School of Information Sciences

Alumni Assist with CCI’s Annual Career Fair

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Pam Schmidt and another MP&F employee stand behind a table full of swag at the 2022 Communication and Information Career Fair

It was an internship that led to Pam Schmidt’s current job at MP&F, where she’s worked for a total of 25 years since she graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. It’s no wonder that, as director of human resources and talent development, she’s an avid proponent of students getting internship experience before they graduate.

“There’s only so much you can learn in school. The best way to learn what this industry is really like is by getting out there and getting hands-on experience in real-world settings, which is why I feel so strongly about internships and about our intern … Read more “Alumni Assist with CCI’s Annual Career Fair”

Alumni Assist with CCI’s Annual Career Fair written by Hillary Tune and originally published on the College of Communication & Information site.

MSIS Student Navigates Alaska, Homeschooling, and Online School

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Becky Wright and her three sons and husband

After she has spent the morning homeschooling her three sons in Alaska, Becky Wright settles into her chair to begin her own classes.

Wright is pursuing her Research and Data Management Certificate as part of the Master of Science in Information Sciences (MSIS) program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 

Given the time difference, her classes take place early in the afternoon while her boys are doing independent activities at their home. Occasionally, her oldest son will sit alongside Wright because he is interested in what she is learning.

Being able to balance being a mom with being a student

… Read more “MSIS Student Navigates Alaska, Homeschooling, and Online School”

MSIS Student Navigates Alaska, Homeschooling, and Online School written by CCI and originally published on the College of Communication & Information site.

Student Spotlight: Kristina Larsen Becomes Rare Map Librarian After One Semester in MSIS

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Featured student: Kristina Larsen

Location: San Francisco, California

Education: Undergraduate degree in studio art and sculpture from Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass.

What is your professional background?

For my undergraduate degree I studied painting and sculpture at Hampshire College. After graduation, I didn’t have plans and went on a road trip with a friend to California. I thought I would be here temporarily but I have stayed in the Bay Area ever since.

For the first decade or so I made art and worked part time in offices for architects, artists, and writers, and I ended … Read more “Student Spotlight: Kristina Larsen Becomes Rare Map Librarian After One Semester in MSIS”

MSIS Student Kelsey Badger Named Volunteer of Distinction: Extraordinary Professional Promise

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Kelsey Badger came into the School of Information Sciences master’s program with the honor of being accepted into the Collaborative Analysis Liaison Librarians (CALL) program, and she will continue that tradition of excellence with the honor of being named a University of Tennessee, Knoxville Volunteer of Distinction: Extraordinary Professional Promise. She’s also already accepted a position at the Ohio State University as a research data librarian, which she will start after she graduates from SIS this May.

SIS Clinical Associate Professor Carolyn Hank nominated Badger for the award, stating that she has exceptional work ethic and outstanding academic … Read more “MSIS Student Kelsey Badger Named Volunteer of Distinction: Extraordinary Professional Promise”

Student Elisha Jewell and Assistant Professor of Practice Joy Marie Doan Research How NFTs Can Benefit Libraries

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Libraries are often places of innovation, many times embodying the adage, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Sitting at the crossroads of technology and information access gives information sciences professionals a unique view of the world, and in the case of School of Information Sciences master’s student Elisha Jewell, a unique take on the blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

“What my research is really aiming to do is to provide fundamental knowledge to library and information professionals about blockchain technology and NFTs. We want to shed a light on how this technology can provide an opportunity for music collections in … Read more “Student Elisha Jewell and Assistant Professor of Practice Joy Marie Doan Research How NFTs Can Benefit Libraries”

Student Spotlight: Amy Snyder Lands Fellowship with Library of Congress

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Amy Snyder smiling with her arms crossed while leaning against a brick wall.Featured student: Amy Snyder

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

Education: Undergraduate degree in English and minor in art history from University of Virginia

Why information sciences?

I went to undergrad at the University of Virginia and was an English major over there and an art history minor. I started working in the small special collections library and I fell in love with it, I was a cataloging assistant. It was really cool to work with all the old books and I was like, I want to do that.

I worked at two other positions in the library, shelving books … Read more “Student Spotlight: Amy Snyder Lands Fellowship with Library of Congress”

MSIS Student Sarah Calise Founds Nashville Queer History Digital Archive, Lands Deal to Write First Book on Nashville’s LGBTQ+ History

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It’s easy to forget history, but even more so if no one preserves it. Sarah Calise, an archivist and a student in the School of Information Sciences master’s program, is someone who specializes in preservation. So when they saw the history of Nashville’s LGBTQ+ community slowly slipping away, they also saw an opportunity to make a lasting difference. Now they are at the helm of a significant digital archives project called Nashville Queer History, and they are writing the first book ever about that history.

This project came to fruition when Calise was given a big project assignment in … Read more “MSIS Student Sarah Calise Founds Nashville Queer History Digital Archive, Lands Deal to Write First Book on Nashville’s LGBTQ+ History”

A Trio of Friends Journey Through Work and the MSIS Program Together

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It’s not unusual for students to take a meandering path that ends with them entering the MSIS program—some wander a little, and others even make hard turns into a drastic career change. But rarely do those paths intersect the way that those of three current MSIS students have: Carolyn Shafer, Jenny Huffman, and William Judd.

Not only are the trio all enrolled in the program at the same time, they’re also all working at the same library branch, Putnam County Library in Cookeville, Tenn. But to top it off, they knew each other even before they worked together and they … Read more “A Trio of Friends Journey Through Work and the MSIS Program Together”

Student Spotlight: Jessica Woofter on Databases and Data Analysis

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Featured Student: Jessica Woofter

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

Education: Bachelor’s in General Studies with a focus on Business and Technical writing

Career: Data Analyst at the University of Tennessee’s Environmental Health & Safety

Why information sciences?

I am definitely not a traditional student. I did not take a straight path to complete my college degree or getting into the SIS graduate program. I started college in 1998 seeking a pre-veterinary degree from Georgia Southern University (GSU) in Statesboro, GA. I dropped out to gain work experience and focus on myself. My spouse and I moved around the country for work, fell … Read more “Student Spotlight: Jessica Woofter on Databases and Data Analysis”

SIS Grad Student Songhee Kim Becomes CCI’s UX Lab Manager and Graphic Designer

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UX Lab Manager Songhee Kim sits on a couch in part of the Message Effects room, which is available for user research.

At her heart, Songhee Kim is an artist, and she’s found ways to incorporate that into her career path over the years. She earned an undergraduate degree in 3D animation and visual effects from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and went on to work for projects such as Disney Junior’s “Sophia the First” and CBN’s “Superbook.” Now she is the College of Communication and Information’s User eXperience Lab manager and graphic designer, as well as … Read more “SIS Grad Student Songhee Kim Becomes CCI’s UX Lab Manager and Graphic Designer”