The Libraries’ graduating student employees highlight – Class of 2023

Celebratory illustration with shadows of various graduating students throwing their hats into the air

Congratulations to our graduating student employees! Across all our locations, our student employees helped keep the Libraries running this year whether it was shelving books, working behind the scenes cataloguing or assisted patrons at our Reader Services desk. To celebrate, here is a highlight of some of our graduating student employees. We wish our graduates all the best as they continue with their next chapter!


photo of Alexxa Bisnar

Alexxa Bisnar (she/her)

Bartle Library, Digitization Assistant

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Finance; Minor in Economics

Next Step: Moving back to NYC to work!

  • Favorite moment working at the Libraries:
    • Getting Finals Week Goodie bags!
  • Library advice for future students:
    • The library isn’t just filled with academic books, you can get any book that you want from here.
  • Go-to favorite Libraries study spot:
    • Library basement, it’s quiet and keeps me concentrated.

photo of Lauren Diack

Lauren Diack

Science Library, Reader Services

Degree: Bachelor of Arts in History

Next Step: Continuing at BU as a graduate student working towards my MBA.

  • Favorite moment working at the Libraries:
    • Getting to see the Sustainability Hub develop at the Science Library
  • Library advice for future students:
    • Go to the library more! Doing your work in the library is a great way to be productive and feel involved on campus.
  • Go-to favorite Libraries study spot:
    • Ground Floor in Science Library. It’s so new and quiet.

photo of Cairo Gaona

Cairo Gaona

Bartle Library, Bartle Circulation Desk

Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language/Literature; Minors in Translation Studies and Global Studies

Next Step: Attending Alfred State College to pursue a degree in Court Reporting/Stenography (and moving back home with my parents, yay)

  • Favorite moment working at the Libraries:
    • I, capital-L, Love working the overnight shifts during finals week. It’s so peaceful and chill at 3 in the morning!
  • Library advice for future students:
    • Well, I had no clue where we kept the books until I got the job. I was too afraid to ask, so I only ever used the online books in our catalog.
  • Go-to favorite Libraries study spot:
    • Fine Arts Individual Study Rooms (book them the day before!)…they’re great for napping in.

Jacqueline Jergensen (she/her)

Science Library, Sustainability Hub

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science: Ecosystems

Next Step: I will be returning in the Fall as a graduate student in the Sustainable Communities Accelerated Masters Program!

  • Favorite moment working at the Libraries:
    • My favorite moments working in the Libraries are when the Sustainability Hub hosts events or meetings! It’s always so much fun to paint pots and plant seeds with other students during Stress-Free Binghamton or discuss sustainable goals for the school at our Interest Group Meetings!
  • Library advice for future students:
    • I didn’t know how much say the student employees have in events and programs. If you ever have any ideas, don’t be afraid to speak up!
  • Go-to favorite Libraries study spot:
    • My favorite spot to study in the Library is the Science Library Atrium because of all the natural light!

Photo of Lopez-Patino

Briana Lopez-Patino (she/her)

Science Library, Digital Scholarship Center

Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

Next Step: Work as a bioethics researcher for two years or work as a paralegal for one year in New York City!

  • Favorite moment working at the Libraries:
    • My favorite moment working at the Digital Scholarship Center would have to be anytime there are people in there for workshops or events. It makes it so lively and people always walk out having learned something new; you can really see the impact and value digital scholarship has in and outside of academia and research.
  • Library advice for future students:
    • My advice to future students would be to take advantage of the resources! I learned so much through my job and was able to apply it to my projects in my courses and research. I was also able to learn about so many of the resources that the libraries have for students!

      I hear from my friends that they don’t know where to get a particular resource and they have concerns over how they’re going to pay for certain things. It’s so nice to be able to relieve them from that stress by pointing them in the right direction after learning about what free resources the libraries provide; library workers don’t gatekeep!
  • Go-to favorite Libraries study spot:
    • My favorite go-to study spot would have to be either the Jazzmans booths (it will always be Jazzmans to me even if they continue to change the name of the coffee shop) or the Science Library basement.

photo of Elizabeth Parente

Elizabeth Parente (she/her)

Bartle Library, Library Stacks

Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Law (PPL) and English

Next Step: Attending Rutgers University Law school

  • Favorite moment working at the Libraries:
    • The professional development opportunities.
  • Library advice for future students:
    • Learn how to use the online library database.
  • Go-to favorite Libraries study spot:
    • Fine Arts Library – it’s always quiet.

photo of Angela Win

Angela Win (she/her)

Science Library, Reader Services

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Environmental Chemistry; Minor in Asian and Asian American Studies

Next Step: Going back home and taking a gap year before settling down and working full time.

  • Library advice for future students:
    • Get comfortable with your coworkers, you never know if your sitting next to a new friend.
  • Go-to favorite Libraries study spot:
    • I like the study carrels on the second floor [in Science Library] next to the window because the natural light is nice.