Community Profiles
Community Profiles
Get to know our students, alumni and instructors by reading about their backgrounds, interests, professional goals, favorite courses, accomplishments, careers, and more fascinating experiences. These stories cover a wide range of topics and showcase the talents of our vibrant global community.
iSchool Alumnus Darnelle Melvin talks Metadata, Linked Data, and Digitization.
“If you want it, you can get it. If I can get it, you can do it. I’m the least likely person; I have a background in audio. An audio engineer became a metadata person, a linked-data professional. It’s not a long jump, but it is a jump. You can do it.”
Darnelle Melvin, ‘14 MLIS
Special Collections and Archives Metadata Librarian
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Saying “Yes” Led to a Job with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
“Information professionals are going to be needed now more than ever, but it might not be the information profession a lot of us thought we were going into. I went to school to be an academic librarian and I ended up in records and archives for a government institution. You never know where the path is going to take you.”
Jon-Luc Christensen, ‘19 MLIS, DAM Advanced
Certificate
Records Management Specialist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Glendale, California
Connecting to Community Through Leadership
“The connections I’ve made with my fellow iSchool students; I’m really so happy with that. I would not have met the people I met, and they’re really great people.”
Elizabeth Lesso, MLIS Student (degree expected fall 2021)
West Hartford, Connecticut
Chair of ALASC, 2019-2020
Community Connection in Micro-Libraries
“I was definitely one of those kids that grew up in the library. My dad would take me and drop me off, and I’d just read all day long.”
Brianna Anderson, ‘17 MLIS
Librarian II and Branch Manager of the Micro-Libraries
Stockton-San Joaquin County, California
Reflecting on 10 Years as iSchool Director
“Some of the top highlights have been the experiences I’ve had with the people in our program.”
Sandra Hirsh, PhD
Associate Dean for Academics
College of Professional and Global Education
San José State University
San José, California
A Dream Job Takes Form in the Face of a Pandemic
“We grew up in libraries, so we stayed. That’s really what it comes down to. We recognize where the magic happens.”
Bethany Rice, ‘15 MLIS
Curator of Collections, Kern County Museum
Bakersfield, California
Sisters Share MLIS Studies, Pursue Individual Librarianship Paths
“We feel lucky to be a part of the library world. Librarians are such a loving group of people, and our iSchool experience has been great so far!”
Kelsey Flynn
MLIS Student (degree expected spring 2021)
Adult Services Specialist, Lockport Library
Lockport, Illinois
Korey Flynn
MLIS Student (degree expected spring 2021)
Adult and Teen Services Specialist, Woodridge Library
Woodridge, Illinois
Community Archives Volunteer Looks Forward to Career in Librarianship
“I really enjoy connecting youth and family to their favorite things while finding pathways to empower them. Librarianship is a career that will let me connect those things as well as also allow me to serve my community on a larger level.”
Monica Vega Latona
MLIS Student (degree expected spring 2020)
Library Assistant, Sacramento Public Library
Sacramento, California
Bethany Winslow Welcomes the SJSU Community into the Virtual World
“We have to stop thinking in analog. The virtual world has been around for 16 years now. It’s time to join in!”
Bethany Winslow, M.S.Ed.
Instructional Designer, San José State University
Community Virtual Library Hypergrid Resources Project Head
San José, CA
Catching Up With Dr. Michele Villagran
“As we continue to work in diverse workplaces, we have to consider how our own understanding, practices and behaviors impact how effective we are in our interactions.”
Michele A.L. Villagran, Ed.D, MSLS, MBA., MDR.
Assistant Professor, SJSU School of Information
CEO and President, CulturalCo, LLC
Alhambra, California
Media Literacy Advocate Using her MLIS Degree to Promote Information Literacy
“I thought I had to work in a library in order to honor my MLIS degree. Now, I am working for libraries, which is even better!”
Donnell Probst, MLIS 2018
Associate Director, National Association for Media Literacy
Education
St. Louis, Missouri
Dr. Daulby Prepares Students for a Future in Information Governance
“We can’t just think in terms of traditional records and information management anymore. Information Governance is where this field is going.”
Lisa Daulby PhD, IGP, CRM
Lecturer, San José State University iSchool
INFO 298 Student Helps Improve iSchool Support Services
“I have found librarianship to be a vocation for me. I was called to this work.”
Jessica Walker
MLIS (degree expected Spring 2020)
Children’s Services Aide, Oakland Public Library
Oakland, California
Graduate Fellowship Award Winner Sets Her Focus on Under-Resourced Communities
“I love being a student at the iSchool because the time we save in not having to commute to a campus means more time we can spend on learning!”
Deana Uribe, (degree expected 2020)
Messenger Clerk, Los Angeles Public Library System
Los Angeles, California
MLIS Graduate Finds Home in Academic Librarianship
“Volunteering counts, too! You don’t need to rely only on internships to gain library work experience.”
Jerry Limberg, ‘17 MLIS
Librarian, Saddleback Community College
Adjunct Professor, Palomar Community College
Carlsbad, California
iSchool Student Terry Schiavone Published in Peer-Reviewed Journal
“There are a lot of feels when anticipating the possibility of your own work being published.”
Terry Schiavone
MLIS Student (degree anticipated 2020)
Digital Processing Specialist
Penn State University Libraries
Librarianship Opens Career Opportunities for iSchool Graduate Dedicated to Adult Programs
“My iSchool education opened my eyes to what is possible in the library field.”
Jenny Shonk, ‘16 MLIS
Continuing Education and Outreach Librarian
Finger Lakes Library System
Ithaca, New York
International Studies and Legal Work Lead to a Career in Law Librarianship
“With the iSchool MLIS classes, I was able to tailor my assignments to fit my library work.”
Jessica Pierucci, ‘16 MLIS
Research Law Librarian
Foreign, Comparative and International Law
University of California, Irvine
MLIS Skills Prove Valuable in Marketing the 21st Century Library
“At the iSchool, I felt support from the very beginning in the first introductory course all the way through.”
Jasmin LoBasso, ‘19 MLIS
Marketing Division
Kern County Library
Bakersfield, California
MLIS Student Finds Success Taking a Non-Traditional Path
“Prospective students may think that an online program means students will be isolated and alone in their work. I’ve made great friends! They’ve been so supportive both in and outside of my classes.”
Rachel Hatcher
MLIS Student (degree expected 2021)
Library Technician, Santa Barbara Unified School District
Santa Barbara, California