Our 2020 SIS Special Student Awards
Special Student Awards
Each year the University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences gives several awards in recognition of achievement, and for students’ contributions to the information professions and to information sciences scholarship. These are our 2020 special student awards and recipients.
The Gary Purcell Award honors the memory of Gary Purcell, the school’s founding director. This award is presented to a student who shows unusual promise as a leader in the field of Information Sciences in research and innovation intellectual activity and creativity and management.
Gary R. Purcell Award – Sarah Gonzalez
Sarah Gonzalez said it was a surreal feeling when she was announced as the recipient of the 2020 SIS Gary Purcell Award, which honors a student for overall excellence and who shows promise as a leader in the field of information sciences.
The School of Information Sciences is one of four schools in the College of Information and Communication, and each year faculty from each of the four schools select one of their graduates to be recognized by the college.
CCI Outstanding Information Sciences Graduate Award – Lisa Curtin
Lisa Curtin said that learning she was the recipient of the 2020 CCI Outstanding Information Sciences Graduate Award was some much-needed news, and that she was pleasantly surprised to learn of the honor.
At the heart of information sciences is service to others. The SIS outstanding service award is presented to a student who has shown exemplary continuous, dedicated, and voluntary service to the SIS community and beyond.
Outstanding Service Award – Kristen McBee
Kristen McBee said that receiving the news that she is the recipient of the 2020 SIS Outstanding Service Award was humbling and unexpected. But perhaps it shouldn’t have been – McBee has gone above and beyond in her service to the school and information sciences.
The SIS academic achievement award is presented to one or more students for excellence in academic work such as coursework presentations, thesis, and or manuscripts submitted for publication during their time in the program.
Academic Achievement Award – Megg Doolin
Megg Doolin, a recipient of the 2020 SIS Academic Achievement Award, first found her interest in libraries when she was a work study student at the Rhodes College library, her undergraduate alma mater.
Academic Achievement Award – Albert Salatka
Albert Salatka said he has pushed himself hard throughout his time in the MSIS program, yet was still pleasantly surprised to learn he was the recipient of the 2020 SIS Academic Achievement Award.