Supriya Tardalkar
Supriya TardalkarMS in Information Management ‘09 I came to Syracuse from Mumbai in 2007 intending to pursue a Masters in Electrical Engineering, with a specialization in Wireless Communications. But after talking with faculty at the iSchool, I was convinced that Information Management was the right choice for me and I enrolled in the Masters Program.
Since then, the journey at a graduate school has been very rewarding. Coming to a different country, away from friends and family was hard at first. But, since my first day at Syracuse I have come a long way. I have found so many friends and it’s almost like a small family now. The iSchool has this warmth which welcomes you with an open culture and you, at once, feel at home.
The Information Management program is very unique and provides students a balanced mix of technical and management skills necessary to excel in any field in today’s digital society. The importance given to information and its power is fascinating. The culture of “faculty of one” emphasizes the sharing of information and encourages an open environment with no academic departments. This allows students from all graduate programs to participate in courses bringing diverse perspectives to classes.
The various student organizations are actively working towards important causes and participation in these organizations is always encouraged from peers and faculty. I became a part of BOOST (Bolstering Original Opportunities & Self through Technology), which focuses on teaching basic technology and business skills to displaced home-makers in Syracuse. As a graduate co-president for Women in Information Technology (WIT), I was responsible for the running of this student organization. WIT works towards raising awareness of women in the information technology field by hosting school-based events such as an alumni panel, socials, field trips to organizations and facility centers and offering career exploration opportunities.
It was a great learning experience to try my hand at research with support from Dr. Ruth Small, for the Center for Digital Literacy. The work environment at this research center was rewarding, especially coming from a non-research background. I would encourage future students to get involved with the wonderful research centers at the iSchool which work towards understanding the impact of information in today’s information intensive society.
I am also a Lead Manager iVenture, a student organization, seen as the one-stop shop for student entrepreneurs. This organization helps start-ups in Syracuse community to find resources for their ventures. iVenture understands the need for students to utilize their skills and expertise on real-life projects and hence works towards finding paid projects for students and fostering relationships between them and the professional and entrepreneurial community. As part of the iSchool community, I also served as a Graduate Mentor for advising new incoming graduate students on the academic programs and courses, and orienting them to the campus environment and iSchool culture in general.
I would definitely advise future iSchool students to be involved in campus activities. It teaches a lot in terms of personality development, work ethics, understanding different work cultures and gaining a diverse perspective of people coming from different cultural and social backgrounds. My experience at the School of Information Studies and Syracuse University has been truly rewarding and I would encourage current and future students to contact me with any questions at
supriya.tardalkar@gmail.com