Published: August 11, 2019 by guest blogger McKenna Wulker

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! The latest edition of our Day in the Life of an iSchool Student series is here. Kiel Mangerino is a hardworking student in the iSchool’s Masters in Archives and Records Administration (MARA) program, a dedicated father and a full time Deputy Town Clerk. His long days are full of challenges, but Mangerino wouldn’t trade his experience in the MARA program for the world.

Mangerino’s iSchool Practices

When queried about how school fits into his busy schedule, Mangerino shared, “being a student and working full time is sometimes challenging, but ultimately it has brought new insights into my professional and personal world. After just two semesters in the MARA program, I find myself, by necessity, more organized and better able to plan tasks well ahead of time to meet my obligations.”

He offered more detailed insight: “time management is essential both in my home life with two small children as well as in my profession where I work with strict deadlines and constantly changing obligations. The MARA program has also allowed me to face challenges at work, as a Deputy Town Clerk in a small California town, that before would have been difficult to attempt before starting the program.”

Mangerino further highlighted benefits of the iSchool curriculum, saying that, “the material for each class is far more structured than other institutions making it easy to stay up to date. In many courses, the assignments are chunked out over weeks allowing students the opportunity to work at a steady pace and not become suddenly overwhelmed by a looming deadline.”

When queried about what he most enjoys about the program, Mangerino shared, “the structure of the courses also encourages interaction with fellow students which allows everyone to benefit from real-world experiences spread over not only the United States but globally as well. The diverse backgrounds of both students and faculty bring an element of realism to what is taught, broadening the knowledge base shared with students.”

Finally, Mangerino encourages those interested in the MARA, stating that “while a master’s program may seem daunting at first, with careful time management and persistence it can be manageable. For me, it has been a wonderful, challenging and rewarding experience.”

Kiel Mangerino’s Typical Day as an iSchool Student

5:30 a.m. – 7:00 a.m. Read the news, perhaps eat some Nutella waffles, and wait for the children to wake up.  After they are awake, it’s time to get them ready for the day and serve breakfast.  

7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The largest portion of my day is taken up by work which generally lasts nine hours except on the alternating Friday when it only lasts eight.

5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. This is another block of family time which involves dinner, stories and bedtime (for the kids that is).

7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. This section of my day is dedicated to school, five days a week for the 16 weeks of the semester. It is when I divide up the assignments and do the readings. I should mention that this “five day week” starts on a Sunday through Thursday, giving me Friday and Saturday off to spend with family.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about the hard work of one of the many incredible students the iSchool has the opportunity to serve. Feel free to continue reading the series in the content shared below!