Conclusion & Affirmation

Conclusion

“While setbacks and delays may mean that a dream or a goal seems even further away than when you started, just because something takes longer to happen, doesn’t mean it has been denied” (Walker, 2020, para. 2).

It is never too late to achieve your goals as long as you have patience and persistence. Back in 2007, I graduated from SFSU with my BA in Asian American Studies. At the time, I had intended to continue my education by going to graduate school to get my MLIS. Unfortunately, life had other plans. Fast forward a few years later, I finally made the decision to continue where I left off. I applied for the program in early 2019 and started my first semester of the program in the Fall of 2019. It’s been three years, and Fall 2022 marks my last semester in the program. As I write this, I am filled with a mix of emotions. Among the feelings are excitement, nervousness, and a little bit of mournfulness as things come to a close. However, what I feel the most about this experience is gratitude. I am grateful for the opportunity to change my life and hopefully change the lives of others through my work.

Looking back, I’m actually quite amazed at how much work I’ve done and what I’ve achieved. While working on this capstone project, I realized just how much I truly learned by compiling all of the assignments I completed. At the time that I was doing these assignments, it really wasn’t noticeable. Individually, the discussions, the papers, the group projects, and the presentations were obviously important and meaningful. However, by examining each item I incorporated into my competency evidence section, I came to recognize exactly how remarkable this experience has been.

From this program, I have learned so much, not just about the library and information science field of study but about myself as well. Although I am an introvert who prefers to work in the background and out of the limelight, I learned that I possess quite a few of the leadership competencies that are important not just for one’s career but for life in general as well. Some of these competencies I possessed were from past experience, while others were cultivated and honed through the program. One of the leadership competencies that really stood out to me was change management and adaptability. Change is always going to happen in life, and how one responds to change can either have a positive or negative effect on the outcome.

As I embark on the next leg of my journey, I intend to use all the knowledge and skills that have gained and strengthened to improve the lives of those around me and in my community. I will be an advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity, ensuring that gaps in information and social services are bridged to support those who need it the most. More importantly, I will use these tools to help others access the opportunities that many of us take for granted.

While my studies here at SJSU may be coming to an end, I will continue to expand upon and improve my existing skills through self-study. I have already taken some courses offered by the SAA and plan on taking courses offered by the ALA. I am grateful for my time here at SJSU, and everything that I have learned, not just from the faculty and staff, but from my classmates as well, all of whom were truly inspiring.

References

Walker, L. B. L. (2020, July 23). Dreams delayed: Goals re-imagined. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dreams-delayed-

goals-reimagined-lisa-beth-lentini-walker

Affirmation

1. All introductory, reflective, and evidentiary work submitted is mine alone (except where indicated as a group or team project), and has been prepared solely by me.

2. I am protecting the privacy of the contents of my e-Portfolio by password-protecting it or by sharing the URL only with my e-portfolio advisor.

3. Before making my e-portfolio public, I will respect the privacy of others by removing mention in this e-Portfolio of information that could lead to the identity of individuals (team members in group projects, internship supervisors, interviewees, etc.) and institutions.

4. Christy Phan, Fall 2022