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Spectrum Scholar Spotlight: Ashley Bolger
Scavenger hunt builds community
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ight iSchool master’s students were named 2021-2022 Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services. This “Spectrum Scholar Spotlight” series highlights the School’s scholars. MS/LIS student Ashley Bolger earned her BS degree in environmental studies from the University of Vermont, with a concentration in environmental justice, policy, and education. Why did you decide to pursue an LIS degree? I have been interested in becoming a librarian since high school, so getting an LIS degree has been in my plans for some time. Once I started working in libraries and confirmed that I enjoyed the work, I decided to apply for master’s programs. Why did you choose the iSchool at Illinois? The main thing that drew me to the iSchool at Illinois was the selection of classes. From looking at the course catalog, it was clear that I would be in an environment where I could explore many of my interests, with multiple courses if I so chose. The tuition waiver for Spectrum Scholars was also a large reason that I applied. What particular LIS topics interest you the most? I am interested primarily in public library services, including social justice, collection development, and cataloging. I am also interested in classes about academic librarianship. What do you do outside of class? I live in the Burlington, Vermont, area and work at a public library as a circulation assistant and volunteer coordinator. I love to read, especially graphic novels. I also am a rugby player and love to garden, sew and quilt, cook, and explore Vermont with my girlfriend. What does being a Spectrum Scholar mean to you? Being a Spectrum Scholar means that I will always be a part of a supportive network of library professionals of color. I am looking forward to the opportunities for networking, leadership development, and learning how to make the LIS field more justice-oriented. What career plans or goals do you have? I would like to continue working in Vermont public libraries or possibly academic libraries. I am particularly interested in circulation, technical services, and management.
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School students learned more about campus and each other at the second annual iSchool Scavenger Hunt. The event, which was held September 3-10, was open to on-campus students in all programs. Students who opted to participate were placed in small groups of peers in the same degree program. Students were given a list of ten campus locations to find, such as the Alma Mater, Morrow Plots, and Main Library. In addition to checking a point of interest off their lists, the students would take a group selfie at the spot. “I hope students were able to enjoy meeting their peers in a social activity outside of the classroom setting,” said Academic Advisor Katelyn Talbott, who organized the event. “Plus, as this may be the first time on campus for new and even second-year students, I hope they were able to explore new places and make new friends.” In the week following the scavenger hunt, people voted on their favorite group selfies, with the top selfies earning iSchool-branded giveaways. This year’s winners included the Alma Mater Group, composed of MS/LIS students Jenna Courtade, Katherine Majewski, and Rebecca Stover, and the Hallene Gateway Group, including PhD students Clara Belitz, Frank Stinar, and Andrew Zalot. “I haven’t had much time to explore since I arrived in August. I definitely learned that campus is a LOT bigger than I thought it was,” said Stinar, who admits that his favorite place on campus is anywhere that serves coffee. “I also learned that the PhD program has some very interesting and nice people in it.” Student Affairs joined campus in celebrating Graduate Student Appreciation Week from October 25-29. “During this time, staff and faculty show gratitude to our students through messages, giveaways, workshops, etc. These types of events are important to ensure that each individual student feels part of the iSchool community,” said Talbott.
Above left: Jenna Courtade, Rebecca Stover, Katherine Majewski Above right: Clara Belitz, Andrew Zalot, Frank Stinar
