Scholarships fuel a recent K-State graduate’s dream of becoming a rural librarian
Many students strive to make their passion in life their future career. For Macy Davis, her passion for rural communities and rural youth works perfectly with her dream of becoming a librarian.
“When I made the decision that librarianship was what I wanted to pursue, it was a natural leap to youth services because I’ve always loved reading, and children’s and young adult literature are my favorite genres,” Davis said.
A recent graduate of Kansas State University, Davis was awarded the Phi Kappa Phi graduate fellowship to work toward a dual master’s degree in children’s literature and library and information science, which she is pursing at Simmons University in Boston.
Her goal is to find a job in a rural library and return to rural America to become a youth services librarian.
“I plan to integrate myself into a community where a library can and should be seen as an asset to those who live there,” Davis said.
Davis’ passion for rural communities comes from her background growing up in Scott City, Kansas. Participating in multiple clubs and activities, such as 4-H, throughout her childhood showed Davis that her community really cared about her.
“To put it plain and simple, people in my community cared about and paid attention to what their young people were doing, and that continued even after I left for college,” Davis said.
Naturally, that caring environment is what Davis wanted to have in her future, both in her career and in her life.
“I am drawn to places that feel like home and people who understand that support, values and ethics help provide a way for tomorrow. I believe that strong communities such as these are most prevalent in rural areas,” Davis said. “Rural youth deserve the opportunities and experiences that urban youth may be privy to. I know that a community and a library can be vital in helping provide that because I have experienced it first-hand.”
Davis found her time at K-State to be critical to who she has become as a person.
“I am who I am because of the things I’ve experienced, and my particular set of life experiences makes me a dreamer and a hard worker at the same time,” Davis said.
Davis was a member of the Collegian, served as president of Alpha of Clovia in 2017-2018, and was dedicated to the speech team during her time at K-State. She gained national attention for K-State on the speech team as the third-place finisher in impromptu speaking at the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament and was selected as a member of the 2019 All-American Team. While dedicating most of her time to her clubs and her school work, Davis found a home at K-State where she could gain the skills needed to pursue her passion.
“The K-State English department truly helped me flourish as a student, as a person and as a writer,” Davis said. “K-State offers a small school feel at a top-notch public institution, and there isn’t anywhere else I could have imagined calling home for my undergraduate career.”
According to Davis, her journey thus far would not have been possible without the support of scholarships.
“Thanks to the Kansas State University Kassebaum scholarship, I came to K-State looking toward a future in public service. Thanks to the Chapman Scholars Program, I was able to pursue a life-altering internship at the Library of Congress, which helped me decide to become a librarian,” Davis said. “Now, the Phi Kappa Phi fellowship I have received will help me further reach my goals at Simmons University.”
Davis attributes most of her drive to become a librarian to her love of reading. “Reading has opened my eyes to so much around me and made me more understanding of others and a better citizen of the world. If I give even one kid the same thing I got through reading someday, then I will have succeeded as a librarian,” Davis said.
As Davis looks toward the future, she says she will never forget her time at K-State. “Kansas and K-State will always be two important places to me. Both spots that I love full well.”
