[Sigia-l] Re: ? from Sean about UIUC GSLIS LEEP Alumni

[gruenberg.louise at comcast.net]

<"Sean Lawrence" <slawrence at lucidvagary.com> asked: I was wondering if anyone
<here has looked into or taken part in the MLIS long distance program at the
<University of Illinois.  If you have, what did you think of it?  

Sean, 

Sometimes I think the entire field of LIS is one string of acronyms after
another. I am a UIUC GSLIS LEEPer (LEEPer is how we refer to ourselves) from
Cohort 5. I graduated May of '02. It's an excellent program at what is arguably
the best graduate school of LIS in the US. UNC Chapel Hill is supposedly neck &
neck, but I don't know if they have an online program. If they do, I doubt if it
is as established as LEEP, the original & best. 

Like all educational experiences, what you get out of LEEP will be in direct
proportion to what you put into it. That said, the people at UIUC GSLIS
(especially Linda Smith) go out of their way to provide a responsive environment
for LEEPers, even soliciting student input on classes to offer each semester &
seeking outside instructors to expand the already impressive talent pool. (I
never expected to get such service at a large state university!)

BTW, I consider myself something of an expert on educational program design &
delivery, since I've done a lot of it myself (BA, Experiential Education, & K-12
Art Certification, followed by Master of Adult Education, 1992). LEEP deserves
the accolades that have been heaped on it by students, alumni & outside
organizations (Sloane Award, for example).

However, the interactive online delivery method with one on-campus visit per
semester may or may not suit your educational style. If it does, you will love
it. I certainly did, & also found that the affiliation has opened lots of doors
for me. Great collegial & mentoring relationships are possible, with peers &
instructors. Sean, if you've lived in Illinois for at least two years you'll
even qualify for in-state tuition, which is a bargain. (The state covers about
70-80% of actual costs, with tuition paying the balance, so the program really
is a deal for Illinois residents.) Non-Illinoisians might be interested to know
that there have been LEEPers from just about all 50 states and from foreign
countries, too. But sorry, guys, no in-state tuition subsidies for you. Maybe
your workplace will pick up the tab.

It's way too complicated to go into more detail here, so you (or anyone else
interested) should call me and I'll tell all (including who are the best online
teachers, what are the most interesting classes & how to survive doing online
group projects). Also, anyone in the Chicago area who wants to see what it's
like to take grad classes in LEEP can call me & arrange to sit in on one at my
house. I'm taking a post-grad class on Tuesday nights from 7-9. Call now, this
limited time offer expires in December when the class ends.;-) 

I suppose I should add that my current in-between-jobs state has nothing to do
with LEEP, and everything to do with a new, non-computer literate VP with a big
broom. On the plus side, that means I have time for posts like this.

Whatever you decide, good luck to you!

Louise Gruenberg
708-386-9055