iStudent Blog
iStudent Blog
Students in all of our programs, as well as applicants, will find the iStudent Blog a gold mine. Written by a current student, this blog provides important information and resources and useful advice, including posts about courses, career pathways, online learning, time management, student groups, conferences, and financial aid.
New Tool: Find An Elective Without A Core Course Prerequisite
Published: August 20, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
You should already be familiar with the suite of tools available to help you develop your focused plan as part of the Advising Toolkit, including the Unit Planning Tool and MLIS Course Tracker. These tools can help make your life easier as you plan each semester towards completing your degree. With a wealth of classes to choose from and multiple career pathways, it can sometimes be overwhelming to narrow down your class decisions, not to mention checking if the class is intensive, how many units it is and whether or not there are prerequisites. Luckily, a new tool has been developed to save you time when trying to figure out which advanced classes you can take, based on what core courses you still need to complete
Unexpected Benefits Of An MLIS Degree
Published: August 13, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
From backyard projects to beefing up your resume, we’re going to talk about the less conventional benefits of your future degree. I hope this blog post gives you the confidence to transfer the skills you develop in school to your next job application or venture into uncharted territory. At the very least, this article should make you proud of your personal development every day you work towards your MLIS or MARA degree.
Professional Associations: Info 200 Free Membership
Published: August 6, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
So you’re about to start your first semester as an iSchool student, you just enrolled in INFO 200 and you’re not sure what professional association(s) to join. Lucky for you, I’m here to walk you through the complimentary one-year membership available to all MLIS students in INFO 200. I’ll also share some reasons why you should consider becoming a member with multiple associations, including student and local chapters.
Get Social Media Savvy This Summer – Part 4: Blogs
Published: July 30, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
Blogs are the original social media. Even before MySpace, which started as a blog style site, there was LiveJournal and Open Diary. We’re talking circa 1999 before y2k and broadband internet. In that sense, blogs have withstood the test of time. They can be very personal like diaries, but they can also be informational like academic journals (although never as formal or peer-reviewed). Some blogs include pictures, links and videos and others are just plain text. Most blogs allow comments (just like social media) but make sure you read the site rules before engaging in public discourse. The last thing I’d like to mention before diving into my lists of LIS blogs is that most bloggers make their contact information available should you wish to reach out to them.
Get Social Media Savvy This Summer – Part Three: Instagram
Published: July 23, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
In the third installment of the Social Media Summer series, we’re taking a look at Instagram. Instagram is a simple way to capture and share images and video. So why is Instagram relevant to an iSchool student? Well, aside from the fact that you can look at really cool pictures of libraries around the world, it provides a platform for visual learners to access information in a format that is best suited for them. If you are among the 40% of college students that are visual learners, which means you prefer to be taught through pictures and other visual aids, then Instagram might be the right social media choice for you.
Get Social Media Savvy This Summer – Part Two: Facebook
Published: July 16, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
Welcome to the second chapter of the summer series Get Social Media Savvy. Last week we talked about many of the great resources available on Twitter. This week we’re going to discuss another popular social media platform: Facebook. It’s not just for looking at pictures of your cousin’s puppy in Wichita anymore; you can leverage the platform to expand your professional network, keep up-to-date on changes in your field and discover upcoming events and job opportunities.
Get Social Media Savvy This Summer – Part One: Twitter
Published: July 9, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
Tweets. 280 characters, 500 million times per day from over 330 million active users. It’s like walking across the entire U.S. and having a brief dialogue with every member of the population. Admittedly, I tend to stray away from social media. It takes time to sift through the copious amounts of content to find what you’re looking for and quite frankly, like all of you, I’m busy! Well my friend, reader of this blog, you’re in luck. I’ve found some of the best LIS related Twitter feeds, Facebook pages, Instagram accounts and blogs for you to enjoy on your summer break (and beyond), starting with Twitter in this first post of the Get Social Media Savvy This Summer series.
The Lives Of Three Phd Students – Is A PhD Right For Me?
Published: July 2, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
As my final semester at SJSU rapidly approaches, I’m starting to look for jobs and also research PhD programs. There are two main reasons I’m considering a PhD: the increasingly competitive job market and as a lifelong learner, more school sounds fun! I had the opportunity to speak with three of San José Gateway PhD Program’s current students. The San José Gateway PhD program is an international doctoral program currently offered in partnership with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). If you’re interested in more information on the program itself, I recommend visiting the FAQs page or filling out an information request form. For this article, I wanted to focus on the personal journeys of the three PhD students I interviewed:
High Points From Blockchain Applied
Published: June 25, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
iSchool faculty, students, LIS experts and professionals from across the world came together on June 7 to learn about and discuss future possibilities of blockchain technology. The second Library 2.018 mini-conference of the year, “Blockchain Applied,” was held online and for free. If you weren’t able to attend, catch up on some of the highlights below and then register for the Library 2.0 network to watch the recordings.
Survival Tips For The End Of The Semester
Published: June 13, 2018
We’ve almost reached the end of fall 2017. Everybody’s busy trying to meet deadlines and wrap up their classes. It can be hard to look forward to the holidays when all you can think about is that final paper you need to get done. Hang in there, the finish line is so close you can almost touch it! Here’s my advice for keeping your head straight while you tackle those final assignments, as well as start getting prepared for the holiday season.
Five Steps To Apply For Financial Aid
Published: June 13, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
Many students are worried about how to pay for their program. Most people qualify for some form of financial aid, you just have to take the time to apply for it. Thankfully, the process is pretty streamlined and once you’ve read this article you should be confident navigating the world of student loans. There’s still time to submit your application for 2018-2019 funding; the deadline is at the end of this month, June 30. If you’ve been dragging your feet, now is the time to take action by reading this blog post and getting your application completed before it’s too late!
Learn More About Blockchain Technology At The Next Library 2.018 Mini-conference
Published: June 4, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
The second mini-conference of the year, “Blockchain Applied: Impact on the Information Profession,” is right around the corner. On June 7, tune in online from 12 – 3 pm PDT. Attending professional conferences is a great way to extend your learning beyond the classroom, stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the field, network and have fun! What’s even better about the Library 2.0 Virtual Conferences is that you can join in from wherever you are in the world and at zero cost to you. Keep reading to discover why you don’t want to miss it!
Looking Back On Spring 2018
Published: May 29, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
Time flies when you’re in graduate school! It seems like just yesterday I was writing my reflections on Fall 2017. This was my last spring semester in the program as I plan on graduating at the end of the year, so it was a special one! I completed an internship and took a variety of one and two unit classes, as well as continued writing for this blog. Here’s some of the highlights of last semester in case you missed them:
Tips For Paying Back Your Student Loans Faster
Published: Monday, May 21, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
You’ve finally graduated and landed your dream job. Six months have passed and everything’s going great until you remember, it’s time to start paying back your student loans! Don’t let that thought fill you with dread. I’m here to give you some tips for paying off your balance in a flash. Short of winning the lotto, it’s going to take some extra effort on your part, but with the right mix of know how and dedication, you’ll be on your way to living student loan debt free.
Ready? Set? Graduate!
Published: May 14, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
Congrats to all the grads! A master’s degree is a huge accomplishment that you should be very proud of. I’m sure you’re eager to celebrate and your friends and family will want to recognize you too. Whether you go the traditional route and attend a graduation ceremony in-person or you participate in convocation online, be sure to make it memorable. You deserve to be acknowledged and have some fun. Here’s some ideas for different ways you can celebrate:
SAASC is Looking for Officer Nominations
Published: May 11, 2018 by Katie Kuryla
Have you not applied to being part of the SJSU Student Chapter of the Society of American Archivists because you just don’t know what you will be doing? Do you think you don’t have enough time? Well, Catherine Folnovic, a former SAASC member, let’s you know what to expect as a member of the chapter.
Get Set For Summer
Published: May 7, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
I think it’s safe to say we’re all excited for summer: sun, beaches, barbeques and flip flops are on the horizon! With deadlines fast approaching to wrap up the semester you might not be thinking ahead just yet (other than dreaming of some much needed rest) but if you can find some time, you’ll reap the benefits of planning out your summer in advance. In this article, I share insights from current iSchool students on how to make the most of summer. While you should definitely enjoy some downtime by the pool, there are also opportunities you can seek out to bolster your resume and enhance your education before fall semester begins.
Save Money Going To School Online
Published: Monday, April 30, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
Before the iSchool, I had no experience taking classes online. I was a little apprehensive at first, but now I wouldn’t trade it for anything. There are so many advantages to being a virtual student. One that might not seem obvious right away is the financial benefit. With the rising cost of tuition and the burden of student loans, applying to an exclusively online program like those offered by the SJSU School of Information, is a smart move.
Upcoming SLASC Event: “There’s A Special Librarian For That?”
Published: April 23, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
Librarians work in all kinds of non-traditional environments from cruise ships to art museums. In the popular series hosted by the SJSU iSchool SLA Student Chapter, “There’s a Special Librarian for That?”, several special librarians will share what they do and how they got their jobs. All iSchool students are welcome to attend on May 1 via Zoom by clicking this link. Socializing starts at 6.15 pm with the main program beginning at 6.30 pm PDT. The line-up is as follows:
A Day In The Life Of An San José State University School of Information Student
Published: April 16, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
Are you worried you won’t be able to keep up with the demands of work, life, family and now school? Are you a current student struggling to get your course work done on time alongside cooking dinner, walking the dog and showing up to your day job? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! We all have responsibilities other than school and it can be a serious juggling act at times. But it is totally doable, and at the end of it, you’ll have a qualification to be proud of that could change your life.