SLIS 2013 Convocation site supersedes any information sent via email
Check back often for the most up-to-date information

Convocation Webcast

A recording of the 2013 Convocation ceremony is available on the SJSU SLIS YouTube Channel. 

The 2012 Convocation ceremony may also be viewed on our YouTube channel. Or, access the closed captioned version available via Blackboard Collaborate.

General Information

There are two graduation activities:

1. School of Library and Information Science Convocation (SLIS) in San José – May 18, 2013. This is the one where SLIS graduates walk across the stage for the hooding ceremony. View 2013 Convocation Program (PDF)
2. San José State University Commencement – (May 25, 2013) held at SJSU Spartan Stadium for all graduates (undergraduate and graduate students). See the bottom of this page for more information.

School of Library and Information Science Convocation

Convocation Eligibility

Graduates from August 2012, December 2012 and May 2013 are invited to participate in the SLIS Convocation ceremony either in person or virtually. However, we adhere to strict eligibility requirements.

Students who received notice that their graduation requirements were met and their degrees were conferred for August 2012 or December 2012 are eligible to participate in May 2013 convocation. If Spring 2013 is your last semester and you intend to graduate in May 2013 you will only be eligible to participate in convocation if the following requirements have been met:

1. You have been advanced to graduate candidacy (an approved candidacy form is on file). Submit your candidacy form to D2L by September 23, 2012.
2. You have submitted an Application for Award of Master's Degree for May 2013 graduation (this is not the same as the candidacy form) and received email confirmation from GAPE that it was received. The deadline to apply for May graduation is February 15, 2013. See instructions here: Graduation Application Process and Forms
3. You have completed LIBR 289 e-portfolio or LIBR 299 Thesis

If you will be completing your degree during the Summer 2013 term and graduating in August 2013, you will not be eligible to participate in May 2013 convocation. No exceptions.

For any questions regarding graduation application process, qualifications and eligibility please contact Vicki Robison.

    SLIS Convocation Speaker    

The 2013 Convocation Speaker: Donna Scheeder, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress

Donna Scheeder is currently the Deputy Chief Information Officer at the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. Previously she served as Director, Law Library Services, at the Law Library of the Library of Congress from 2004 to 2010. Prior to her service in the Law Library, Ms. Scheeder held a number of positions with increasing responsibilities at the Congressional Research Service.

Ms. Scheeder is currently the Treasurer of the International federation of Library Associations and Institutions and serves on the Governing Board and has been a member of the Standing Committee on Libraries and Research Services for Parliaments for 8 years She is a former President and Treasurer of SLA. She is also a SLA fellow and a recipient of the John Cotton Dana award given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of special librarianship  and was selected to be a member of the SLA Hall of Fame.

She is a member of the Advisory Board for both the Computers in Libraries and Internet Librarian conferences. Internationally she has conducted workshops for the Global Center for ICT in Parliaments, and presented papers and conducted workshops in Japan, Brazil, Australia, and Canada in response to invitations from officials of those governments.

Ms. Scheeder lives on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. and is very active in her community. She chairs the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee and serves on the Board of the Hill Center.

SLIS Graduate Speaker

Outstanding Student 2012-2013 recipient of the Ken Haycock Award for Exceptional Professional Promise: Ms. Shelli Owens

Shelli Owens completed her Master of Library and Information Science at the San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science with a focus on special libraries and information literacy. She hopes to continue her career at an academic library helping undergrads realize Google isn't everything. She feels confident that 25+ years in customer service and logistics is a good background for wrangling freshmen.

During her tenure at SJSU SLIS, Shelli served as the Student Social Media Manager for SLISConnect, the school's student/alumni group. After graduation, she will continue with SLISConnect as the Alumni Social Media Manager. Additionally, she served two years with the Bay Area Chapter of the Special Library Association as the Academic Relations chair. She's grateful for these opportunities as they have put her in touch with librarians and library students all over the world.

Shelli is a member of the American Library Association, Special Library Association, and the California Library Association. She currently lives in San Francisco where she volunteers with the Borders without Horizons program at the Oakland Public Library, the Center for Sex and Culture and the Sutro Library, both in San Francisco. She loves the Bay Area's commitment to libraries and information and feels lucky to have landed in such a great city. After graduation, she plans to finally beat her brother at Words With Friends. She's due.

SLIS Convocation Ceremony

The SLIS Convocation will be held in San José, on May 18, 2013, at the Holiday Inn San Jose Airport (Formerly Wyndham Hotel San Jose) in the California Ballroom. It will start promptly at 1:00 p.m. PT. A dessert reception will follow the ceremony, in the California Ballroom foyer of the Holiday Inn. Business casual attire is encouraged for both students and guests.

The processional will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. PT. The ceremony should last about two hours. The reception begins after the ceremony and will end at approximately 4:30 p.m. PT.
No helium balloons, air horns, or fireworks will be admitted into the graduation auditorium or the reception area. View 2013 Convocation Program (PDF)

Location

The Holiday Inn San Jose Airport is located at:
1350 North 1st Street
San José, CA  95112 
www.sanjose.org/plan-a-visit/neighborhoods/downtown.

The Holiday Inn is located within 1 mile of the San Jose International Airport (SJC) and offers complimentary shuttle service to and from airport. 

The VTA Light Rail System is directly across the street from the hotel.
http://www.vta.org

Assembly & Order for March

On Commencement morning, all graduating students must check-in at the registration table upon arrival. There will be no pre-registration needed. All registration will be done onsite.  
Graduates must arrive between 9:00 a.m. PT and no later than 12:30 p.m. PT. All Graduates must be checked-in and in the staging area to be arranged in final march order by 12:30 p.m.
Leave all personal items with family member or in your vehicle; the University cannot be responsible for lost, stolen or securing your property.

Disability Access

Accommodations for guests and graduates with disabilities are available. We ask that you contact us in advance to make arrangements. Contact Rhonda Dahlgren no later than April 19, 2013.

Academic Regalia

Graduates who are attending in person as part of the processional (walking across the stage) must wear a cap, gown, and have a hood to participate in the ceremony. MLIS and MARA graduates must purchase the lemon colored hood. Regalia will be available for sale through the campus bookstore (or you may be able to borrow one from a friend and then purchase only your tassel).

During the ceremony you are not allowed to wear leis or any other props around your neck. The use of such items interferes with the hooding process. Do not wear the hood until you are officially hooded during the ceremony.

The SJSU Spartan Bookstore will be selling regalia from April to May. Students may make purchases in the bookstore or online. Announcements are also available through the bookstore.

Please do not contact us for regalia purchases, exchange or orders. You must contact the SJSU Spartan Bookstore.

Convocation PowerPoint Presentation

We would like to honor all of our graduates on May 18, 2013 during our Convocation by including a photo of you in a PowerPoint presentation. Your name will announced and your photo will be displayed during the ceremony. 

Whether or not you plan to attend the SLIS Convocation ceremony, send a high resolution JPG (Image size needs to be 3.58in x2.87in (HXW) and minimum resolution of 72ppi) "Head Shot" photo of yourself, along with your full name to Jennifer Dinalo. 
Please save your image as LastName_FirstName.
If you believe we may have trouble pronouncing your name, please help us by also submitting the phonetic spelling or pronunciation of your name in the body of the e-mail.
Also, please do not send photos of yourself in:

• A group setting
• With silly props
• Baby photos
• Where your face is not visible

We verify all graduates. So, if you are not eligible to graduate your photo will be removed from the presentation. Photos must be received by April 19, 2013. No exceptions!

Ticket Information

SLIS 2013 graduates participating in the Convocation ceremony do not need a ticket. If you are a qualifying SLIS 2013 graduate (see Convocation Eligibility) and plan to attend the ceremony as a guest and not walk, you must purchase a ticket.

Please note that no advanced tickets will be sold this year.  Tickets will only be sold onsite at the Holiday Inn on convocation day.  We will no longer accept credit cards, checks or debit cards as method of payment. We accept cash only. For your convenience, here is a map of local ATMs and Banks.

Tickets are required for everyone except graduates and children 2 years old and younger. Ticket box office will be open from 9:00 a.m.--12:45 p.m. on Convocation day (May 18, 2013). No tickets will be sold after 12:45 p.m. No exceptions.

Pricing:
Adults: $30.00
Children: $10.00 (children 2 years old and younger are free)
*No refunds will be issued. All ticket sales are final.

Convocation will start promptly at 1:00 p.m. and no one will be admitted into the ballroom during the processional.  If you are late, you must wait until all graduates have been seated before entering the ballroom. The Ballroom doors will open at 11:30 a.m. Please arrive early, seating is general admission and on a first come, first serve basis. Seating for the Convocation ceremony is limited and tickets are required. Please save your ticket stub for re-entry. If you lose your tickets stub, a new tickets must be purchased to re-enter the ballroom.  

Who to Contact

Please refer all questions regarding SLIS Convocation to the proper SLIS staff listed below:

• Rhonda Dahlgren: General ceremony questions, disability assistance
• Alfredo Alcantar: Ticket information
• Vicki Robison: Graduation application, qualifications and eligibility
• Jennifer Dinalo: Convocation headshot photos for ceremony

Photographs

Convocation photos will be taken by Bob Knight Photographers. Everyone will be photographed. You will receive an information card to complete on convocation day. Please complete the card whether or not you are purchasing photos. Grad Images allows graduates to receive their proofs via email within 24 hours after the end of the ceremony.

For more information and to pre-register on the Grad Images Photo Web site use the following URL: http://www.gradimages.com

San José State University Commencement

SJSU Commencement will be on May 25, 2013. Parking in campus parking garages that day will be free. No tickets are required for graduates and guests.

SJSU Commencement is held at Spartan Stadium. All graduates, including distance students, are invited to attend. Students who attend the morning ceremony will be able to collect a program from their chairs. The program lists all the SJSU graduates including those in our program. Degree recipients who do not attend the ceremony may obtain a free program beginning the week following Commencement at the President's Office (Tower Hall 206). Read more about the SJSU Commencement at www.sjsu.edu/commencement/ (check back closer to event date for info.)

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