School of Information Sciences

Chad Lanctot on What it is Like Being a Veteran and a Student

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It took a decade for Chad Lanctot to finish his undergraduate degree, and for good reason: Lanctot was in the U.S. Coast Guard and was taking online classes while he actively served. It was tough going but once he was done and retiring from the Coast Guard, he knew that more higher education was his future.

“I was talking to some of my mentors and supervisors about graduate programs, and one of them, Commander Valerie Boyd, said, ‘You can definitely go, you have what it takes.’ That was the confidence boost I needed, to hear. When a senior officer of … Read more “Chad Lanctot on What it is Like Being a Veteran and a Student”

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”

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”

BSIS Student Makayla Lerner Wins CCI Poster Competition with Research on Rural Communities Adopting Broadband

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Makayla Lerner is the first undergraduate School of Information Sciences student to complete a practicum, and just this last week she won first place in the College of Communication and Information’s 44th Annual Research Symposium’s Research Poster Kaleidoscope contest. The research she presented in her poster stemmed from the practicum and undergraduate research assistantship work she has been doing with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s Extension programs.

Lerner has participated in three projects with UTIA that all have a focus on broadband internet in rural communities—hence the title of her poster, which aggregated research from all three … Read more “BSIS Student Makayla Lerner Wins CCI Poster Competition with Research on Rural Communities Adopting Broadband”

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”

Student Spotlight: H.B. Fach Discusses Neurodiversity and Information Sciences

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Featured student: H.B. Fach

Location: Lavergne, Tennessee

Career Background: I’ve been in libraries in one form or another since 2008, ever since I started part-time at Lavergne Public Library. I went to Nashville Public Library after that, and then the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Currently I’m with HCA Healthcare in their Knowledge Management division.

Why information sciences?

I didn’t really know what I was looking for, but a lot of state and federal government jobs aren’t known for a lot of advancement or growth, which I why I chose to leave. I wanted an opportunity to spread my wings … Read more “Student Spotlight: H.B. Fach Discusses Neurodiversity and Information Sciences”

Student Spotlight: Matthew Cowan Brings Knowledge Management to Cybersecurity

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Featured Student: Matt Cowan

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

Education/Career Background: I finished undergraduate in 2014 at the University of Alabama, where I studied geology. Between then and now, I worked largely in real estate and hospitality.

Why information sciences?

I came to the School of Information Sciences because I realized there’s such a gap in how many people understand so many processes and how they have access to those processes – I was interested in that blend of resource development and resource deployment. I’m a generally curious person, I like learning and I like when learning is easy, and finding things … Read more “Student Spotlight: Matthew Cowan Brings Knowledge Management to Cybersecurity”

MSIS Student Melinda Sandkam Awarded Lemoncello Scholarship

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Melinda Sandkam has always had a heart for certain endeavors, including the education of children and youth, and also helping people find the answers they need. This has guided her career, which includes positions as a hotel concierge, church program director, and preschool director. So perhaps it’s not unusual that she decided to pursue information sciences and librarianship as the next branch of her career

“It has always been about seeking the right information, so it has come full circle,” she said.

She still has a passion for working with children, particularly with those who are underserved. That’s one reason … Read more “MSIS Student Melinda Sandkam Awarded Lemoncello Scholarship”