iStudent Blog: Professional Development

Published: March 31, 2021 by Leslie Parry

Networking and self-promotion can be challenging enough in a regular environment, but how do you excel at either during a pandemic? How can you make yourself indispensable during a time of unrelenting change? At a recent event hosted by the Special Libraries Association student chapter, School of Information alumna Tess McCarthy (MLIS ’12) explained how students can use this unprecedented time to their advantage. As a digital asset management systems librarian and self-described career transitionist, McCarthy shared her own professional trajectory, including the many ways she had to get creative in the COVID era. Here are her methods for positioning yourself well for professional advancement, even during quarantine.

Published: November 16, 2020 by Leslie Parry

The newest student group at the San José State University School of Information, REFORMA Student & Alumni Group, is only a few months old but already boasts a strong membership base, a busy event calendar and a vibrant presence in the iSchool community. The brainchild of Assistant Professor Dr. Michele Villagran, who serves as faculty advisor, the group seeks to connect students and graduates who are interested in working with Latinx and Spanish-speaking communities. Drawing on resources from the national REFORMA association as well as from local REFORMA chapters, the Student & Alumni Group is focused on building a supportive community and positioning students to be well-connected, culturally competent professionals upon graduation. MLIS student Rosa Rodriguez, who serves as president, highlights the group’s unique initiatives and opportunities.

Published: September 16, 2020 by Havilah Joy-Steinman Bakken

Each incoming student at the iSchool at San José State University has the opportunity to join one professional association free of cost for one year. This perk of enrollment in the program offers returns in spades depending on the level of involvement each particular student chooses to dedicate to their chosen association. During my first semester in the MLIS program at the iSchool, I chose to join the American Library Association (ALA), and have remained a member since. Founded on October 6, 1876, during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, ALA is a pillar of librarianship ethics and best practices and remains on the cutting edge of information technology. This has never been more true now during the time of the pandemic when ALA seamlessly moved their annual conference online.

Published: July 1, 2019 by Havilah Steinman

Earlier in the semester the Masters of Archives and Records Administration (MARA) program at the iSchool hosted a guest lecture entitled: It Takes a Village: A State Agency’s Implementation of an Electronic Document Management System. As archives and records are essential skills of any well-rounded information professional, I hope that regardless of what program you are enrolled in, this post contains helpful takeaways for your educational enrichment this summer!