Author: jdmorgan@illinois.edu

bon Voyage, Victoria

As we wish a fond farewell to our graduating GAs, we’re taking another opportunity to get to know them better and to share their fabulousness with you. They might be graduating, but Once Team Awesome, Always Team Awesome.

Where are you from and what’s your favorite part about it?

Ghana. You don’t get bored. You can have fun and be yourself, it is welcoming.

What was your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?

Being able to help people with their problems make their lives easier is fun.

Favorite game?

Chess.

Favorite place to hang out on campus?

The Quad.

Is there a technology that you’re super excited about?

Camera.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

My daughter.

Theme song of your life?

I’ve got Joy.

Favorite memory from the iSchool or what you’ll miss most?

My colleagues (at the Help Desk) and being with them.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind of animal would it be, what would you name it, and what unusual tricks would you teach it?

Cat; Bambi; teach her to dance.

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it for good (or fun!) in the world?

Fly in and out, to go back to Ghana.

Plans/goals after graduation?

Hoping to get an offer to be a research librarian and manage social media and work on information literacy.

Whimsical Wanderings, Wanheng

As we wish a fond farewell to our graduating GAs, we’re taking another opportunity to get to know them better and to share their fabulousness with you. They might be graduating, but Once Team Awesome, Always Team Awesome.

Where are you from and what’s your favorite part about it?

China, Sichuan. The relaxed vibe and Pandas!!

What was your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?

Team Awesome/co-workers and our social events, connections with others at the iSchool.

Favorite game?

Baldur’s Gate 3.

Favorite place to hang out on campus?

iSchool HUB building/MPR.

Is there a technology that you’re super excited about?

AI Tools for slides.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Anime instead of real life.

Theme song of your life?

Anime song Number One from Bleach.

Favorite memory from the iSchool or what you’ll miss most?

The Help Desk/Social Gatherings.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind of animal would it be, what would you name it, and what unusual tricks would you teach it?

Bird; AI; teach it to talk in my voice to answer phone calls, etc.

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it for good (or fun!) in the world?

Invisible (nothing illegal) to watch people and learn so it’s not weird.

Plans/goals after graduation?

Get a job! Get an apartment for long term to grow plants and vegetables.

Glorious Get-away, Gates

As we wish a fond farewell to our graduating GAs, we’re taking another opportunity to get to know them better and to share their fabulousness with you. They might be graduating, but Once Team Awesome, Always Team Awesome.

Where are you from and what’s your favorite part about it?

Chicago. Lakefront Trail/the Food.

What was your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?

The people who we work with and the people we help.

Favorite game?

Pathfinder 2nd edition; Kenshi.

Favorite place to hang out on campus?

Boneyard/Quad/Main Library.

Is there a technology that you’re super excited about?

Built PC/Linux (ed. note: getting pretty nerdy there, Gates!).

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Jake Gyllenhaal.

Theme song of your life?

Underdog by Spoon.

Favorite memory from the iSchool or what you’ll miss most?

The friends made, being close to Chicago and close to folks.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind of animal would it be, what would you name it, and what unusual tricks would you teach it?

A Raven. Doug. Stealing Money.

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it for good (or fun!) in the world?

Telekinesis, vigilante stuff.

Plans/goals after graduation?

Going to Chicago; Model Painting Project; get a job.

Delightful Departure, Delia

As we wish a fond farewell to our graduating GAs, we’re taking another opportunity to get to know them better and to share their fabulousness with you. They might be graduating, but Once Team Awesome, Always Team Awesome.

Where are you from and what’s your favorite part about it?

Rural Illinois. Sunset and fireflies.

What was your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?

The people, everybody’s nice.

Favorite game?

Scrabble.

Favorite place to hang out on campus?

MidSummer Lounge.

Is there a technology that you’re super excited about?

iPads.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Lily James.

Theme song of your life?

Teenage Mutant Turtles Theme Song.

Favorite memory from the iSchool or what you’ll miss most?

GEO Parties. Dancing is fun.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind of animal would it be, what would you name it, and what unusual tricks would you teach it?

Dog that I have (or a tiny Griffin); Thumbelina, to not jump on people.

portrait of Delia with Thumbilina

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it for good (or fun!) in the world?

Make plants grow, save rain forests.

Plans/goals after graduation?

Public Libraries/Art Programming.

Au revoir, Audrey

As we wish a fond farewell to our graduating GAs, we’re taking another opportunity to get to know them better and to share their fabulousness with you. They might be graduating, but Once Team Awesome, Always Team Awesome.

Where are you from and what’s your favorite part about it?

Versailles Missouri. The most beautiful sunsets from the back porch.

What was your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?

Everyone coming over and chatting, being a central hub of the iSchool and getting to know people.

Favorite game?

Hollow Knight.

Favorite place to hang out on campus?

Caffe Paradiso.

Is there a technology that you’re super excited about?

Drawing tablets.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Keira Knightley.

Theme song of your life?

Walk by the Foo Fighters.

Favorite memory from the iSchool or what you’ll miss most?

The day Sinclair’s opened. Walking with GAs to get coffee.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind of animal would it be, what would you name it, and what unusual tricks would you teach it?

House Cat; Rubard; juggling.

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it for good (or fun!) in the world?

Stop time, use it for more crafting.

Plans/goals after graduation?

Hoping to get a job a Vanderbilt for creative and instruction libraries. (Editor update: manifesting works! She got the job!)

Fall 2021

I’m feeling sentimental as the semester winds down. Instead of going in my usual mushy direction, I’m going to reflect on the amazing Graduate Assistants who are currently working with us on Team Awesome. I hope you had a chance to read all of their profiles, listen to their theme songs, and try out some of their suggested recipes.

There are some things that caught my attention when looking at all of the profiles together:

Dinosaurs: 4 people chose to have a pet dinosaur (named Steggy, Gayle, Squiggles, and Greg)

Dragon: 12 people chose to have a pet dragon (named Frasier, Cotton Candy, Buster, King Douglas the Third, Smaug, Arthur, Spark, Brownie, Bartholomew, Argus, Quiche, and Chicken)

Over half of the GAs hail from Illinois. Amazingly, the second most represented state is Vermont (2). After that, we have gathered the team from Texas, Ohio, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Florida, and Wisconsin.

When asked to self-identify which part of the s’more they’d be, the majority identify as the graham cracker (8), 4 people are marshmallows, 3 people are the chocolate bars, and 1 person is a burnt marshmallow (frankly, that’s always the best part of a s’more).

Now for my typical cheesiness: teamwork makes the dream work. And it’s a dream getting to work with these GAs and the other full-timers on the staff: Matt Beth, Whitney McComas, and Lindsey Sharp. <3

Alum: Abbie Mills and Clelia Sweeney

At the end of the year, we say goodbye to two of our fabulous Graduate Assistants. Abbie Mills will be finishing up the librarian licensure program in the spring, which means that she’ll be busy student teaching, and Clelia Sweeney is graduating. I want to say more, but then I’ll start crying and it will either get really awkward in here or you’ll start crying too and no one wants either of those things.

Abbie Mills

Abbie is a townie who loves the local parks and all of the great local businesses. She’s excited to be attending graduate school in her hometown and seeing all of the growth and transformation of C-U. After graduation next spring she wants to she wants to get a job at a school where she can grow deep roots and create fabulous collaborations with the staff. Help students develop a love of reading? Yes, please!

  • What is your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?
    • I love getting to know more of iSchool community through this job than I would have otherwise! I’ve made a lot of my closest grad school friends via becoming friends with the other wonderful GAs I work with! And I really love getting to use Canva daily to generate social media content and ridiculous content for our amusement (for examples ask the Desk some time 🙂) I never thought I would be in a tech support job– but here I am and it’s awesome!
  • What is your second favorite book?
  • Based upon your current cooking repertoire, if you were a professional chef, what would your signature dish be?
    • Everything eggs (eggs with everything on hand that you want to toss in)
  • What would be the theme song of your life?
  • If you could hang out with any cartoon character, who would you choose and why?
    • Hilda because she’s always having wonderful magical adventures and I want to meet her pet, Twig
  • If you were famous, what would you be famous for?
    • Good News Podcaster
  • What part of the s’more are you?
    • Dark Chocolate (with a hint of coffee) – high quality chocolate
  • Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon,  and what would you name it?
    • Dinosaur (Triceratops) named Squiggles

Clelia Sweeney

Clelia is from rural Vermont (two GAs from Vermont this fall, what are the odds?!), where she loves the loves the smell of fresh air, apple picking, grungy general stores, and the Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival. She’s graduating next month and is looking forward to finding a job in Adult Services at a public library.

  • What is your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?
    • My favorite part about working at the Help Desk is getting to work with professors and staff on campus. I like feeling involved in iSchool life, especially because my program has been mostly remote due to COVID. Now that we’re working in person I can actually meet people face to face, which is a wonderful change.
  • What is your second favorite book?
  • Based upon your current cooking repertoire, if you were a professional chef, what would your signature dish be?
  • What would be the theme song of your life?
  • If you could hang out with any cartoon character, who would you choose and why?
    • Todd from Bojack Horseman because he is really sweet and down for a good time
  • If you were famous, what would you be famous for?
    • Screaming (horror movies, voice over, haunted house, screaming contest winner etc.)
  • What part of the s’more are you?
    • Graham cracker
  • Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon,  and what would you name it?
    • Dragon named Buster

Alum: Krysta and Cheyenne

Remember Krysta and Cheyenne from their profiles last year? If you are like me, you’re curious and want to know more about them. Here you go! 

Krysta Bruce 

Krysta traveled from Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania to come to the iSchool. One of the things she loves about that area of PA is that you get to see a bunch of wild animals all the time, including foxes and bears. After graduation next spring, Krysta will pursue a career in archives. 

  • What is your favorite part about working at the Help Desk? 
    • I love the people I got to meet working at the help desk, (my coworkers). It has led me to making great friendships. 
  • Based upon your current cooking repertoire, if you were a professional chef, what would your signature dish be? 
    • Icelandic Ambrosia, pound cake with jam, vanilla pudding, and strawberries
      • This is a family recipe:
      • Slice pound cake into thin slices.  
      • Spread raspberry jam on it like it is toast. 
      •  Then spread vanilla pudding on top of jam.  
      • Then cut the strawberry into small pieces and cover the pudding. 
      •  Then repeat until the container is filled. 
      •  My family normally makes person servings in small containers, but could also be make in a big cake pan as well. 
      •  Cake and pudding can be made before so that it is easy to make (or store bought if time is tight).  
      •  (Strawberries can be swapped for blueberries and blackberries for strawberry allergies as well) 
  • If you could hang out with any cartoon character, who would you choose and why? 
    • Scooby Doo because he is my childhood

  • If you were famous, what would you be famous for? 
    • Writing books  
  • What part of the s’more are you? 
    • Marshmallow 
  • Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon,  and what would you name it? 
    • Dragon named Smaug 

Cheyenne Puetz 

Cheyenne joins us from New Vienna, a small (no stoplights!) town in Iowa. She loves how the community comes together to support friends and neighbors. You need a hand? There’s someone who will help. With just over one semester left in the program, she wants to work as a youth services librarian in a public library after graduation. 

  • What is your favorite part about working at the Help Desk? 
    • My favorite part about working at the Help Desk are the kind and caring people I get to work with and helping faculty and students navigate online and in-person learning. 
  • If you could hang out with any cartoon character, who would you choose and why? 
    • Cassie the Pink Dragon from Dragon Tales – Love her personality and as a child felt like I was Cassie. She was the voice of reason for Dragonland.
              
  • If you were famous, what would you be famous for? 
    • Famous author 
  • What part of the s’more are you? 
    • Graham cracker 
  • Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon, and what would you name it? 
    • Dragon named Arthur 

Alum: Katie Peterson and Mariah Tennell

Today we get to know new and different tidbits about two of our continuing Graduate Assistants: Katie and Mariah. 

Katie Peterson 

Katie joins us from Naperville, Illinois, where she loves exploring the Prairie Path on her bike (https://ipp.org/trail-map/ ). With a little over one semester left in the program, she’s hoping to work as a cataloger in an academic library after graduation. 

  • What is your favorite part about working at the Help Desk? 
    • My favorite part of working at the Help Desk is being a part of the social media team and writing about everyone’s cute pets. 
  • If you could hang out with any cartoon character, who would you choose and why? 
    • Mr. Ratburn from Arthur because he is a teacher, is funny, and has a lot of interesting passions

  • If you were famous, what would you be famous for? 
    • Publishing a book that people liked 
  • What part of the s’more are you? 
    • Marshmallow 
  • Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon,  and what would you name it? 
    • Dragon named Cotton Candy 

 

Mariah Tennell 

Mariah joins us all the way from Gainesville, Florida, where she enjoys the beaches (and with winter coming, who isn’t dreaming about beaches right about now?). After graduation next spring, Mariah plans to become a metadata analyst.  

  • What is your favorite part about working at the Help Desk? 
    • Meeting new people and resolving tech issues. 
  • If you could hang out with any cartoon character, who would you choose and why? 
    • Naruto Uzumaki because he never gives up

  • If you were famous, what would you be famous for? 
    • Baking 
  • What part of the s’more are you? 
    • Graham cracker – hold everything together 
  • Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon, and what would you name it? 
    • Dragon named Brownie 

 

 

Alum: Sam Boyle and Jonas Yela

In today’s Thursday Two-fer, we discover more about the last two of our new graduate assistants: Sam Boyle and Jonas Yela.

Sam Boyle

Sam is from Lindenhurst, Illinois, and while that’s only 15 minutes away from Six Flags, her favorite thing about the area is not the amusement park, but her friends and family. <3 She’s in her first year in the LIS program and plans to pursue a career in either information technology or policy after graduation.

  • What is your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?
    • My favorite part about working at the Help Desk is meeting so many people in the iSchool whether that be fellow GAs or staff/faculty or other students who come up to the desk. It’s nice to interact with people in person again!
  • What is your second favorite book?
  • Based upon your current cooking repertoire, if you were a professional chef, what would your signature dish be?
  • What would be the theme song of your life?
  • If you could hang out with any cartoon character, who would you choose and why?
    • SpongeBob – he would be a lot of fun, no boring with him
  • If you were famous, what would you be famous for?
    • Being Taylor Swift’s top listener on Spotify
  • What part of the s’more are you?
    • Marshmallow
  • Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon,  and what would you name it?
    • Dinosaur named Gayle

Jonas Yela

Jonas grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His favorite thing about the city is the Lakefront—especially by the Milwaukee Art Museum and along the Bay View neighborhood. He’s in his first year at the iSchool, with various ideas about what direction he’ll head in after graduation. Archives/special collections? Academic Librarianship? PhD? So many great options!