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Category: Shayla (Page 4 of 5)

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I passed my first semester of grad school! I would be lying if I said it didn’t feel good to be free. I am currently sitting on the couch having a Netflix marathon and pretending that January will never come.

This first semester has been a wild ride of ups and downs (more about the downs in another post). I have met some of the most amazing people from all over the country. Every day they teach me something new, and show me something from a new perspective. I am so happy and so fortunate to have them around.

Regarding classes, I have enjoyed some more than others. My favorites for this semester were Collection Development (highly recommended for all specializations) and Resources and Services for Adults. Up next, I have a winter break reading list for Resources and Services for Young Adults. The book list has about 16 titles on it. So far my favorites are Monster by Walter Dean Myers and Maus by Art Spiegelman.

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6 down 10 to go

Outside of the academic world, I  learned a lot about myself last semester some good and some not so great. Every day is a challenge and next semester leaves room for change and improvement.

Enjoy a well deserved winter break.

November’s Social Hour (Diwaloween)

The fall semester’s Social Hours have centered around the many cultures that make up our iSchool. September’s theme was a celebration of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. October’s theme was Oktoberfest. For this month’s Social Hour we partnered with ANKUR-Indian Graduate Student Association to focus on Diwali, the Indian Festival of lights.

In honor of Diwali we decided to challenge students to create Rangoli (Traditional Indian decoration usually created with flowers) with nontraditional materials.

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Nontraditional materials = sprinkles and lentils

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Vote for Scholars: Your Nominees for DSO, ASIS&T, and SCALA

Hey iSchool!

We, Shayla Boyce and Jourdan Walls, are running together for the iSchool’s Diversity Student Organization (DSO) as Vice President and President (2nd term), respectively. Jourdan is also running for President of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&Tand Shayla is running for Vice President of the Pittsburgh Student Chapter of the American Library Association (SCALA).

Diversity and Students Are Our Job! As Commonwealth Scholars, we already have the privilege of working on diversity initiatives and great social, academic, and professional events. On a daily basis, we work within the Student Services Office, tending to your needs, and collaborating with the professional staff and faculty to put together awesome opportunities just for you!

Vote for Shayla and Jourdan for DSO | Vote for Jourdan for ASIS&T | Vote for Shayla for SCALA

Click to go to  Jourdan‘s message


What I (Shayla) can offer to the Diversity Student Organization (DSO)

As the Vice President of the Diversity Student Organization I wish to advocate for the diverse voices within the iSchool. It is important to me that all voices are heard.  The skills that I can bring to the table are commitment and dedication, creativity, as well as event planning capabilities. Also during my undergraduate years I participated in an organization that focused on diversity recruitment which is one of the many goals within DSO.

What I can offer to the Pittsburgh Student Chapter of the American Library Association (SCALA)-

Within the Pittsburgh Student Chapter of the American Library Association I hope to focus on programming that pertains to the development of practical skills. The Library and Information Science program is a very short program with many classes that focusing on theoretical discussion but not always practical hands on experience. I would like to focus in on the essential tools and software that is popular within the field in order to give students an opportunity to gain the practical skills needed for a smoother transition into the workforce.

Thank you for your time and consideration.


What I (Jourdan) Can Offer to the Diversity Student Organization (DSO) and the Association of Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T)

Through last year’s experience as President of DSO and Vice President of ASIS&T,  I have learned a lot about the school and the students’ needs. This year, my goal is to provide each student of our school with the best academic, social, and professional experiences. This includes providing an open and useful platform for you as students to share your ideas and concerns from your experiences in the iSchool, as well as giving you the opportunity to be connected and well-prepared for the professional world before you graduate.

As President of DSO, I want to host the second annual iCCC , a student/faculty/staff panel; an internship/practicum/field experience poster session; and numerous social events and field trips. I hope to look more into community service initiatives around the Pittsburgh area that will encourage diversity in the information sciences as well.

As President of ASIS&T,  I want to host Employer Sessions that would provide great professional networking opportunities for ALL iSchool students. I also want to provide opportunities for discounted/free membership to the international association, including access to ASIS&T conferences;  study/tinkering sessions; archives/library-related tours and trips; and tech meet-up field trips.

I deeply care about the achievements and happiness of my peers and community within the iSchool. Serving you all as president of DSO and ASIS&T would be an absolute honor. Thank you for your time and consideration!

Click to go to Shayla‘s mesage

Vote for Shayla and Jourdan for DSO | Vote for Jourdan for ASIS&T | Vote for Shayla for SCALA

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