Master of Archival Studies (MAS)
2021/22 UBC iSchool MAS Co-op Student of the Year
Excellence in the Workplace
Dayna spent her summer as a project archivist with Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Archives and Records Management Department (ARMD), which acquires and preserves official both University records and private records that support research and learning at SFU and in the broader community. During her term, Dayna processed three archival collections: the Arthur Erikson fonds, the Adbusters’ Media Foundation Fonds, and a faculty member’s fonds. The work involved appraising, arranging, describing, and rehousing these records; the descriptions were then entered into SFU’s AtoM database.
Dayna contributed significantly to the department by sorting through the backlog, organizing materials to be more accessible for research and learning, and researching protocols for working with Indigenous communities and records. Melanie Hardbattle, Acquisitions & Outreach Archivist, applauds Dayna for her high quality of work, which far exceeded expectations and is “on level with a professional archivist.”
Applying Coursework to Day-to-Day Work
Dayna’s background in archaeology motivated her to pursue a MAS degree, as she intended to shift her career towards supporting repatriation efforts in Indigenous communities. However, upon starting her coursework, she faced a period of self-doubt as she delved deeper into archival studies and struggled to envision herself engaging in archival work on a daily basis.
However, Dayna’s work experience at SFU’s Archives and Records Management Department played a transformative role, dispelling her previous doubts and altering her perspective. Through three archival processing projects, she gained foundational skills in archival processing and applied practical techniques learned in courses like ARST 515, such as data entry using an AtoM database. Working in an environment that involved daily use of the software significantly enhanced Dayna’s technical skills.
Reflecting on her experience, she describes it as an “experiential learning opportunity” that has inspired her to assume an advocacy role within the iSchool community. She has become a mentor in the UBC Student Chapter’s volunteer mentorship program and actively participates in informal student-led platforms like the Library and Archival Studies Student’s Association (LASSA) Discord server.
Co-op Highlight: Making a Change in the Industry
When asked about the most rewarding part of her co-op experience, Dayna says it’s being given the opportunity to advocate for repatriation, which was her original career goal when entering the MAS program. Dayna found several records containing personal information from a marginalized community and she took the initiative to document and present the reports of her findings. SFU ARMD then made efforts to contact the community. Throughout the process, Dayna attended preliminary hearings and helped facilitate access to the records.
Dayna describes this project as “extremely rewarding” because it showed her the real-world effect that records have on individuals’ lives. Her co-op experience allowed Dayna to see her goals to fruition.
About the iSchool Co-op Student of the Year Award
The Arts Co-op Program’s Student of the Year Award recognizes two co-op students in UBC iSchool (Library, Archival, and Information Studies). Two annual awards of $1,000 are available: one to a MLIS or dual student (who used their MLIS background on the co-op job) and the other to a MAS or dual student (who used their MAS background on the co-op job).
These annual awards recognize outstanding achievement in all aspects of the UBC iSchool co-op student’s performance, including academics, the workplace, and professional/community involvement
Master of Archival Studies (MAS)
2021/22 UBC iSchool MAS Co-op Student of the Year
Excellence in the Workplace
Dayna spent her summer as a project archivist with Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Archives and Records Management Department (ARMD), which acquires and preserves official both University records and private records that support research and learning at SFU and in the broader community. During her term, Dayna processed three archival collections: the Arthur Erikson fonds, the Adbusters’ Media Foundation Fonds, and a faculty member’s fonds. The work involved appraising, arranging, describing, and rehousing these records; the descriptions were then entered into SFU’s AtoM database.
Dayna contributed significantly to the department by sorting through the backlog, organizing materials to be more accessible for research and learning, and researching protocols for working with Indigenous communities and records. Melanie Hardbattle, Acquisitions & Outreach Archivist, applauds Dayna for her high quality of work, which far exceeded expectations and is “on level with a professional archivist.”
Applying Coursework to Day-to-Day Work
Dayna’s background in archaeology motivated her to pursue a MAS degree, as she intended to shift her career towards supporting repatriation efforts in Indigenous communities. However, upon starting her coursework, she faced a period of self-doubt as she delved deeper into archival studies and struggled to envision herself engaging in archival work on a daily basis.
However, Dayna’s work experience at SFU’s Archives and Records Management Department played a transformative role, dispelling her previous doubts and altering her perspective. Through three archival processing projects, she gained foundational skills in archival processing and applied practical techniques learned in courses like ARST 515, such as data entry using an AtoM database. Working in an environment that involved daily use of the software significantly enhanced Dayna’s technical skills.
Reflecting on her experience, she describes it as an “experiential learning opportunity” that has inspired her to assume an advocacy role within the iSchool community. She has become a mentor in the UBC Student Chapter’s volunteer mentorship program and actively participates in informal student-led platforms like the Library and Archival Studies Student’s Association (LASSA) Discord server.
Co-op Highlight: Making a Change in the Industry
When asked about the most rewarding part of her co-op experience, Dayna says it’s being given the opportunity to advocate for repatriation, which was her original career goal when entering the MAS program. Dayna found several records containing personal information from a marginalized community and she took the initiative to document and present the reports of her findings. SFU ARMD then made efforts to contact the community. Throughout the process, Dayna attended preliminary hearings and helped facilitate access to the records.
Dayna describes this project as “extremely rewarding” because it showed her the real-world effect that records have on individuals’ lives. Her co-op experience allowed Dayna to see her goals to fruition.
About the iSchool Co-op Student of the Year Award
The Arts Co-op Program’s Student of the Year Award recognizes two co-op students in UBC iSchool (Library, Archival, and Information Studies). Two annual awards of $1,000 are available: one to a MLIS or dual student (who used their MLIS background on the co-op job) and the other to a MAS or dual student (who used their MAS background on the co-op job).
These annual awards recognize outstanding achievement in all aspects of the UBC iSchool co-op student’s performance, including academics, the workplace, and professional/community involvement