Alumni Spotlight II

St. John’s DLIS graduates are doing amazing things!  The Alumni Spotlight section provides updates on their activities and accomplishments.

Selina Sharmin (MLS ’10)

Selina worked as a library trainee in the Queens Library while enrolled in the DLIS program and after graduating was promoted to Children’s Librarian.  In 2011, she was promoted again to Coping Skills Librarian, working with the New Americans Program.  She is a member of NYLA, where she is an active member of the Ethnic Services Round Table. In 2012, Selina gave a presentation on “Bilingual Programming: What, Why, and How” at the NYLA Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY. That same year, she was able to attend the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA where she presented “Financial Literacy in the Community”. One of her biggest accomplishments so far has been coordinating the Bilingual Story Hour for Children in Bengali at the Central Library in Jamaica. The event was attended by 62 children and families and broadcasted on one of the International Bengali TV channels, ATN Bangla from New York.

Nicole Husbands (MLS’13)

Nicole is currently serving as the Librarian for Outreach at the Indian Valley Public Library.

Stephanie Elstro (MLS’13)

Upon graduation, Stephanie accepted a full-time position at the Brooklyn Public Library working in the Info Commons.

Soraya Laboy (MLS’10)

Soroya says she’s had a great year as a teacher-librarian at Robison MS in Las Vegas, NV.  Soroya was awarded the three different grants she applied for to tend to her new library.  The first came from Project Enable at Syracuse University, which accepted Soroya’s team to attend their institute this past August and develop an inclusive library program.  Secondly, the ALA awarded Soroya a grant to attend her first AASL conference in Connecticut this November.  Lastly, the Laura Bush Foundation awarded her school a $5,000 grant to purchase new non-fiction books.  Soroya is so thrilled and honored by all she has accomplished this year

Gregory Muhs (MLS’13)

Gregory accepted the position of Assistant Librarian in the U.S. Court of Appeals – 2^nd Circuit – Library Office.

Robert Weiss (MLS’11)

Robert is the current Adjunct Reference Librarian at Adelphi University in Garden City, NY.