Information is power.  The more people who have access to information and the more information they have access to, the more society can grow and develop.  The four core goals of the USF MLIS program identify the skills students leaving the program should have in order to become successful information resource managers.  These are in accordance with the ALA's core competencies.

• Leadership and innovation (Goal 1) are crucial skills to have and relate closely to one another.  Progress does not come about by people doing the same things the same ways; true progress is driven by change and innovative thinking.  Leadership enables a person to convey their idea to others and see it implemented.  Specifically in the information management field, innovation is important when considering how to collect information, store information, and present/disseminate information.

• The understanding of systems and technologies used to manage and disseminate information resources (Goal 2) is crucial to the day-to-day activities of an information resource manager.  The means by which information is presented can impact its clarity and the understanding of users.  It is important to select and fully utilize the system/technology based on the goal of the creator of the resources and the needs of the users.  It is only in this way that a service can be created that effectively links users with the information they are seeking.

• The ability to represent knowledge (Goal 3) is important as it provides the foundation for organizing information.  Describing items of all types (e.g., text, photo, video, audio, physical object) through metadata helps to identify and locate resources relevant to a search.  In order to fully understand how knowledge representation is used to locate relevant resources, it is important to have experience with various technologies that store information resources, as different metadata is stored for different forms of information.

• Understanding information theory and praxis (Goal 4) are basic abilities required by any information specialist.  Identifying a problem or question, locating resources to inform on that problem or answer that question, and being able to gather data yourself are essential tools of the trade.  Once that information has been gathered, the ability to apply and act on that information is essential.  Knowledge that goes unused is the same as untapped potential.

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Finding myself at the end of this program and looking back over all I have learned, I realize I have been introduced to new concepts, have had known concepts expanded, and have solidified previous knowledge.  While going into the program I had an understanding of what Library and Information Science consisted of, this program greatly expanded that.  I have learned a lot, met interesting people, had unique opportunities, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  

This program has provided me with the skills to be able to participate in the professional field.  My goal is, regardless of where I go and what position I have, to use every opportunity to continue to learn, while at the same time contributing what I have learned to each position.  Whether I work as a processing archivist or a reference librarian, my goal is to organize and provide information and create information resources for those who wish to broaden their horizon.  At the same time, as I am providing information to those seeking it, I hope to learn more about various subjects and broaden my own horizon.