iSchool Graduate Student Advisory Council Newsletter
March 2021 | Volume 10, Issue 3
March 2021 at a Glance
Join GSAC’s new social initiative, Community Circles
iSchool “Flat Flashes” social media campaign
iSchool Town Hall Recordings
Scholarship opportunities from Graduate Student Senate at KSU and College Club West
Alumni Spotlight: Brock Hutchison, MLIS
Greetings from the GSAC President
We’re almost halfway through the semester, iSchool. There are signs of spring on the horizon.
GSAC has some great programs and events on deck this month. We are introducing Community Circles, which offer iSchool students a new way to interact with other students who share common interests. We’ll also be hosting informal events, including a Happy Hour on March 11th (8pm EST) and Alumni Conversation with Catherine Hakala-Ausperk on March 16th (12pm EST), where we’ll explore how to pivot in a world turned upside down by the pandemic. Hope you’ll stop by, even if you’re only able to join for a portion of the event. Bring questions!
Lauren Zollinger
President, iSchool Graduate Student Advisory Council
GSAC News
Community Circles GSAC is excited to launch a new social initiative to connect students within the iSchool. We are in the beginning stages of piloting Community Circles, where iSchool students can come together to share ideas, advice, and experiences. Community Circles will be launched through private communities created in Google Currents and Google Meet. If you are interested in being a student participant in this new and exciting program, please fill out this form.
#iSchoolFlashes “Flat Flash” Project
In an effort to see more faces of the Kent State University iSchool family, GSAC is inviting all iSchool students, faculty and alumni to print out a “Flat Flash” and share a photo of it on social media using the hashtag #iSchoolFlashes. We’d love to see your smiling face at home, work or beyond!
You can choose from two versions: Ready to print or ready to color (to add your own flair). Follow this link to our blog where you can find and download your choice of Flat Flash. We look forward to seeing some of our iSchool peers!
If you’d prefer not to post the photo from your account, feel free to send it to GSAC VP of Communication Olivia Wood at owood2@kent.edu, and we’ll post it from the GSAC account. (Let us know if you’d like us to include your full name or first name).
Be sure to follow and tag @KentGSAC on Twitter or Instagram (students, alumni and faculty), or join our LinkedIn (students, faculty and alumni) or Facebook group (students only) to join the fun!
GSAC is looking for a Health Informatics Student Representative. If you are interested in getting involved with GSAC, please contact Lauren Zollinger at lzolling@kent.edu.
If you’re interested in writing for GSAC’s blog, contact the VP of Communications Olivia Wood at owood2@kent.edu. We’re excited to hear from you!
Current iSchool students are invited to join us for an informal happy hour on Thursday, March 11th at 8pm (via Zoom). Grab a beverage and stop by to meet classmates, de-stress and trade tips on navigating the iSchool experience.
For the Zoom link, please contact Natalie Groff at ngroff3@kent.edu, VP of Student Outreach.
Join the iSchool Alumni Network and Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC) on Tuesday, March 16th at 12pm EST for a casual conversation with alumna and adjunct instructor Catherine Hakala-Ausperk, owner and principal of Libraries Thrive Consulting. Hakala-Ausperk is a librarian, author, speaker and trainer with more than 35 years of experience in everything from direct customer service to library management and administration. Feel free to stop by for 10 minutes or stay for the entire conversation; we’d love to see you there. Bring your questions! For the Zoom link, please reach out to Lauren Zollinger at lzolling@kent.edu.
Computers in Libraries Connect provides an opportunity for library and information professionals to gather and discuss the various ways technology continues to impact libraries and the people who use them. The conference will be held March 22-25th and will be virtual.
Hosted by Library 2.0 and Seguimos Creando Enlaces, this online conference is fully bilingual and explores the relationship that public libraries play in advancing civic engagement. The conference will include representatives from a broad range of public and academic libraries across the US and Mexico.The conference will be held on March 25th and 26th. Registration and attendance is free.
The Graduate Student Senate of Kent State University will be offering upcoming scholarships and awards for eligible students, such as the Domestic Travel Award, Research Award, and others. Multiple due dates are listed throughout the page.
The College Club West Scholarship Grants are awarded annually to qualified greater Cleveland women ages 25 or older in a four-year-degree-granting program or graduate program. The Scholarship Committee selects recipients on the basis of maturity, academic record, promise, goals, and financial need. Applications are due on March 21, 2021.
iSchool Town Hall Recordings
Did you miss the Town Halls hosted by GSAC? Don’t worry! Students can find access to the recordings of Town Halls coordinated by the iSchool Graduate Student Advisory Council throughout 2020 through our blog.
For information about upcoming iSchool and GSAC events, please see our Events Calendar.
Alumni Spotlights
Brock Hutchison
Brock graduated from the KSU iSchool in 2013 and is currently serving as the Director for the Louisville Public Library in Louisville, Ohio. When asked how to best encourage innovative ideas, Brock said: “Don’t hesitate to try new ideas, even if they are not your own ideas. It’s okay to fail.” Excellent words to guide us during Spring Semester 2021. Thank you, Brock!
Special thanks to the Kent State University iSchool Alumni Network for coordinating these profiles. Learn more about the Alumni Network on their Facebook page and Facebook group. Students are welcome to join and participate.
ALA Announcements
Interested in becoming a member of the Kent State ALA Student Chapter? Membership in the ALA Student Chapter is open to any current iSchool student at Kent State University. Though membership in the American Library Association is encouraged, it is not a requirement for a general member. There are no dues for the student chapter. To learn more about the student chapter, click here. Please fill out this short survey to request membership.
For more information, contact Chapter President Raychelle Steele at rsteele7@kent.edu.
About GSAC
The Kent State University iSchool Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC) works to enrich graduate student life through social events and professional development opportunities. We serve as a bridge between the students and the faculty and administration of the Kent State University iSchool. Membership in GSAC at Kent State University is open to any and all students enrolled in the iSchool at Kent State University.
Kent State University iSchool Graduate Student Advisory Council Newsletter
March 2021 Volume 10, Issue 3
In an effort to see more faces of the Kent State University iSchool family, GSAC is inviting all iSchool students, faculty and alumni to print out a “Flat Flash” and share a photo of it on social media using the hashtag #iSchoolFlashes. We’d love to see your smiling face at home, work or beyond! 
Did you miss the Town Halls hosted by GSAC? Don’t worry! Students can find access to the recordings of Town Halls coordinated by the iSchool Graduate Student Advisory Council throughout 2020 through 
