1. Talbots Scholarship Essay
Amy E. Ling
Thirty years ago I earned an Associate’s Degree, but then was forced to put my dream of a
college degree aside while I worked to put my husband through school and attend to family
obligations. A few years ago, my two children graduated from college and began successful
careers. I had remarried a wonderful, supportive man who felt that I should finish my
Bachelor’s Degree. Unfortunately, two short months after we were married, my second
husband was diagnosed with leukemia. For the next five years I cared tenderly for him until last
year when he died in my arms.
When Greg died, I had a job at the North Valley Public Library. I knew that the position would
not provide an ample income – I’d always be living hand to month, nor would it allow for an
adequate retirement. Rather than procrastinate while opportunity passed me by, I immediately
met the challenge head on and created an educational and financial plan for my future. I
returned to school and began to pursue my dream of a degree in social work, knowing that in
lighting the lamp for myself I would also eventually be able to brighten someone else’s path. A
degree in social work will provide me with not just a living wage, health insurance, and
retirement income, but also the qualifications, skills and confidence to pursue a meaningful
career that will enrich my life, and the lives of many other women.
I have consistently demonstrated the conviction to see projects to fruition. The Spanish
Language Outreach Program I started nearly five years ago is an example of my tenacity and
desire to serve others. In 2008, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation brought to the Montana
a daylong training seminar on how to engage Hispanic communities at libraries. I left the
conference inspired and eager to begin a Spanish Language Outreach Program, despite advice
from many community leaders and even co-workers who thought the program would fail since
they believed there were few Spanish speaking people in our area of northwest Montana.
Initially discouraged but still determined, I realized the Gates Foundation training had given me
the tools to seek out these individuals. I diligently sought to locate people (especially
disadvantaged women) whose first language was Spanish, establish relationships, and help
them access the many resources available to them through our public library and other
community organizations. Contrary to predictions, I discovered numerous women who were
looking for direction and interested in joining the group. I created a weekly gathering called the
North Valley Public Library Spanish Conversation Group, also known as “Reunion en Espanol”
for Spanish speakers to brainstorm about problems and create solutions. The lack of affordable,
quality child care and jobs, especially those that provided even minimal health care benefits,
were recurrent themes in our sessions. I engaged a native Mexican teacher to provide free

2. English as a second language classes. I assisted primarily women in the creation of resumes, job
searches, and computer software training. In 2011, I received the first annual Montana Library
Association’s Outstanding Support Staff Award, largely due to the success of our Spanish
Language Outreach program.
My full-time position at the library has placed me in contact with many underprivileged, low-
income women. These women, and the obstacles they face to provide for their families, have
had a profound effect upon my life. For instance, the recollection of my encounter with a
vulnerable, precious toddler, the child of a single working mother, left home alone, who
innocently opened the door to me, is a memory that has haunted me. It made me realize the
extent of family support needs in the community, the social inequality and injustices that still
exist. I sought out other ways to develop a support systemfor people in the community,
especially women, by creating the library’s volunteer program, the first of its kind in the
library’s 108 year old history. I developed a volunteer manual, an application form, a skills
assessment, training guidelines, an orientation program, and an annual recognition event for
the volunteers. The volunteer program created opportunities for people to learn marketable
skills that would open doors in today’s economy and has led to employment for some. This
program and the Spanish Language Outreach program are solutions to local problems and
these programs are now well established and sustainable. These two programs have become an
integral part of the library and have recently been duplicated elsewhere in Montana.
The next innovative project I would like to tackle with the help of Talbots, is a Stevensville
Mentoring Program. Stevensville is a very rural community in western Montana that is
characterized by recent increase in unemployment to 9.6% and climbing (Hamilton, Montana
Job Service, 12/2011) due to severe downturn in the construction industry, a high percentage
of high school drop outs (Promoting Power, www.all4ed.org, 2012) and a lack of entry level
positions in the local job market (Hamilton, Montana, Job Service, 2012). Consequently, I see a
need for teens and young women to develop mentoring relationships in order to successfully
complete high school and pursue an advanced education in order to earn a living wage.
According to the National Mentoring Partnership, with guidance or mentoring, women in
poverty are more likely to:
 Stay in school.
 Improve their self-esteem.
 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs.
 27% less likely to start drinking.

3. In addition,
 Mentors provide teens with a valuable place to spend free time.
 Mentors teach young people how to relate well to all kinds of people and help them
strengthen communication skills.
 Mentors help young people set career goals and start taking steps to realize them.
 Mentors can use their personal contacts to help young people meet industry
professionals, find internships, and locate job possibilities.
 Mentors introduce young people to professional resources and organizations they may
not know about.
 Mentors can help their mentees learn how to seek and keep jobs.
The Stevensville Mentoring Program will be serving at-risk young adults by matching them with
adult volunteers. Those participating in our program will be referred by counselors, teachers
and others in contact with teens and young adults. “At-risk” means that these young people are
experiencing problems at school work, at home, or among peers. “Mentees” will generally be
13-23 years old and in need of a positive, supportive adult in their lives. “Mentors” will be adult
volunteers to serve as a friend and role model who will focus on self-esteem, decision-making,
career planning and communication skills. The estimated time spent together would be average
of three hours a week, spending time together doing activities such as visiting businesses, going
to libraries, reading, as well as fun things like attending concerts or games.
I became interested in starting a mentoring program when I created a Talent Search data base
at our library. When I gathered the information on the wide variety of skills, expertise, and
knowledge of people in the community, I was surprised to discover that most were eager to
share their talents with others. I believe these individuals could serve as the foundation for this
new mentoring program. I envision our program becoming a beacon for young people seeking
guidance to help them plan for their future. Our mentoring program will be a resource that is
not as formally structured as the school environment, one in which they can select their own
mentors, even try several until they find the right relationship, where they can explore their
interests and eventually discover their passions leading them to a viable career.
I believe I am especially deserving of a Talbots scholarship. I have been a driving force in
creating innovative, successful, sustainable programs as solutions for some of the problems
facing women in my community. A scholarship from the Talbots Foundation would greatly
facilitate completion of my Bachelor’s degree, allow me to reduce my current work schedule,
and focus on my studies while establishing the local mentoring program.