Off the coast of southwest Florida lies a vacationer’s paradise that doesn’t require a passport: Sanibel Island. This quaint island is roughly twelve miles long and is surrounded by pristine beaches. The local population is small yet dedicated, with a strong focus on conservation efforts and public services. One essential service on the island is […]
Stephanie Gerding (‘93,‘97) considers herself a person who is 100-percent committed to the success of librarians.  She spent the past several decades ensuring librarians have the resources they need to create a thriving environment within their communities. Gerding spent half her time growing up in Tennessee and the other half in California. When it was […]
Catlin Rehders (’23) works as a financial intelligence analyst at Navy Federal. She completed her bachelor’s in information sciences in 2023 and now loves what she does for work, but that wasn’t always the case. Rehders describes herself as a non-traditional student as she did not find her true passion until seeking her second bachelor’s […]
Alan Wilson (’80) used communication skills he learned at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, every day of his storied business career, which culminated as Chairman and CEO of McCormick and Company. “The most important part of my job as CEO was communicating. I spent most of my time doing that, but leadership really is about […]
Many School of Information Sciences faculty members, current students, and alumni traveled across the country from Tennessee to San Diego to attend the 2024 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference and Exhibition. ALA prioritizes learning and ensuring access to information for all by providing resources to library systems across the country and by advocating for […]
Ariel Birdoff (‘12) is an elementary school librarian who loves to read teen novels in her free time. Her father started his undergraduate at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and was a huge fan of the campus environment. The New York native remembers hearing about her father’s experience on campus when she was growing up. […]
During the School of Information Sciences 2024 Hooding and Awards Ceremony, two alumni from the SIS master’s program were honored for their work in libraries and information sciences. Alice Faye Duncan (‘91) was awarded the SIS Distinguished Alumni Award and Isaiah West (‘14) was awarded the SIS Innovator’s Alumni Award. Distinguished Alumni Award Presented to […]
Every year, professionals from across the state in the fields of library and information sciences, along with students and supporters, gather to share ideas, learn about new findings in the field, and award those who have shown exemplary leadership in the field. School of Information Sciences Director Abebe Rorissa (left) and Brynna Farris (Right) at […]
Jessica Atkins (‘22) is starting her new career as a senior data collection analyst at the Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She says she wouldn’t be where she is today without the opportunities she had at her universities and during her internships.  Atkins completed her undergraduate degree in anthropology […]
Alumna Quanta Wyatt (‘95) loves conducting research. Her passion is what helped her gain the Arkansas Library Association (ARLA) Renetta Patrick Award for outstanding school librarianship, but she says she couldn’t have done it alone.  Wyatt is originally from Monticello, Arkansas, and lived there until she was fifteen. Her family then moved to West Memphis, […]
