Introduction

Hello. My name is Teressa and I am a student in the distance (dMLIS) program at the University of Washington's Information School. This portfolio was prepared to fulfill one of the requirements for earning the Master of Library and Information Science degree. It is meant to showcase student growth as information professionals and to document significant experiences we've had along the way. It covers five essential areas: Teaching/Training, Leadership, Practical/Service, Intellectual, and Technology.
	My husband and me
Please take a moment to review my experiences, check out the Information School's web site, or contact me by following the links in the menu bar to the left or by clicking on the links at the bottom of each page. Some of the files included in this portfolio require Microsoft Word 2007, Adobe Reader or Microsoft Power Point to view. File extensions (.ppt) for Power Point presentations (.xls) for Microsoft Excel files, (.docx) for Microsoft Word 2007 files etc, immediately follow the links in this portfolio to indicate the file types for downloadable materials.

A little more about me

Eighteen years ago while living in Springfield, Ohio, I was completing my undergraduate degree with a concentration in both biology and philosophy at Wittenberg University. I was advised to begin graduate school and complete a masters degree right away. I was told that if I didn't finish a masters degree then I most likely never would. Not knowing what I really wanted to study I decided to apply for a school in Montana that offered a Masters concentration in Philosophy of Ecology. My thinking was that I would combine my two main interests and be able to put off making a decision on what I wanted to be when I grew up for just a few more years.
As it turned out it's hard to complete a masters program when you don't really know what you are interested in. I completed all the course work and found it all quite interesting but for some reason I couldn't focus on one topic long enough to actually complete and defend a thesis. So when life intervened with distractions such as a husband, a full time job, children, skiing and hiking etc. I dropped out of school without ever finishing an advanced degree.
	Recitation Hall - Wittenberg University

Three years ago, I decided to go back to graduate school, a decision that was not easy to make. I have a job that I enjoy, I have a house and a family that I love, and I didn't want to move to a new community and start all over again - - at least not at that point in time. However, in spite of how comfortable and happy everything was for me, I couldn't ignore the feeling that something was missing or left undone.
	Mansfield Library - The University of Montana
Having always had an interest in many subjects and having thoroughly enjoyed the previous 15 years working in an academic library, I decided that perhaps a degree in Information and Library Science was what was missing. I finally found a multi-faceted subject that fit my interests and talents. The distance program at the University of Washington allowed me to pursue a masters degree without giving up everything I already had established and in the process opened up doors to opportunities I never knew existed.

Today, I realize just how much these past three years as a student at the iSchool have affected my life. Not only have I gained significant experience in scholarly and practical endeavors but those experiences tested my abilities, expanded my comfort zone and stretched me beyond what I first thought possible. The coursework is interesting, enlightening and challenging. I have the skills necessary to work both individually and collaboratively face-to-face and across vast distances. My time here has not only solidified my commitment to the profession of librarianship but has given me the skills and knowledge necessary to be a professional in the diverse and exciting field of Library and Information Science.
	The iSchool at the University of Washington
Ten years from now who knows what the future will hold. I hope it will include working in a library. One of the things that I have found so exciting and interesting about Library and Information sciences is that it the field that is constantly changing and growing and yet has a sense of stability to it as well. People will always be interested in increasing their knowledge and looking for better ways to store and retrieve information. I feel like I'm embarking on a grand adventure and only time will tell how the story unfolds. . .

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