Kate Bengtson:
Congrats, Lindsey! It was great having a few classes with a fellow CT resident!! I hope you are having a blast at GPL. Pop down to Bill Memorial some time and say hello - we can celebrate graduating!
Lindsey
Mahn
The degree of
Master of Library and Information Science
Virtual Convocation
2019
PROFILE
Current residence: Stonington, CT, US
I wanted to earn a masters degree because:
I was looking for a new career path after the shortage of teaching jobs in the area that I live. Through a series of events, I realized that library science made sense. It was an educational environment where I would be surrounded with books, could work with people from all walks of life and there was job availability.
While earning my degree, my greatest supporters were:
My parents were without a doubt some of my biggest supporters. They worked with me on my loan situation, provided me a home where I was able to succeed in my studies and they were excited to see me driven and focused again. I was also supported by my boyfriend who understood the importance of this process for me and provided love when faced with my stressful outbursts. Of course I was also supported by all the co-workers I gained while working in the library field. They made me feel like I made the right choice which was something I needed at that particular time in my life.
While in the program, I met classmates from:
All over! The joys of a virtual program means that I did group work with people across the United States as well as in Canada and the Virgin Islands. There were many young people like myself as well as many people going back to school after a prolonged absence. I enjoyed their various perspectives.
What I liked best about online learning was:
It was incredibly convenient! The state that I live in doesn't have an accredited library science program so I would have had to travel and pay the costs associated with that choice. Online learning allowed me to work full time, stay in a place where I was comfortable and it was less of a financial burden. I also loved that it connected me with professionals from all over the United States and allowed me to see into a diverse range of libraries.
What I enjoyed most about my experience at the SJSU School of Information was:
The professors had so much passion and knowledge! I was able to learn through them and through the other professionals that they connected to our virtual classrooms. It made me excited to take what I was learning and bring it into my work world.
I plan to use my degree to:
Work as a librarian in a public library. I see my co-workers who run job clubs, provide reference services, run diverse programs, present story times and help people better themselves through education. These people inspire me and I want to be like them.
Now that I have completed the program, I'm most looking forward to:
Free time! While I loved learning through my MLIS program, I am looking forward to taking up hobbies, spending more time with loved ones and traveling. So far I have signed up for a photography class and have trips planned to NYC for a day and a week in Ireland. Just because I've completed an educational program does not mean that I'm done learning in life. I'm reading to keep going out there.
Kate Bengtson: Congrats, Lindsey! It was great having a few classes with a fellow CT resident!! I hope you are having a blast at GPL. Pop down to Bill Memorial some time and say hello - we can celebrate graduating!