The Association for Information Science and Technology Student Chapter at the San José State University School of Information has been named the 2024 ASIS&T Student Chapter of the Year. The chapter is recognized for its commitment to fostering professional development, expanding student engagement, and advancing the mission of ASIS&T.

According to its 2020-2025 strategic plan, ASIS&T’s mission is “to advance research and practice in information science and technology.” Its primary objectives include growing membership, maintaining high-impact publications, supporting a robust digital library, and fostering partnerships across related fields.

SJSU’s ASIS&T Student Chapter is one of 20 student chapters worldwide, providing networking opportunities and engagement for iSchool graduate students pursuing the Master of Library and Information Science, Master of Archives and Records Administration, and Master of Science in Informatics degrees. With support from Dr. Sandra Hirsh, who serves as faculty advisor, the chapter promotes ASIS&T programs and leverages virtual platforms to connect students through events, discussions, and professional development opportunities.

Under Hirsh’s guidance, the chapter has demonstrated outstanding leadership in student engagement. “As the faculty advisor for our ASIS&T Student Chapter, I am incredibly proud of the outstanding achievements of our chapter this year,” Hirsh said. “Their dedication to building a vibrant, engaged community is evident in their efforts to attract and retain members, share knowledge through newsletters and dynamic social media initiatives—including an exceptional social media takeover during the ASIS&T Annual Meeting in Calgary—and deliver an impressive slate of programming.”

Running a successful student organization requires the work of many contributors. The chapter’s success is attributed to the dedication of student leaders, including Catherine Okamura, Ronna del Rosario, Christine Nguyen, Chris Reynolds, and Christine Walker. These leaders joined between the spring of 2023 and the summer of 2024. Due to student turnover from personal circumstances and graduations, the remaining student leaders recognized the need to restructure roles and responsibilities and evaluate communication tools to better meet the organization’s and its members’ needs.

Before Nguyen resigned from her role as secretary, she created two Discord servers for SJSU ASIS&T Student Chapter: one for the executive committee to facilitate real-time discussions about programming events and student leader meetings; and another for general members to share scholarship opportunities, paid and unpaid internships, job openings, and upcoming virtual events. This initiative encouraged other iSchool student organizations to establish their own Discord servers, enhancing student engagement across the iSchool’s vibrant online community.

Okamura, who served as vice chair before graduating from the MLIS program in spring 2024, also made significant contributions. She was the first on the Executive Committee to complete the MLIS degree program’s culminating project, INFO 289: Advanced Topics in Library and Information Science e-Portfolio. She shared her experiences in a session titled “What I Wish I Had Known: e-Portfolio 101.” The event drew over 100 attendees, setting an attendance record for the student chapter.

Before transitioning out of the role of chair in fall 2024 to complete her final graduate course, Kay Lee made a lasting impact on the student chapter’s programming efforts. “One of my biggest contributions to the SJSU ASIS&T Student Chapter is the programming we did for career pathways,” Lee said. “When I began my MLIS journey, I became aware of the concerns that new students expressed regarding how to choose optional career pathways suggested by SJSU iSchool. I came up with the idea to informally discuss the pathways for all three graduate programs. Reviewing career pathways for the MLIS and MSI programs that focused on technology in library and information science helped stimulate engagement in our student chapter.”

In addition to these successful endeavors, the ASIS&T Student Chapter launched a new newsletter highlighting student activities and upcoming events. Del Rosario, newsletter editor, collaborated with Reynolds, chair, to create and distribute monthly issues. The Executive Committee actively researched and presented topics of interest to the iSchool student body, promoting activities through the chapter’s website, social media, and university platforms like Canvas and Google Calendar. Walker, executive committee assistant, chatted with attendees during virtual events, while Del Rosario and Reynolds recorded and posted programs on YouTube. Reynolds, as webmaster, ensured the chapter’s website remained updated with relevant content.

Beyond career pathways, the chapter expanded its programming. In collaboration with SJSU’s Society of American Archivists Student Chapter, Reynolds organized a “Transcribe-A-Thon,” allowing students to work with the Smithsonian Transcription Center to transcribe historical documents. Del Rosario led “AI & Info Science,” an event that informed students about emerging technological trends in library and information science.

One of the highlights of the experience was the camaraderie built within the leadership team. “Being a part of the tight-knit Executive Committee team that won the Student Chapter of the Year was a lot of fun,” Reynolds said. “. As we worked on different events and projects, we’ve been able to explore areas of personal interest, build community with other iSchool students, as well as gain professional experience.”

The chapter’s annual report to ASIS&T, submitted in September 2024, detailed its membership retention and growth efforts. Through the iSchool’s introductory course, 59 new members joined ASIS&T and the SJSU ASIS&T Student Chapter in fall 2023 and spring 2024. The chapter’s digital presence also expanded, with 126 members on Canvas, 78 on Discord, 142 Instagram followers, 188 Facebook followers, 223 YouTube subscribers, 478 LinkedIn members, and 545 X followers.

Winning the 2024 ASIS&T Student Chapter of the Year award was a meaningful achievement for the team. “It is a testament that hard work pays off,” Lee said. “We were short-staffed, but we took on multiple roles and responsibilities to ensure the student chapter remained active and a source of support for SJSU iSchool students and recent graduates.”

Lee also reflected on how this recognition will impact ASIS&T moving forward. “I believe this recognition will positively impact the future of ASIS&T and SJSU ASIS&T Student Chapter,” Lee said. “One of the association’s objectives mentioned in its strategic plan is to retain and grow its membership. When membership increases, there is more engagement with the materials archived in their digital library, reference and participation in their publications, and networking opportunities for information professionals and students. The association’s acknowledgment of the SJSU ASIS&T Student Chapter will hopefully attract SJSU students’ interest in ASIS&T and our affiliated student chapter. I also hope that it will encourage other student chapters of ASIS&T to collaborate with SJSU ASIS&T Student Chapter to discuss topics relevant worldwide.”

The chapter’s efforts have enriched the SJSU iSchool community and contributed to the broader goals of ASIS&T. Its success inspires other student chapters and underscores the impact of dedication, innovation, and collaboration in information science and technology.

Students interested in joining the committee or learning more about the chapter’s activities should visit the ASIS&T Student Chapter website.