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