Julia Proctor spent her time in the MSIS program staying very busy with extracurricular activities related to the School and information sciences – so it should be no surprise that she is being given the 2021 SIS Outstanding Service Award. Nonetheless, Proctor, said she was surprised to get the news but also “really happy.”

Proctor helped to revive and was president of the student chapter of the Society of American Archivist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and along with that would show up to various events to speak about student organizations. She spoke at the new MSIS student orientations and at the SIS Advisory Board meeting. She also always made sure to show up at presentations and luncheons for faculty candidates so she could provide feedback to the School on who she thought students would want hired

“I just like to feel like I’m a part of something, and when I’m at a school or part of an institution or at a job, I like to add as much as I can to it. I was really grateful for all of the opportunities I had in the program, the great classes and events and my assistantship I just wanted to do what I could to give back,” she said.

After graduating in December, Proctor has spent some time figuring out her next steps and applying for jobs, and appreciates knowing that the program has prepared her for whatever comes next. One major positive for her was the coursework itself and the flexibility allowed in what she could take.

“You have classes on library stuff specifically but you also have technical courses like I took metadata and database systems, so it gives you diversity that you may not get in other programs,” she said.

Proctor also commended SIS for how the staff and faculty handled the pandemic with compassion and understanding.

“The faculty and staff were just so supportive in the program, I honestly cannot remember a negative experience that I had with any one while I was there – having that support,” she said.