The Information School is proud to celebrate this year’s iSchool graduate student award recipients, honoring students whose academic work, innovation, leadership, and community engagement stand out as truly exceptional across the MS Information and MA Library & Information Studies programs.
This year’s honorees shared reflections on what the awards mean to them, the faculty and courses that shaped their journeys, and advice for future students.
James Krikelas Award for Innovative Use of Information Technology
Shubham Mehta MS’26
As a technical consultant intern for Actualize Consulting, Mehta built an end-to-end business intelligence alert automation system, eliminating hours of weekly manual work for the team.
What does receiving this award mean to you?
Receiving the James Krikelas Award for Innovative Use of Information Technology validates the effort I put into building a solution that addresses a real operational challenge. It also reinforces my belief that innovative solutions do not always require custom software and that sometimes the most powerful ideas come from connecting existing tools in smarter ways.
How do you plan to use the award funds?
I plan to use the award funds to attend industry conferences and pursue professional certifications in data analytics and business intelligence.
Who has been an influential faculty member for you?
Ian Hutchins’ mentorship has sharpened both my technical and analytical thinking. Working under him on research on drug patents revenue has given me exposure to rigorous, real-world data analysis at a level that goes well beyond coursework.
What about an especially impactful course?
LIS 640 (Product Management) taught me to think like a practitioner, balancing technical execution with stakeholder needs, timelines, and business outcomes.
Outstanding MS Information Graduate Student Award
Lukas Matthews MS’25
Matthews now serves as a consultant at TruStage, where he served as an intern during the MS Information program.
What does receiving this award mean to you?
This is a moment of joyous appreciation for me. I am honored by your recognition of my presence within the MS Information community and at UW–Madison.
Which faculty or staff members have influenced your journey?
Jenny Greiber, for her advice, advocacy, and presence in the department. Professor Alan Rubel, for trusting me with instructing undergraduate students. And Rebecca Millerjohn, for her support of my interest in pursuing multidisciplinary participation on campus.
What about impactful courses?
LIS 663 (Introduction to Cyberlaw) gave me the foundational understanding of challenges to governing the information commons; LIS 464 (Applied Database Design) was a great overview of how to operationalize business requirements into sustained success with information systems.
Janhavi Gosavi MS’26
As a business intelligence intern at Amcor, Janhavi supported a continent-wide analytics platform spanning hundreds of manufacturing sites.
What does receiving this award mean to you?
This recognition feels especially meaningful because it acknowledges not only my academic journey, but also the effort I put into industry practice, community involvement, leadership, and creating meaningful impact through technology and collaboration.
Which faculty or staff members and courses have influenced your journey?
As a student navigating industry during my final semester at UW, David McHugh made learning AI feel exciting and closely connected to industry through guest speakers, hands-on projects, and exposure to emerging use cases in LIS 408. Adam Rule’s Systems Analysis and Project Management course (LIS 615) was also transformative for me. Learning about charters, roadmaps, stakeholder management, and structured problem-solving directly influenced how I approached my internships and projects afterward.
Any advice for future students?
Pursue opportunities that push you outside your comfort zone, even if you feel unprepared at first. Determination and self-belief can take you a long way, especially in roles or situations you’ve never experienced before. UW–Madison and the iSchool offer so many diverse opportunities, so take the time to explore them and find what genuinely excites you.
Outstanding MA Library & Information Studies Graduate Student Award
Maria Hellenbrand MAx’27
Hellenbrand, who is also in the MA Art History program, has supported archival research and studied the iSchool’s extensive and unique collection of historical materials, including a postcard collection, on which she has presented at events statewide and beyond. Read more about Hellenbrand’s archival research and how it relates to our department’s 120th anniversary.
What does receiving this award mean to you?
It has instilled a new sense of confidence in myself as an emerging archive professional. I am deeply grateful for the acknowledgement the selection committee has made of my work, and I feel emboldened to pursue new leadership opportunities and to continue to grow professionally.
Which faculty or staff members and courses have influenced your journey?
Bronwen Masemann, the iSchool Laboratory Library Collections Project Coordinator, has been a particularly influential mentor for me. I worked with Bronwen as a Project Assistant for the iSchool’s Historical Collection, and lthough I joined the project in its final semester, Bronwen trusted me to conduct independent work and tailor the project to my specific archival and art historical interests. Thanks to her encouragement, I drafted my own conference proposals, curated displays, and gained hands-on experience in archival research and writing. Bronwen empowered me to take ownership of my professional development while providing both expert guidance and genuine camaraderie.
What were the most influential iSchool courses for you?
Description and Arrangement (LIS640) with Rachel Erpelding stands out among my coursework. The class offered a perfect blend of analog arrangement and description alongside their digital counterparts. Through this course, I gained critical exposure to archival processing and acquired the foundational language necessary to discuss it professionally. A major highlight was collaborating with the Wisconsin Historical Society to arrange and describe a real, live collection.
Any advice for future students?
My advice is two-fold. First, I would encourage students to apply for any and all opportunities that spark their interest, even if those opportunities seem out of reach or you feel too fresh to the field. In my mind, collecting rejections is simply a normal, healthy part of the growth process!
On the other hand, I would advise students to be cautious of spreading themselves too thin. Because the iSchool is filled with talented and passionate peers securing fascinating practicums, internships, and assistantships, and it is easy to feel pressure to do it all. I recommend staying focused on your personal trajectory and dedicate your energy to carving out your own niche.
Bailey Blomquist-Dege MA’26
Bloomquist-Dege served at both the Chazen Museum of Art and the Wisconsin Historical Society, working with metadata and physical collections at two of Madison’s most renowned cultural institutions.
Which faculty or staff members and courses have influenced your journey?
Professor Jonathan Senchyne has been particularly influential in my success and academic development at the iSchool. LIS 650 (History of Books and Print Culture) with Professor Senchyne expanded how I think about the materiality and effects of printed text and my interests in special collections librarianship, and I look forward to doing more research in book history. Additionally, LIS 639 on LIS pedagogy with Rebekah Willett taught me lesson planning and teaching strategies that I have applied as a graduate teaching assistant.
Any advice for future students?
For MA students specifically, my advice is to explore and carefully consider what area of librarianship you want to specialize in during your first semester and find student library work opportunities that will allow you to build meaningful experience in that area. Being involved in iSchool clubs, especially contributing by serving on officer boards, is important for showing your commitment and building community within the MA LIS program. Also, become familiar with the various library professional organizations and the resources they provide in addition to exploring opportunities to attend and present at conferences.
Additional awardees
Larry Jacobsen Innovations in Library Science Award: Abigail Rodriguez MAx’27
Valmai Fenster Research Paper Award: Joanna Ruiz MAx’27
Dianne McAfee Hopkins Diversity Activities Award: Allexxa Brooks MAx’27
These students are already making their mark in libraries, archives, industry, and research. Their reflections speak to the strength of the iSchool’s programs and the faculty and staff who support student success. Congratulations to all of this year’s iSchool graduate student award recipients!
Learn more about all the degree programs the iSchool has to offer.