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.
Sylvia Aguiñaga Brings Digital Literacy to the Masses
“Our world is increasingly run by software, and we need more diversity in the people who are building it.”
Sylvia Cecilia Aguiñaga
East Hollywood, California
MLIS Student, Expected Graduation May 2016
Intrepid Explorer Pursues Film Preservation
“The librarian degree will help me in my field. The [film preservation] certificate will say that, not only does this woman have the technical ability to handle these films, but she also knows how to catalog, she knows the procedures, has the information science background, knows metadata. The ‘Indiana Jones of Movies’ is what they call me.”
Sarah Smith
Long Beach, California
MLIS Student, Expected Graduation 2016
Future Selznick School of Film Preservation Certificate Student
In Times of Crisis, Student Naomi Fuhrman Deploys with the Standby Task Force
“There’s no better moment to look at all of humanity than a conflict, [which] brings out the best and worst in people. When it comes down to it, the idea that I’d get to work with people doing the best of things was a pretty nice idea.”
Naomi Fuhrman
Marin County, California
MLIS Student, Expected Graduation Winter 2015
A Library Director Goes Back to School—and Lands a Grant
“It’s definitely a confidence booster to get a grant in the six figures the first time.”
Kevin Enns-Rempel
Library Director, Fresno Pacific University, California
MLIS Student, Expected Graduation Fall 2015
MARA Student Emily Gendrolis Explores the Path of the Historical Preservationist
“Knowing you’re preserving something for future generations is an honor.”
Emily Gendrolis, Portland, Maine
MARA Student, Graduating May 2015
Member of the Society of American Archivists and Maine Archives & Museums
MARA Student Lauren Poleski-Schultz Is Ready for Her Close-Up
“As an archivist, your collection becomes a part of you, and you a part of it.”
Lauren Poleski-Schultz
Burbank, California
MARA Student, Graduating May 2015
Career Changer Darren Ilett Builds a Model for Success
“The thing that draws me to libraries,” says San José State University School of Information student Darren Ilett, “is the focus on service and making a positive impact for whatever communities we serve. And the emphasis on education.”
Patrick Sweeney is Every Librarian
Patrick Sweeney, a 2007 San José State University School of Information alumnus, spends his hour-long train ride to and from work each day thinking about libraries.
Multiple iSchool Internships Are Key to Student’s Career Pathway Choices
San José State University School of Information student Jenny Yap dives into multiple internships in public and academic libraries.
iSchool Pays a Fond Farewell to Michelle Holschuh Simmons
Respected iSchool lecturer Dr. Michelle Holschuh Simmons is trading a six-second commute to her home office for a six-minute walk to Monmouth College, where she’ll be returning to a lifelong passion for learning instruction as an assistant professor in the Education Studies department.
The Sky’s the Limit for iSchool Special Libraries Association Chapter Presidents
San José State University School of Information alumna and student lead the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Special Libraries Association.
Virtual Collaboration with the iSchool’s Diverse Community Leads Yolande Wilburn on an LIS Adventure
Yolande Wilburn always wanted to go back to school for a master’s degree, and she looked to her own childhood for career inspiration. “I love the library, grew up there as a child, and found it to be a great way to escape,” Wilburn says. “My family wasn’t wealthy, and I’d go to the library and read all I could about places, and it was like being there.”
iSchool Scholarship Season
At SJSU, it’s scholarship season, the time for students to research and apply for fall scholarship and grant assistance, and there are plenty of ways for the whole San José State University School of Information community to participate.
iSchool Student Helps Craft New LIS Textbook
Not too long ago, San José State University School of Information student Elaine Hall responded to an email query requesting a research assistant and was hired to work with Dr. Sandra Hirsh, iSchool director.
Writers of the Student Research Journal
Have you ever dreamed of being published in a respected library and information science (LIS) journal—but didn’t think you had enough writing experience? SRJ (the Student Research Journal, pronounced “surge”) is a peer-reviewed, open access iSchool publication that welcomes submissions from students from all LIS graduate schools. That means you.
Librarians Will Save Us All
Alumna Brandy Buenafe loves her work. She’s not only a librarian, but a public safety bastion.
iSchool Graduate Alison Jantz: We don’t have all the answers, but we can find them
Alison Jantz found her niche, added an MLIS, and landed her dream job: director of a theological library.
Public Libraries and the Community
2010 San José State University School of Information alumnus Chris Brown went through the MLIS program with the understanding that his educational experience would be the foundation that would enable him to practice LIS work—but that the real learning process would take place by just jumping into the workplace and being a librarian.
Kate Dillon: On Cybersecurity and Being WISE
Kate Dillon had a dream: to be a full-time MLIS student. Her plan to make that dream a reality was: trade a full-time job for a part-time, get accepted to San José State University School of Information, become super involved in LIS extracurriculars and conferences, and obtain financial support for her education. Mission accomplished.
Scholarship Winner Scott Boyd Connects with the Indigenous Canadian Community
Scott Boyd has a keen desire to make a valuable contribution to society, along with an interest in libraries and their important role in communities. Winning the Connie Constantino iSchool Scholarship allowed him to achieve scholastic and internship goals, while continuing on a Public Librarianship career pathway.