“I recommend getting a student assistant job and getting involved with whatever looks interesting to you. Join student groups, be on a committee, do things to help build your resume while you are in school. I learned so much from being the blog writer and just talking and interviewing other people about what they do, what they did, what they are interested in, what their advice is, etc.”

Priscilla Ameneyro, ‘18 MLIS 
Content Specialist at VSP Global 
Sacramento, CA                                                                                                                                                                              

Priscilla Ameneyro was the lead writer for the iStudent Blog for more than a year, but ended her tenure at the iSchool in December 2018 when she graduated with her MLIS degree.

She is now working as a content specialist at VSP Global, a vision care company located in Sacramento, CA. In this role, she is responsible for creating content, taking care of content management tasks, and utilizing her MLIS skills to manage digital library spaces within her division. She also oversees the learning management system and is getting ready to work on some exciting new projects.

“I love my job and feel challenged by it. I am currently craving stability after the chaos of graduate school, but I definitely want to keep growing and building my skills in this field,” said Ameneyro.

A Helpful Break

Ameneyro was not sure exactly where she wanted to land when she first began her journey as an iSchool student seven years ago. She ended up taking a pause on her education after two semesters because she wasn’t sure that the MLIS degree was right for her.

After working for a few years she considered going back to school for an MBA, but ultimately decided that the MLIS degree was the right path for her. “I realized that I should finish the program. I came back to the iSchool last year and it felt totally different. They were using Canvas, there were more classes, and I also had more of an idea of what I wanted to do,” said Ameneyro.

Bringing It All Together

Initially Ameneyro thought about pursuing the Special Librarianship career pathway in the iSchool to become an art librarian. She went out and found two separate internships in the field to find out if it was right for her.

“The internships that I completed were the highlight of my time at the iSchool,” said Ameneyro. “I got firsthand experience and connected what I was learning with the work that I did in the internships. I learned a lot about art and the art world through this process. Ultimately, I realized that becoming an art librarian might not be for me, but [the internship] was a wonderful experience.”

While working as the iStudent Blog writer in addition to working as a full-time communications specialist, Amenyro began to think of ways that she could connect communication, writing, and librarianship.

“I realized how much I enjoy that kind of work, and I began to think about how writing and librarianship can blend. At my current job I get to do both things. People don’t always end up doing exactly what they want to do or end up where they think they will. You don’t know what opportunities will be out there and how your past experiences might come into play,” said Ameneyro.

Challenge Leads to Wisdom

Ameneyro found the most challenging thing about the MLIS program was not having a background in libraries, but that didn’t stop her from doing it anyway. “You have an advantage if you are already familiar with librarianship, so some of the classes were difficult at first while figuring it out,” said Ameneyro. “I found that you don’t have to have library experience to get through the program. Also balancing work, life and schoolwork can be difficult.” Ameneyro hopes to find balance in her work in content management by utilizing the skills she learned during her time as a grad student at SJSU.

When asked about her advice for current iSchool students, Ameneyro stresses the importance of developing a professional network and getting involved early on. “You have to step out and try things to see where you fit best as a librarian. The more connected you are with other students and the iSchool the better overall experience that you will have. Don’t just focus on the iSchool; do whatever you can to start bridging your way into being a professional,” said Ameneyro.

She learned a lot through her position as the blog writer for the iSchool and encourages students to find assistant positions or to take part in student organizations. Ameneyro is excited to move forward with her career utilizing the skills that she has gained from the iSchool.