In her winning video for the Wiley Scholarship for Early Career Librarians, Ximin Mi (MS '13) talks about the importance of lifelong learning—how learning doesn’t stop when you graduate. She put this concept into practice in making the video, which earned her a $1,500 travel grant that she will use to attend the Association of College & Research Libraries Conference in Baltimore this March.

As an interaction designer/information architect at Expedia, Chris Nixon is responsible for the design, usability, and accessibility of their Things to Do line of business.

User experience expert Andrea Gannon (MS ’15) spends most days using her skills to improve payroll processes. She is a senior associate product manager at Workday, a California-based human capital management company.

The systems Scott Migaldi helps to create at T-Mobile facilitate human interaction and information sharing across the globe. To accomplish this he uses skills acquired at the iSchool—he conducts research into information-seeking behavior, evaluates user needs, and determines how information-sharing systems can meet those needs.

Community services librarian Ziba Perez Zehdar (MS ’12) is going mobile with the Long Beach Public Library (LBPL), and we’re not talking about a digital app. She leads several community engagement projects at multiple branch libraries and outside the library.

Most academic librarians stepping into a position can model their work on that of their predecessors. But not Thomas Padilla (MS '14). On his appointment in April as the first humanities data curator at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) Library (and the first in the entire University of California system), Padilla has had to draw on a number of different disciplines to shape his role of working with data throughout its life cycle.

The company culture at Spotify is just one of the reasons knowledge manager Colleen McClowry loves working there. She encourages students to seek out job opportunities that align with their own personal interests, whether it be music or any other passion.

Corey Schumacher's work as a research specialist supports a global firm's management consulting teams across North America. She credits the iSchool's courses with exposing her to the many possible career tracks open to graduates, including her current role.

Around the world, the ubiquity of social media is growing, but its effects remain to be fully understood. Alumnus Anatoliy Gruzd (@gruzd) explores the impacts of social media on modern life, from interpersonal communication to the formation of political structures, in his research.

While earning a master's degree, Rob Radtke completed a practicum at Dow AgroSciences, interned with the Boston Consulting Group's Data and Research Services Branch, and worked at the John Deere Technology Innovation Center in Champaign's Research Park. He credits his coursework and real-world experience with preparing him for professional roles in private industry, including his current position.

“I became fierce at the University of Illinois—ready to learn, share, and grow,” says Parker Hamilton, whose education and attitude set her on a career path that led all the way to the directorship of a public library system serving more than one million people.

It’s no surprise that a digital learning librarian doesn’t work within the boundaries of a physical library. In this role at Latin School of Chicago, William Langston isn’t even confined to the walls of the school building. In addition to working with students and faculty in person and virtually, Langston leads field trips, collaborates with Chicago-area colleges, and supports external research initiatives with ties to Chicago’s historic Old Town neighborhood.

"How do you want to contribute?" Alumna Liza Booker poses this question to GSLIS students. Find your answer, she says, and then use your education to help you make a difference in the world. As a UX analyst, Booker uses her skills to support research that addresses scientific and societal challenges facing the nation.

From downloading ebooks to applying for jobs online, the patrons of the Gail Borden Public Library have a helping hand in technology librarian Phillip Schneider. Schneider and his colleagues also share their expertise with fellow librarians at other institutions through the online toolkit they’ve created.  

Passionate about technology and artistic expression, GSLIS alumna Taylor Kirch finds inspiration at Pandora, where she uses her skills to bring music to the world.

As a GSLIS student, Kirsten Y. Howley focused on government and business information. Now she puts those skills to work daily in a role that facilitates information sharing and more at a large technology company. Where do you work and what is your role? I am a senior business analyst with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a technology integrator in technical,…

Lisa Abbott fields a range of research questions and information challenges at the Kellogg Company, but no matter what comes her way, she’s ready to tackle it. “I know my business, and my business is whatever the day asks of me. Fortunately, I have one heck of a toolbox helping me out,” she said. Where do you work, and what is your role? I manage the information center for the Kellogg…

Alea Perez is passionate about reading and librarianship, especially when it comes to teen services. On top of completing her master's studies this August, she manages her own YA lit website and recently started a new job as the head of youth services at the Westmont (IL) Public Library. Why did you decide to pursue an LIS degree? As a child, I was constantly surrounded by books thanks to…

Jason Driver is looking out for the little guys—literally. As an early literacy specialist for Chicago Public Library’s seventy-nine branches, he works with fellow children’s librarians to create programs that support young readers and their families. For more about his professional insights and interests, check out Jason's blog.

It’s no surprise that MS student Flannery Crump chose GSLIS when she decided to pursue a career in LIS. The program was recommended to her by a reliable source—her mother, Amy Crump. She’s following in her mother’s footsteps toward a career in public librarianship. Flannery Crump Why did you decide to pursue an LIS degree? All throughout my childhood, my parents would take me to the…