Leadership lived: Future librarian jump starts her career at UIS

Even as a little girl, Taylor Vazquez knew she wanted to become a librarian. Now, the English major is getting an early start on her career goal by working as a student manager at Brookens Library at the University of Illinois Springfield.

“My freshman year I saw they were hiring and said ‘let’s go for it’ and I got it,” she said. “It’s probably been the best decision I’ve ever made here at UIS.”

As a student manager, she oversees fellow employees, opens and closes the library and answers advanced research questions from patrons. She says the best part about the job is helping someone in need.

“It’s really just rewarding hearing a thank you from someone,” she said.

Vazquez is a member of the Capital Scholars Honors Program where she also serves a peer mentor. She is fiction editor for "The Alchemist Review", the UIS English Department's Literary Journal, and is a founding member of the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society Chapter.

“The amount of opportunities that have been given to me is absolutely unreal,” she said. “I don’t know if I’d ever be where I am right now without UIS. There’s so many resources here and people who want to help you succeed and get ahead with your future.”

Following graduation from UIS, she plans to earn her master’s degree in library information science and begin her career as a librarian.

The Chicago-native is thankful that she chose UIS because of the personalized attention she’s received and the quality education.

“I really like the smallness of the school and being able to have a close one-on-one relationship with my peers and professors,” she said.

Reflecting on her years at UIS, she remarked that she’s “100 percent happy at UIS.”

“I can’t see myself anywhere else. I’m so happy here,” she said.