On Thursday September 5th from 5pm to 6pm, the iSchool hosted the FA24: Student Groups Meet & Greet over Zoom. The program was very informative regarding the various Student Groups available to us all. ALASC was represented by our Events Assistant, Connor Dandridge who described the ALASC mission and values as well as promoted ALASC held events, like our Trivia Night and guest speakers, to attendees.
After all official student groups had completed their pitches, attendees were encouraged to join breakout groups to ask further questions. In the ALASC breakout room we had a wonderful group of attendees who stopped by and asked questions regarding time commitment, events, and how to manage involvement in a student group alongside work and school commitments.
While many of us chose the iSchool exactly because of its flexibility, it can be isolating to primarily communicate with your classmates through the Canvas discussion board. Making these connections with fellow students and with professionals currently working in Information Sciences can broaden your horizons and maybe help you decide what career path you’d like to follow. For example, one of the groups present at the event was Society of American Archivists Student Chapter (SAASC). By joining this group, you can gain insight from professionals in the field, connect with other SJSU students who are interested in archives, or join the SAASC’s student-run digital publication.
Maybe the world of archives isn’t for you, then there’s many other student groups to choose from, such as: REFORMA SJSU, First Generation Student Group, or the AANHPI iSchool Student Group, to name a few. Whether you are passionate about advocacy, user experience, or looking to meet with a diverse community of MLIS students, there is a community of students who would like to connect with you.
If you are hesitant about joining a student group, consider that you will meet a group of people whose passions and interests overlap with yours and this can help foster connections within the LIS space so when you complete your degree, you’ll feel more confident about becoming an information professional.
The full recording can be accessed here and if you would like to get in contact with a student group here is a document listing all student groups and their socials.
