“I realized that I needed and wanted a career that focused on lifelong learning. This was also an area of focus that never felt like work, and I can honestly say that I feel lucky to have the opportunity to gain professional-level skills with truly great professors through a flexible and versatile platform.”

Tell us about your personal and professional background.

I have been all over the map! I graduated with a BA in journalism from the University of Mississippi. I then moved into finance, then to one-on-one differentiated instruction for children on the autism spectrum. I never felt at home until I found this program at the University of Denver.

Why did you choose to pursue a Master of Library and Information Science?

I realized that I needed and wanted a career that focused on lifelong learning. This was also an area of focus that never felt like work. I can honestly say that I feel lucky to have the opportunity to gain professional-level skills with truly great professors through a flexible and versatile platform.

How has this program prepared you for success as an information leader in your community in today’s information era?

There are so many ways I have gained the skills to be an information leader, but I’ll focus on just a few. First, classes like reference, cataloging and classification, and web content development, and so many more gave me what I needed to professionally perform those job duties immediately upon completion of the coursework. Next, the class sizes have allowed me to ask all the questions I need while working closely with people that will also be leaders in their respective fields. Finally, I am hoping to pursue a PhD after graduation, and faculty have gone out of their way to help me find ways to increase my résumé through research and personally curated coursework via independent studies.

What has your experience interacting with faculty been like during your time in the program?

To put it simply, the faculty has been outstanding. I never have trouble getting time to meet with anyone when the need arises, and the answers and help I receive are always spot on. The faculty was a major factor in my choice to attend DU, and I am always excited to speak with them about problems, questions or thoughts big and small.

I really needed the flexibility that an online program provides. I have been able to complete my coursework while working, which was important to me. I also have the feeling of a true classroom. The combination of asynchronous materials and group meetings has a really nice balance and feel.

What is one thing you want a prospective MLIS@Denver student to know?

The most important thing I would tell prospective students is to make sure you reach out often. I feel like it could be easy to perform well in your studies but miss the opportunities to connect with the faculty. In an on-campus setting, these types of interactions happen organically; however, I have experienced everything you can experience on campus through this platform—you just have to take some extra steps and initiative. I know I will be prepared for professional work once I graduate, and now I’m pushing hard, with a lot of help from the faculty, to earn my way into the PhD program of my dreams.

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