A huge shout-out to the 14 student employees who will be graduating this year. You have contributed immensely to the Marriott Library, especially this last year during the pandemic. Thank you and best wishes to each of you!

Rebekah Burton

I was born and raised in Ohio and came to the University of Utah my freshman year. I have been working in the facilities department for about a year and a half. Before COVID, I was involved with shifting as well as working in the ARC. Afterwards, I was able to work online doing projects in Alma and now I am back to shifting in-person. I will be graduating this May with a bachelor of arts degree in Middle Eastern Studies with an emphasis in Persian and a teaching English certificate. I am so grateful to have worked at the library, especially through the pandemic, and have learned so much. I have loved having access and knowledge of all the library’s resources and have been able to take full advantage.

After graduation, I plan to move back to Ohio and work with refugees and immigrants in resettlement. I hope to use the skills I learned at the library in my future career. It has been an amazing experience to work somewhere that has been so accommodating for my schedule as a full-time student.

Hannah Carlson

Hi, I’m Hannah! I have worked at the J. Willard Marriott Library for almost two years now. I started here as an information and security officer and I’m now working as a library operations and protection services assistant supervisor. I have loved working here and I’m extremely sad to be leaving soon.

Throughout my time at the library, I have adored the face-to-face interaction that I’ve been lucky enough to have with all visiting patrons. Serving and visiting with those throughout my campus and Salt Lake communities has been a significant source of joy in my life these last few years.

My favorite part of working at the library, however, has been the opportunity to make so many new friends and craft meaningful relationships. Living about 45 minutes away from campus, I initially had a troublesome time getting socially involved on campus. Since starting my job at the library, I have been able to make countless friendships out of my phenomenal library team members.

Consequently, the library quickly turned into a home away from home for me. I always knew it as a place where I could come and see some familiar faces after a tough exam or kill some time before an upcoming class. Our department truly is one big family, and that to me has been an invaluable part of working here.

While I adore the library and all it has given me, I am thrilled to embark on a fresh path.

I will be graduating soon with a Bachelor of Science degree in strategic communication and a minor in business administration. With the two under my belt, I have been interviewing for several public relations positions here in the Salt Lake area — I’m thrilled!

Roarke Cullenbine

After working at the Marriott Library from the start of my Freshmen year, I am graduating Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology (minoring in Sociology, Political Science, and Peace & Conflict Studies). This Summer, I will be moving to Baltimore, Maryland, to join the full-time day program at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. I am excited to pursue my passions of criminal justice reform and look forward to the many new opportunities that await me.

With all of this great excitement, I am also emotional to be leaving my team of talented students, friends, and mentors who have helped me mature here at the Marriott Library. My experience here has supported me in such a profound way that I will never take for granted. Without the support of my boss, Scott Bigler, and the Marriott Library as a whole, I would not have been as successful during my undergraduate process. I look forward to hearing of the many great successes that the Marriott Library will achieve in the future and hope to continue keeping the great relationships I have created in the pursuit of a better learning environment. Thank you for all that you do, and I will forever hold our institution in a special place in my heart.

Kristina Barksdale

I am graduating this May with a degree in Film and Media Arts. I started working as a Manuscripts Processor in Special Collections my sophomore year after I transferred from Utah State University. The past three years have taught me a lot and instilled in me a love of history and its preservation. I’m really grateful for this position and for everyone I’ve met here, and I hope to stick around for a while after I graduate. Like most things in life right now, the future is uncertain, but I plan to stay in Salt Lake and continue my creative pursuits, wherever they may lead me.

Laura Whitehead

I’m excited to graduate with a degree in Health Promotion Education with an emphasis in emergency medical services. I’ve been working in collection services which entails checking-in books, processing them, and returning them to the shelves. This year has been more challenging simply because we have fewer staff. I have enjoyed the flexibility the library has provided in terms of when I can work and what I do when I am working. I have also loved all of the people I have worked with at the library. When I graduate I want to work as an EMT and I want to be able to work in disaster response and management.

Allison Allred

I started working in Collection Services at the Marriott Library in the Fall of 2017. I have loved my time here and will miss the mornings, afternoons, and evenings I have spent amidst the collection. I have received overwhelming support from so many people here. The managers and supervisors in my department have been incredible allies to me and my academic goals. I am so grateful for their examples of equitable and compassionate leadership. I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Linguistics. I am currently working as a teacher for Adult English language learners and plan to continue as I apply to various teaching positions abroad. After a few years abroad, I hope to attend graduate school for Second Language Acquisition or Linguistic Anthropology.