Karina Cooper (MSLIS '23) likes that her job as librarian at the Niels Bohr Library and Archives allows her to explore her interdisciplinary interests and do "a little bit of everything." She credits the iSchool with helping her build a well-rounded skill set and gain valuable hands-on practice, which have helped her succeed in her job.
As a digital consultant for Caterpillar, Kirti Tyagi (MSIM '23) helps people make informed, data-driven decisions that have a tangible impact on the business. Prior to joining Caterpillar full time, she served as a digital intelligence intern for the company.
Grant Florence (BSIS '23) used final projects from his iSchool courses to assemble a portfolio of case studies, which helped him land his job as a user experience designer for Microsoft. Now he is helping to design solutions for the cloud computing platform Azure.
In his role as a computer vision engineer at Precision Planting, Jeremy Carnahan (MSIM '21) is part of a team that is making agriculture more productive and sustainable while reducing costs for growers.
For Paige Schulz (BSIS '22), the best part about working as a software developer for The Aerospace Corporation is "embracing constant change." She enjoys the fast pace in the tech world and in New York City, where she resides.
Hiromi Morikawa (CAS '12), executive officer and chief information officer at Nishimoto Co., Ltd., enjoys helping her teams grow and succeed. She was recently named a 2024 Consumer Goods Technology Visionary, which recognizes a select cohort of consumer goods executives who embody positive change in their organizations and inspire through their leadership.
Alumna M. Katherine (Katy) Mullally (MSLIS '04) will deliver the 2024 iSchool Convocation address. The event will be held on Sunday, May 12, at 1:30 p.m. at the Activities and Recreation Center. The ceremony will be broadcast live online so that students, families, and friends can watch if they are unable to attend in person.
Two iSchool alumni and an adjunct lecturer are included in Library Journal’s 2024 class of Movers & Shakers, an annual list that recognizes 50 professionals who are moving the library field forward as a profession. Tarida Anantachai (MSLIS ’11) was honored in the Change Agents category, Lissa Staley (MSLIS ’01) was honored in the Community Builders category, and Adjunct Lecturer Zachary Stier was honored in the Community Builders category.
In his role as a senior product designer for the Healthy Regions & Policies Lab, Shubham Kumar (MSIM '23) uses design to break down complex concepts, visualize information in meaningful ways, and ultimately encourage broader engagement in discussions about health and society.
Now the executive director of the World Innovations Network, Mojgan Momeni (MSLIS '09) credits her iSchool experience with leading her to discover her true passion—creating an innovative and entrepreneurial network model for global collaboration.
The PhD degree program at the iSchool celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2023. This profile is part of a special series featuring PhD alumni. Jeanie Austin (PhD '17) is a jail and reentry services librarian at San Francisco Public Library.
For Elysia Woodward (BSIS '23), it was an introductory class, Exploring the iSchool with a Human-Centered Lens (IS 100), that kickstarted her career. Now an associate in the ECDLP (Early Career Digital Leadership Program) at United Airlines, Woodward found out about United's internship programs and the ECDLP program through IS 100. She applied for an internship position in the summer of 2022 and received a return offer as an ECDLP associate.
The PhD degree program at the iSchool celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2023. This profile is part of a special series featuring PhD alumni. LaTesha Velez (PhD '17) is an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
When Susan Dingle (MSLIS '75) was researching various career paths in high school, she came across a pamphlet about librarians. The pamphlet's description of reference librarians piqued her interest and set her on a path that eventually led to her enrolling in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (as the iSchool was then known).
Jordan Neal (MSLIS '17) enjoys serving her community through her work at the Champaign Public Library. This fall, Neal was named one of Central Illinois Business magazine's 2023 Forty under 40 Award winners. The awards are given to young professionals in recognition of their career achievements, leadership ability, and dedication to community service.
The PhD degree program at the iSchool celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2023. This profile is part of a special series featuring PhD alumni. Kirstin Phelps (PhD '21) is the associate site lead for the AbbVie Innovation Center.
According to Daniel Kraus (MSLIS '05), the most beneficial course he took at the University of Illinois was Adult Popular Literature (LIS 590), in which students read a book from every popular genre—romance, western, sci-fi, fantasy, and more.
The PhD degree program at the iSchool celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2023. This profile is part of a special series featuring PhD alumni. Peter Organisciak (PhD '15) is an associate professor at the University of Denver.
Chetna Beri (MSIM '23) is a software engineer at W. W. Grainger, a leading distributor of industrial and safety supplies. Grainger was one of several companies that contacted Beri after she attended the iSchool's career fair last fall. Her advice to students is to network, get involved, ask questions, and attend the iSchool Networking and Career Fair on September 8.
