Dance Library in Glidden Hall. Her dad is an orchestra teacher, so she grew up around music. Now, she helps people find music scores and books, sometimes with vague descriptions to go on.

“If they’re (Libraries patrons) looking for a specific book in mind or specific type of genre, I need to be able to look that up and find it in the library,” Rocha said. “And if I don’t know the answers, I definitely need to problem solve in my own way, whether that be going to my boss or finding other ways to combat it.”

She said the job has taught her how to communicate clearly and problem-solve when she doesn’t immediately know the solution.

The Friends of the Libraries Scholarship is a special award that celebrates the enduring work of student employees at the Libraries. By participating in learning experiences that create welcoming spaces for peers, professors and other professionals in the OHIO community, these students enrich their ability to create community with others.

“It’s (the Libraries) like a center for everyone, even if you don’t work here,” Burkhart said. “My job is a good opportunity to connect with people.”