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Grit, Endurance, and Smarts: Key Elements for Student Success

Dominique Byrd poses with a book that her professor assigned and that she picked up at the open Course Reserves area on level 3.
Dominique Byrd poses with a book that her professor assigned and that she picked up at the open Course Reserves area on level 3.

“We learned how to search the library databases, which was extremely valuable.”

Balancing the demands of a full-time job and college takes grit, which this student clearly possesses. As a junior with a double major – Spanish and also Health, Society, and Policy – Dominique knows how to employ hard work, tenacity, and intelligence to reach her goals. She also is a huge fan of the library.

Dominique has been a library user since she came to campus as a freshman. “I am in the library every day that I’m on campus,” says Dominique. “I use Course Reserves; I check out equipment from the Student Computing Desk; I use the Writing Center.” She says she even checks-out books and always makes it to the book sale each semester.

Interestingly, Dominique remembers taking a class taught by a librarian her very first semester. She relays that she learned how to use library resources such as online databases and journals.

“When I first started at the U, I took a LEAP class that was taught by a librarian. We learned how to search the library databases, which was extremely valuable,” explains Dominique. “And… I now use the databases when I’m researching because I know I’m getting the best quality and I love how I can refine searching to get exactly what I need.”

While this young lady is an undergraduate, certainly she has the maturity and focus of a graduate student. “I know it will take me longer than four years to graduate because I am working full-time and therefore I’m not taking a full course load. But I stay optimistic because I know I’ll have a career I love in the long run.”

Dominique is interested in pursuing a career in medical administration. Watch for her!

Instruction Librarian Adriana Parker (left) had taught Dominique Byrd (right) how to effectively search databases as well as how to navigate library services during Dominique’s freshman year.
Instruction Librarian Adriana Parker (left) had taught Dominique Byrd (right) how to effectively search databases as well as how to navigate library services during Dominique’s freshman year.
  • Student Computing Services
  • Browsing Collection
  • Quiet Study Areas
  • Databases
  • Course Reserves
  • Exhibits
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