School of Library and Information Science Alumnae/i
Simmons SLIS graduates join a professional community that spans the globe. SLIS alumnae/i work in libraries, schools, museums, technology, higher education, government, corporate libraries, special collections, and many other institutions.
Our alums are innovators, challengers of the status quo, and champions of the right to information. As such, they are our most powerful ambassadors in the world of LIS.
Accomplished Alums
Simmons SLIS is proud to boast some leaders in the LIS field among our graduates, including Maria McCauley ’16PhD, Director ot the Cambridge Public Library and the 2026 president of the ALA; David Ferriero ’74MS, 10th Archivist of the United States; Robert Hudson ’77MS, Boston University Librarian; and Sarah Thomas ’73MS, Director of the Harvard Libraries.
The SLIS Alumnae/i board sponsors awards for outstanding alums. The most recent Simmons Alumnae/i Achievement Award recipient is Tam Ha ’08MS, Senior Academic Librarian at VinFin University in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Get Involved as a SLIS Alum
Donate
Consider donating to a specific scholarship or fellowship for SLIS and know your support will resonate with future LIS professionals.
Share Your News
We are proud of our alumnae/i accomplishments and want to promote your work. Have you received a promotion, been hired for a new position, engaged in meaningful volunteer work, published an article or book chapter, or received an award?
Please let us know. To be included in SLIS social media and the Simmons news feed, submit your news.
Join the Honors Society
The Beta Beta Chapter of Beta Phi Mu invites eligible graduates each year to join the official LIS honor society, which is devoted to ideals of scholarship and service.
SLIS Alumnae/i in the News
Prison Libraries as Essential Resource
School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) doctoral student Chelsea Jordan-Makely ’29PhD is one of three recipients of the Julie J. Boucher Memorial Award for Intellectual Freedom from the Colorado Association of Libraries, for their work on the PRISM Project. We spoke to Jordan-Makely about what drew her to this research and what inspired her to pursue her PhD in Library and Information Science at Simmons.
SLIS Alumna Bridges Archives and Science Fiction
Temple University librarian Katy Rawdon ’97MS recently co-authored a book that brings together science fiction and the central role of archivists. We spoke with her about the book and the essential training she received at Simmons School of Library Science.
SLIS Alumna Views Librarians as ‘Informal’ Educators
Sarah Leveille ’26MS is the reference librarian for the Grafton Public Library in Grafton, Massachusetts. We spoke with her about the essential education she received from Simmons SLIS, the LibGuides she created, and the joys of librarianship.
SLIS Alums Elected to NELA Executive Board
Kate Byroade ’98MS and Meghan Cericola ’20MS have been elected to serve as officers on the Executive Board of the New England Library Association (NELA).
Finding the Story Beneath the Story
Gloria Respress-Churchwell ’18MFA, MA uncovers the human heart inside history’s stories.
Children’s Literature Alumna Featured in WBUR
WBUR News profiled Boston-based educator, author, and editor Autumn Allen ’18MA/MFA. Allen just released her second young adult novel, You Only Live Twice (Kokila-Penguin Random House, 2026).
SLIS Alumna Awardee Reflects on People-Centered Libraries
Tam Ha ’08MS, recipient of the 2026 Alumnae/i Lifetime Achievement Award, is the academic librarian for VinUniversity (Hanoi, Vietnam). We spoke with her about the pivotal mentorship she received at Simmons and the rewards of a career in librarianship.
Researching Ireland’s Cross-Border Mobile Library Service
While at Simmons, Danielle Dempsey ’24MS began an international librarianship research project on libraries in Ireland. Dempsey shared with us the experience of visiting Ireland and speaking to locals about the area’s fraught history.