Finding Greatness: Chris Nylund
Author: News Bureau
Posted: Monday, August 15, 2016 1:56 PM
Categories:
Faculty/Staff | Finding Greatness
Macon, GA
Full Name: Chris Nylund
Title: Graduate Studies Librarian
Degrees:
Master of Library and Information Science, Valdosta State University
Master of Education in Learning, Design, and Technology, University of Georgia
Bachelor of Music in Creative Music Technologies, LaGrange College
Bachelor of Arts in English, LaGrange College
Describe your service to Middle Georgia State University and the community at large.
“Super fun academic stuff: I’m in the process of writing a book with three other faculty members (Dr. Matt Jennings, Dr. Stephen Taylor and Chris Tsavatewa) about the history of Acme Brewing, which was a brewery in Macon in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I was recently named Graduate Studies Librarian, a job duty that allows me to work directly with our graduate students and their research needs (to be clear, I still get to work with and assist any student that needs research assistance).
“Super fun community stuff: I’ve been a part of the Magnolia Street Soap Box Derby for years now. Last year I became co-chair of the derby along with another MGA faculty member, Chris Tsavatewa. We’ve worked diligently to establish and grow our High School Gravity race, which has a STEM education component. With a generous grant from the Knight Foundation, we started the High School Gravity race two years ago. Our first year, we were able to give all four public high schools in Bibb County their own kit cars, tools to build the cars and safety equipment. This past year, the High School Gravity race grew to 12 entries and we’re expecting even more next year.
“Super recent stuff: I just found out that I have been selected to take part in the Young Gamechangers program this fall. The Young Gamechangers “is a leadership action program that brings together 50 of Georgia’s brightest minds under the age of 40, to help solve persistent challenges” of one Georgia community. It just so happens that the fall 2016 cohort will work in in the hometown of the late great James Brown (Augusta, Ga.). It also happens to be the birthplace of both my father and my nephew. I’m pretty excited about it.”
What attracted you to a faculty/staff position at Middle Georgia State University?
“I interned at what was then the Macon State College Library when I was finishing my MLIS in fall 2011. At that point, I was still trying to figure out which aspect of librarianship I wanted to pursue and my internship confirmed that becoming an Academic Librarian that focuses on teaching was exactly what I wanted to do. As luck would have it, a position opened up in fall 2013 and I’ve been here ever since.”
What do you like best about teaching/working at Middle Georgia State?
“I moved to Macon in 2005 to teach English and Journalism at Northeast High School and in the time that has passed, I’ve come to realize what a gloriously quirky place Macon can be. More importantly, I’ve found and become part of a vibrant and diverse community that I never knew existed before moving here. More specific to my time at MGA, I’ve had the privilege of watching students that I taught as sophomores in high school graduate from MGA. This experience is pretty gratifying, even if it does make me feel old.”
In your opinion, what does it take for University students to be successful these days?
“Forgive my inherent bias, but basic information literacy skills are crucial. Thanks in no small part to social media, we are constantly barraged with so-called information. On some level, I think this conditions us to make quick decisions based on whether or not a headline or tweet or meme is fact or fiction, which sets a dangerous precedent for society as a whole and certainly ingrains research practices unfit for the college environment, regardless of his/her field of study.
*Steps off soap box and returns to his book without pictures.*”
What would students be surprised to learn about you?
“I really dig music. Playing it, listening to it, seeing it live and writing about it for local publications, e.g. the Telegraph, the 11th hour, and GPB, as well as a music blog that I co-founded (fieldnotestenographers.com). What I’m trying to say is that contrary to the librarian stereotype, I don’t always embrace silence.”