"MSIM Candidate Helps New Olympic Sculpture Park Throw Open Its Virtual Gallery" (read full article)

Phillip Endicott is no stranger to the Seattle-area arts and culture scene, having held strategic jobs with successful endeavors including the Columbia City Farmers Market, Consolidated Works (a multi-disciplinary arts center), the Seattle Men’s Chorus, and On the Boards, a theater group. He’s also worked in the high-tech arena while at Festivals.com and habit.com. But it took a graduate internship and one of the biggest arts events in Seattle’s recent history to finally combine his experience in the arts with his interest in technology.

The Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park, which opened Jan. 20, 2007, at the north end of the Seattle waterfront, has transformed a nine-acre industrial site into a beautifully landscaped space for outdoor sculpture with incredible views of the Space Needle, downtown, the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. Read More

"MSIM alumnus Tariq Alam brings information technology to the businesses and villages of rural Bangladesh" (read full article)
 
Spreading the bounty and promise of the Information Age to the far corners of the world is a primary objective of the University of Washington’s Information School. One recent iSchool alumnus is putting that theory into action in his native country, the Asian nation Bangladesh.

Tariq Alam (’03), a member of the first cohort of the Masters of Science in Information Management (MSIM) program, is now the managing director of the Digital Equality Network (DEN), which is establishing information technology (IT) services for businesses and individuals in rural parts of his country. Alam, who also holds a bachelor’s in engineering from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology in Bangladesh, refers to himself as a “social business entrepreneur,” devoting his professional career to providing information technology solutions for business improvement and social development in developing nations. In 1999, he designed and implemented a Village Computer and Internet Program (VCIP) in Bangladesh that familiarized rural people with computers and the Internet by providing access and training. Read More

Looking to switch careers, I searched for a program that would give me the knowledge and skills to move into the areas of business and strategic planning, while leveraging my experience in information technology. I chose the MSIM program because it integrates technology and business management with a human centered approach that is innovative and forward looking. The program was an experience of a lifetime. One of the highlights was collaborating on projects with outstanding classmates and faculty, a partnership that continues after graduation. Today, I work in business and strategic planning at one of the world’s most respected multinational companies where I get to further develop my interest in knowledge management.

I came to the Executive MSIM program after more than a decade working with Internet technologies in the non-profit sector. During that time, I witnessed both large and small organizations struggle to implement technology solutions, often because projects were not connected to strategic needs. Over the last two years, the MSIM program has provided methodologies and tools that will help me to identify where information can make the greatest impact in moving an organization forward. A core part of my experience came from the unique insights and diverse professional backgrounds of my fellow students. Our cohort has evolved into a community of learning within the larger community of the iSchool. I expect the relationships we have built amongst ourselves and with the program will continue to be an important part of our careers and our lives.

When I found the MSIM program, I realized it was a degree designed for me. I had worked in “information management” for a decade—I just wasn’t calling it that—having planned, managed, and built websites and online applications in the fields of financial services, e-learning, and humanitarian relief. I’m passionate about organizing information for everyday people to make it easier to find and use, and the MSIM’s unique blend of IT, information science, and business leadership was appealing. I learned the academic fundamentals of information science, gained a richer technical perspective, and deepened my skills at managing projects and teams. Finally, I’ve made connections and some wonderful friends with iSchool faculty and colleagues. My MSIM experience has opened up new doors of possibility for me professionally.

It was the most important decision I ever made to choose this wonderful program at UW. There are a lot of tangibles as well as intangibles that one stands to gain in this program. It has made me more confident going into the business world and given me the right set of skills - managerial, technical, presentation and, best of all, teamwork. It allowed me to compliment my undergrad background in business with practical knowledge of how technology can help drive business. Participating on different projects within the MSIM program was a particularly enriching experience because it provided hands-on exposure to a mixture of technological and managerial challenges. As a result, the MSIM program significantly increased my marketability and enhanced my career opportunities.

The biotech industry continues to generate data at an exponential rate. How do we manage that data to be easily searchable by people with varying backgrounds and needs? How does a biotech company maintain the knowledge of their knowledge workers? How does a biotech company increase collaboration and knowledge sharing to increase innovation and efficiency? I left the biotech industry to attend the Day MSIM program in order to help find the answers to these questions and more. My goal is to be able to make access to data and information more efficient and effective within a biotech organization. The iSchool MSIM program’s mission and connection to industry is what drew me to the great NW to pursue my graduate education.