Will you be there???

If you are in the WVVA Cohort at this time and plan to attend the e-portfolio workshop on Saturday, October 17 at Waynesboro High from 10 - 3, please notify Dr. V. in order to have an accurate count for lunch.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A GREAT MLIS PROGRAM ONLINE?

IF YOU ANSWERED "YES" TO THE QUERY, CONSIDER THIS INFORMATION RE THE USC SCHOOL OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE:
1. Cohorts are becoming more and more a vital part of our Masters programming. Although we have a vibrant oncampus program, we offer the cohort program as an alternative for those who need or want to get that MLIS strictly online.

2. At the present time, we hold 4 onsites in order to keep that interpersonal contact and have some face-to-face between SLIS and the students in diverse locations: (1) orientation (mandatory) (2) e-portfolio (important since an e-portfolio is part of your exit proficiency) (3) internship (If possible, every MLIS student should choose an internship. It makes a tremendous bridge from the classroom to the professional field.) (4) a celebration to share your accomplishment.

3. Visit our website: http://www.libsci.sc.edu/ and click on the For Future Students tab. In addition, in the left frame, choose Site Index and peruse the various information sections.

4. You can apply online. There is an online $50 application fee that needs to be paid before you begin having materials sent to The Graduate School.

5. To be ready to attend the Orientation on July 25, you will need your materials completed and submitted by May 15. Some persons feel, "Oh, 5 parts, that won't take long" and the next thing you know, it's May and the packet is incomplete!

6. The required admission parts are (a) online application and fee (b) personal statement (c) 2 letters of recommendation (d) college/university official GPA (e) MAT or GRE scores. (If it has been a while since you took one or the other, you will have to retake. There are online helps + in the archives of this blog, I have given some sources. Do the best you can; study and review but don't panic. Remember that there are 4 other sections to the admission packet.)

I will happily answer any questions or get you to the person who can answer them. I facilitate the WVVA Cohort and in the archives in the left frame of this blog you can read about its development and progress.

There are other cohorts if your state location is other than WV or VA. For example, a New England cohort began this fall. For example, a chronological cohort will begin fall 2010 (called the Fall10Cohort).

Dates of Importance to Cohort Students

The following dates are important for all cohort members. Some of you have attended one or more; others need to begin.
1. E-portfolio Workshop Saturday, October 17 10 - 3 Waynesboro High
2. Internship Workshop Saturday, March 6 10 - 3 Waynesboro High
3. E-portfolio Workshop Saturday, July 24 10 - 3 Waynesboro High
Orientation Workshop Saturday, July 24 10 - 3 Waynesboro High

We have been able to accommodate 2 workshops on the same day. Therefore, the July dual listing should not be a problem.

CONGRATULATIONS!

The congratulations go to the cohort members who have or will graduate in 2009. Our celebration at the Waynesboro Country Club was classy and yet fun and festive.

Now we look to 2010 and the ones who will finish spring '10, summer '10, or fall '10 (December graduation). I won't ask for a show of hands yet but it won't be long until I will want to begin gathering numbers.

The cohort continues to take in members as others graduate. When you began the program, you knew you had 4 years to complete it. That has not changed but an extension is possible if you use the form that will allow that to happen.

Keep up the good work! I hear some grand things about the students in the WVVA Cohort. I know the work can be demanding in the midst of family, children, and job but an MLIS should not come without both a monetary price and a sacrificial price.

If you need me, my email address never changes: wallybug@bellsouth.net.

Dr. Virginia Wallace, Ed.D.
University of South Carolina
School of Library and Information Science
Columbia, SC 29208