intros

Hello All!

My name is Sarah Perkins (Quijada) and I live in Jacksonville, Florida. I believe heavily in the saying “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” but I also believe Elle from Legally Blonde when she says “Books with tattered covers (or boring books) stay on the shelves.” So I hope you find the cover to my book interesting enough for a read. I am newly married with a young step-son, as well as a dog and a pet turtle. I am an Alumni of UNF with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Ed. and a Florida State Staff Credential in Early Childhood Ed. I am currently a VPK teacher to 4 and 5 year olds at the UNF Preschool , but I have taught in many other schools and many other grades. I have been teaching for about 7 years, but unfortunately the system has taken it’s toll on me and I will be leaving the profession very soon. I am currently studying Library sciences here at FSU with the intent of becoming a children’s librarian (hey, I can’t be expected to give up working with kids forever!). As far as hobbies go, I love to cook and bake with friends and family and I like trying my hand at making my own versions of my family’s favorite foods (Oreos, fruit snacks, birria tacos, bread, etc). I also am a ballroom dancer with Monarch Ballroom here in Jacksonville. Some of my favorite dances include; Salsa, Bachata, Swing, Waltz, Cha Cha, and Rumba. Finally, I also have a love for all things books, reading, and learning! While I love the feel of a physical book in my hands, I have come to appreciate the use of eBooks and audio books- I am a big fan of Audible! This concludes the “summary” on my personal book cover. I hope you enjoyed the brief glimpse of me- I can’t wait to get to work with and get to know you all.

Hi all, my name is Katie Kimberly. I was born in Panama City, Florida, but I grew up in Tallahassee, Florida and I have lived here for over 20 years. In 2021, I graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art with an emphasis in drawing. I am at the halfway point in the MSIT program. Currently I work in desktop support as an IT Support Specialist at FSU Libraries. I work with seven awesome men who somehow manage to turn everyday into a field day full of shenanigans. However, I am still trying to figure out where I want to take my IT career in the future.

I chose to take this class because I wanted to take something that allowed me to continue to work on my tech skills while also building upon my art-based skills as well. I love digital art, photo editing and video editing, which is why I want to continue to learn about different software and how to use it.  I have experience in using Shotcut, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, Snapseed, SketchUp, TinkerCad, and Adobe Premiere Rush. I am excited to have a chance to get to use the creative side of my brain because I have not had the time to really create during graduate school and prior to that I was going through artist burnout but now I am ready to create again.

Outside of working in IT and graduate school, in the very little free time that I have I take part in my hobbies and interests. I have an ever-growing list of hobbies and interests which are cosplay, prop building, lightsaber spinning, Star Wars, Disney, creating art, art history, content creation, animation, tech, and spending time with my dogs Jax and Honey. A fun fact about me is that I stutter (speech impediment).

I want to share an image of the drawing that was displayed in the FSU Libraries Summer 2024 Exhibition titled, “The Artists of FSU Libraries.” This piece is made of up of different patterns and designs which are called Zentangles.

Greeting my fellow scholars and seekers of knowledge! My name is Connor Skaryd. I was born in West Palm Beach, Florida and I spent most of my childhood and teenage years growing up in Martin County, Florida. After high school I decided that I was tired of the warm tropical weather and moved up to the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota to attend the University of North Dakota for my Bachelor’s Degree. Having survived sub-zero winters for my undergraduate degree and learning the feeling of your breath freezing in your mouth from the cold weather, I returned to Florida and through a long and complex series of events, I started working for the Martin County Library System. I currently work as the senior Library Specialist for the Palm City Library where I am functionally the assistant manager of the branch.

Outside of work one of my great passions is playing tabletop role playing games like Dungeons and Dragons, Call of Cthulhu, and Lancer. I have routinely fallen into the role of a “forever GM” and I find deep satisfaction running games and creating amazing stories with friends that we can enjoy together. I am excited for this class since learning about the use of digital media will be a huge boon for me since I work with digital media in both my professional and personal life. I want to learn the tools and systems that would help me advance my career and the gaming experience I give to my players.

Who am I? My name is Alexander Bowman, I am a born and raised Tallahassee native (go Noles!). Currently, I am in my last semester, pursuing a Master’s in Information Technology (IT), here at FSU; before that I was completing my undergrad also in IT. I am currently working as an IT Technician at TMH, however I am hopeful to break into IT Auditing, after I graduate come May. This semester is going to be especially busy for me, as I attempt to finish my degree ahead of schedule and balance working full-time.

When I’m not at work or school, I’m often out for a run. I am training for the Tallahassee Half Marathon in February, which I will be running with my Father. This will be my first time participating in a race that is over 13 miles, so I am very excited to complete it. I also enjoy other outside activities like Tennis, and Pickleball. One of my favorite places to go here in town, is the ForestMeadows tennis complex off of Meridian road.

I am excited to learn more about Digital Media, both personal and professional throughout the course of this semester. I am especially excited to create these weekly posts, and to see what other’s will have to share. Here’s to an amazing Spring semester!

Hi everyone! My name is Akerke Kuanysh, and I’m so excited to be part of this class. I’m an international graduate student from Kazakhstan, currently studying Information Technology at Florida State University. This is my first year at FSU and also my first year living in the USA. It’s been such an exciting and challenging journey!

Before coming to the USA, I earned my bachelor’s degree in Information Systems and worked in IT. My work was mostly focused on technical tasks like programming and managing systems. I thought I would stay in IT forever, but life had other plans after I had my daughter. In Kazakhstan, maternity leave lasts up to three years (yes, three years!). I was planning to take a long break, but when my daughter was seven months old, something unexpected happened.

The company I used to work for—an educational organization that prepared students for international exams—was facing an emergency. All their salespeople were unavailable just before the start of a big flow of new groups. One salesperson went on maternity leave, another had a family emergency, and others faced serious health issues. Suddenly, they needed help, and even though I did not have experience in sales, I decided to give it a try. At least, I thought it was not so serious. I would be here for just a few days until they found a professional sales team.

The first day, I was nervous and only made three calls—but two people signed up! By the second day, six more students joined. I realized how much I loved talking to people, helping them find what they needed, and making a difference. Over time, I became a Sales Manager, and eventually, I was promoted to Sales Director. Within nine months, I helped the company increase sales by 155%. I also used my IT background to make processes more efficient, which taught me how much I enjoy combining IT and business.

That’s why, I decided to return to IT with another purpose since I wanted to bring together my technical skills and my passion for business. FSU’s IT program is perfect for me because it focuses on how technology can be applied to improve real-world challenges, like efficiency and customer satisfaction.

One class I’m particularly excited about is Digital Media: Concepts and Production. I hope to learn how to create engaging and effective digital content, which will help me in my current project: sharing information about studying in the USA with people back home in Kazakhstan. You can take a look at my content on Instagram. My goal for this course is learning how to create engaging and professional digital media content. A few days ago, I uploaded my first long video about my apartment in Tallahassee.

I’m really looking forward to learning from everyone in this class and sharing ideas. Let’s make this semester a great one!

Hello everyone! My name is Olivia Samimy and I am originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia. I went to a tiny college called Roanoke College in southwestern Virginia, where I received my BA with a major in Literary Studies and a minor in Communications in 2021.

In 2022, I moved to Tallahassee to complete my MA in Literature, Media, and Culture. During this time, I also served as a Graduate Instructor where I taught Freshman English to FSU students. I graduated from this program in May 2024 and haven’t been able to escape Tallahassee yet. I am currently working as an Academic Advisor at FSU in the Dedman College of Hospitality, where I help guide undergraduate students through their degree. I started my MSI last semester, and my goal is to become an academic librarian. I love working with college students so I look forward to continuing to do that in my career. 

As is probably unsurprising for someone like me, I love to read. My favorite genres are mystery and fantasy. You can check out my Goodreads account to see what I am currently reading. My other favorite activity is to be out in nature. If you live in Tallahassee, you may know we have an incredible park system. My two favorite places to hike are Maclay Gardens State Park and Lafayette Heritage Trail. You can find me at a park any weekend where we’re blessed with weather below 90 degrees. If it’s too hot for hiking, I like to make the drive to St. George Island and sit on the beach.

When I am not enjoying the fresh air, I try to keep my two cats, Honey and Bessie, out of mischief. At this, I am mostly unsuccessful. 

I look forward to a great semester with y’all!

I am a year into the MIS program at Florida State University and am hoping to graduate December of this year! How the time flies! With my degree, I hope to continue working in academic institutions in the future. When I am not in class or at work, I try to travel as much as I can and have been to 6 countries so far! The photo above is of me in Ireland (my favorite place 🍀) on a trip last year!

Hi everyone! I’m Michelle Taylor, originally from Sacramento, California. Growing up, I was one of four children, and at 10 years old, I learned I was adopted. This sparked a lifelong journey of self-discovery, including a quest to find my biological family.

Life has been a whirlwind! A short career in the military, two marriages, two wonderful adult children, and moves across the country—from California to Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, and now Florida—(Zephyrhills to be precise) have shaped who I am today. As an empty nester, I’ve embraced this new chapter, exploring my passions and rediscovering myself.

My interests are diverse: I’m a UFC enthusiast (I’ve even been to two live events!), an avid reader who co-hosts a book club at my place of employment, and a fan of streaming services like Netflix and Paramount+. I also enjoy connecting with people through Postcrossing, a website where I exchange postcards worldwide.

A significant turning point came during the pandemic when I submitted my DNA to Ancestry. This led to a remarkable discovery: I found my biological father and learned I have a sister and brother, all still living in Sacramento!

I’m excited to be in the MSI program, where I hope to learn about different careers, particularly- web design and usability. I currently work as an admin assistant at an insurance company, and am enjoying my new role as a ‘dog mom’ to Sadie, my 11-week-old Goldendoodle.

Hello everyone! My name is Amanda Pazos, and I currently live in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I’m pursuing a master’s degree in information with a focus on cultural informatics, and I’m excited to say this is my final semester!

Currently, I work as an assistant controller at a medical glove company, though I’m eager to transition into a new career as an information professional. Recently, I had the opportunity to work in the archives department at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. This hands-on experience ignited my passion for digital archives and deepened my interest in preserving history through innovative technology.

In my free time, I enjoy traveling, reading, spending time at the beach, and attending concerts. My favorite genres to read are fantasy and romance. Musically, I appreciate a variety of styles but tend to gravitate to pop and rock. I also collect vinyl records, which I love for their unique sound. There’s a warmth and depth to vinyl, and even the subtle imperfections—like the snap and crackle as they play—add to the overall listening experience.

One of my lifelong goals is to visit every national park in the United States. Connecting with nature and taking in breathtaking landscapes is incredibly rewarding, making every hike worthwhile. So far, my favorite parks have been Zion National Park in Utah and Yosemite National Park in California.

I’m excited about this class and the opportunity to gain valuable skills in creating and managing digital content. I hope to discover new resources that will help me design more engaging posts and master the art of storytelling. These skills will be vital for crafting compelling narratives and visuals, particularly in archives and cultural preservation.

Best of luck to everyone this semester!