iSchool Empowers Student Success Through Supplemental Learning Options, Networking Opportunities, and Travel Grants
New and continuing students at the School of Information at San José State University are given a number of resources to assist them on their higher education path. Above and beyond its internship program and career services, the iSchool invests in its students through a range of additional learning options, networking opportunities, and travel grants that complement students’ course work and further help ready them for the job market.
Virtual Conferences and Webcasts
The iSchool is the founding sponsor of the 10th Annual Library 2.020 Worldwide Virtual Conference, three online mini-conferences taking place throughout 2020. Designed to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among information professionals through crowd-sourced presentations, each three-hour, topic-specific event is free to attend. Wholehearted Libraries: Soft Skills for 21st Century Information Professionals was held March 10th, and is followed by “Small, Rural, and Independent Libraries” on June 17th, and “Libraries in Sustainability” on October 14th.
Students of the iSchool have free access to live and recorded webcast presentations by invited speakers on a range of topics in the fields of library and information science, information governance, records management, and corporate archives. Webcast presentations are open to the public and held online via the web conferencing program Zoom — all iSchool students receive complimentary Zoom Pro accounts.
A schedule of upcoming webcasts highlights presentation abstracts, speaker biographies, and live session links. Past presentations are archived and available on demand and can also be accessed on the iSchool’s YouTube Channel. Podcasts can be downloaded from iTunes.
Digital Assets Advanced Certificate
Students enrolled in the Master of Library and Information Science and Master of Archives and Record Administration degree programs at the iSchool are offered a unique opportunity to concurrently earn both a master’s degree and the Advanced Certificate in Strategic Management of Digital Assets and Services at no additional cost. The certificate gives information professionals the practical skills needed to integrate and manage complex bodies of content including born digital, newly digitized, and Web 2.0 models of user-generated content, and make it accessible to users. Current students can apply the required courses for the advanced certificate (nine units) toward their program requirements for the MLIS or MARA program. Upon completion of both programs, students receive a diploma and a certificate.
Community Poster Sessions
To create more presentation opportunities for current students and alumni, the iSchool sponsors community poster sessions at professional library association conferences. Participating in a poster session allows student and alumni presenters to demonstrate their community impact in a fun and supportive forum, while showcasing research projects, community programs, innovative ideas, and professional experiences. It also fosters interpersonal and communication skills — shown to be of great value to employers in the iSchool’s annual LIS job skills report — and offers a friendly environment for professional networking. Students receive faculty guidance, free poster templates, and the iSchool covers poster printing costs. Browse past Community Impact Poster Presentations and learn more about how iSchool students and alumni and making a positive difference in our global communities.
Complimentary Memberships in Professional Associations
By giving all new MLIS, MARA and Informatics students complimentary memberships in a professional association during their first year in the program, the iSchool enhances students’ understanding of the information profession and the issues it faces, and encourages connections between professional associations and students.
MLIS students enrolled in INFO 200 are offered one-year free student membership in one of the following professional associations:
- American Library Association
- Special Libraries Association
- Association for Information Science and Technology
- Society of American Archivists
- National Association of Government Archivists & Records Administrators
All MARA students enrolled in MARA 200 are offered one-year free student membership in one of the following professional associations:
- Association for Information Science and Technology
- National Association of Government Archivists & Records Administrators
- Society of American Archivists
Informatics students enrolled in INFM 200 are offered one-year free student membership in one of the following professional associations:
- Association for Information Science and Technology
- HIMSS
- American Nursing Informatics Association
- ASIS International (Security)
- IAPP (Privacy)
Travel Grants
Attending professional association conferences is an effective way for students to expand their skills, make new contacts, and immerse themselves in the information field. Recognizing the value of conference participation, the iSchool leadership team offers travel grants to the student chapter leaders of professional organizations who use the funds to send one of their members to attend a professional conference. Beginning in fall 2020, travel grant awards will also be made available to all students, in addition to the student chapter leaders. Eligible iSchool students may apply for seven travel grants awarded in the fall and spring semesters, for a total of 14 travel grants per academic year, with each grant valued up to $1,500.
Spartan Proud
Becoming a Spartan certainly has its perks, and iSchool students gain a wide variety of valuable skills as they fulfill course requirements. The Exemplary Student Showcase highlights innovative projects developed by students and offers a glimpse into their investigations.
