Profiles

Michele F. Ryan

Sponsoring Organization: Mid York Library System
Attending:Syracuse University, School of Information Studies

Kick Starting The Mature Brain

Before starting on my second Master’s degree I was enjoying my part time job as the Children’s Specialist at a small city library.  I loved my job and really wasn’t looking to make any changes.  My director came to me one day and tossed an application for the Making It Real scholarship on my desk saying that I might be interested in this opportunity.  I smiled and said thanks knowing that I really wasn’t interested in going back to school. 

A few days later I came across the application on my desk and decided to give it a shot.  When I got the news that I’d received the scholarship I was both thrilled and panic stricken. How would I balance family, work and school? What is this distance learning all about anyway? Would I be able to do my best? Did I still have a brain capable of graduate level work?  My 10-day “Summer Institute” experience at SU gave me all the confidence I needed to be a success in the MLS program.  This intense, immersion approach snapped me back into academic mode and allowed me to work closely with others who had some of the same concerns.  We forged quick but lasting friendships and met intelligent classmates who became great resources.

The professors and administration at SU were wonderfully motivating and intent on helping us achieve our goals.  This has been a fantastic experience.  I’ve learned so much that has already helped me in my current library position. The time has passed very quickly and I’ll be graduating in December 2007. I am excited about the field of librarianship and inspired to play a larger part in advancing the role of libraries in our communities.