Creative Curiosity: 9 Questions with Jacquie Kuru, BSIS '23, MSDS '25
iSCHOOL STUDENT PROFILE
There are so many small and niche communities online that cater to any curiosity. This dissemination of information, perspectives and opportunities is something so unique to the internet that no other area has piqued my interest as much.
Jacquie Kuru, who joined the iSchool's Master of Science in Data Science program after graduating from the Bachelor of Science in Information Science in 2023, is originally from Gilbert, Arizona. She came to UArizona to study medicine, but found her passion for information science after taking an iSchool social media course. In addition to her UArizona degrees, she holds certifications in Radio and Audio Broadcast/Production and Film and Multimedia Broadcast/Production.
What brought you to the University of Arizona to study information science?
Initially, I came to UArizona to study medicine and earn a physiology degree. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, I became dispassionate about the field and even considered dropping out of college. Feeling lost, I decided to enroll in Associate Professor Diana Daly's Social Media and Ourselves course because I have always loved social media, and, well, the rest is history! I instantly fell in love with the informational sciences and found my new "home" at the iSchool with the BS in Information Science.
What area of information science most interests you?
My particular interest area is social media and the internet. What excites me most is the fact that you can learn and do almost anything with them! I have been fortunate to grow up online and meet mostly wonderful people who have become lifelong mentors to me. Additionally, there are so many small and niche communities online that cater to any curiosity, and I can probably find more information with a simple search. This dissemination of information, perspectives and opportunities is something so unique to the internet that no other area has piqued my interest as much.
Information science student Jacquie Kuru joined Associate Professor of Practice Diana Daly on stage to discuss iVoices podcasting at the UArizona Wonder House at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, in March 2022.
What do you like best about the BS in Information Science program?
Honestly, the professors! Before I settled into the iSchool, I jumped around from department to department, trying to figure out where to go after leaving medicine. No department treated me poorly by any means, and most of my professors were amazing. However, it was only when I ended up at the iSchool that I felt like I was being seen as an individual. Professors Diana Daly, Rich Thompson, Drew Castalia and many others in this college really do their best to get to know the students who try.
What has been your biggest challenge at the iSchool, and how have you overcome that challenge?
My biggest challenge at the iSchool was picking my courses—there are so many good ones! In many ways, I wish I had started my undergraduate journey in the iSchool because then I would have had enough time to take more of the game development courses.
What has been your biggest challenge outside of the iSchool, and how have you overcome that challenge?
My biggest challenge in life has always been balance. I am appreciative of all the opportunities that come my way, and as such, I have difficulty saying no. Since my junior year as an undergraduate, I have been working for Infineon Technologies while pursuing my education, and I will admit there have been times I have taken on too much.
I would like to believe that I am better at managing this issue now, but, as my father always says, “Life is just an optimization game.”
Uniqkool’s website banner displays the variety of pet feeder reminders Jacquie Kuru and her mother create and sell through the online business they started.
Tell us a bit more about your work history, as well as your career goals.
My work history is quite a journey, actually. My first job was as a swim teacher! And in high school, my mom and I co-founded Uniqkool, which is a laser engraving e-commerce shop that specializes in making uniquely cool and functional laser-cut products. Right now, some of our best-selling products are our customizable pet feeder reminder sliders.
For actual job experience related to what I want to do professionally, I would say I started gaining experience with Professor Daly and her iVoices project, where I studied social media's relationship with people and created multimedia content to share my findings, such as helping out with the open-source textbook Humans R Social Media and the podcast Social Media and Ourselves—both covers I created myself. I currently work as a video producer for Infineon Technologies, learning new and exciting ways to better market exciting changes to both external and internal audiences. Lastly, I am working with Adjunct Lecturer Jay Sampson, gaining the opportunity to network and learn from professionals already well-established in the field of social media.
I would like to end up working in social media as a career, acting as a bridge between whichever platform I am hired by and their creators, to work towards creating a better social media experience for both the producers and consumers of online content.
What student organizations and other extracurricular activities are you involved with?
First, a shameless plug: join Data Cats! Data Cats is a data science club created by me and three other amazing graduates from the iSchool. We, alongside Professor Thompson, recognized a lack of information science extracurriculars and created this club as an attempt to address it. From coding workshops to speakers, the club aims to educate and prepare members for a career in the informational sciences!
Besides Data Cats, consider becoming a section leader, or what we call SL. Professor Thompson has done an amazing job fostering a sense of community among this group, and you can make lifelong friends in this role. If socialization isn't really your thing, this extracurricular can be applied to your transcript as internship credit for graduation, or you can simply help your fellow students for pay. Yay!
The newest cover for the open-source textbook Humans R Social Media, which Jacquie Kuru crafted using AI art and student-created profile images.
Outside of school, what are your passions?
I love to create things. From multimedia production to rapid prototyping, I love to try and make something with any tools or techniques I can get my hands on. This passion is partially why I am a content creator in my free time. I enjoy making short YouTube animations and creating virtual avatars (Vtubers) to represent me when I stream!
What does the iSchool experience mean for you?
The iSchool experience means “try everything and anything.” Because, in many ways, you can! The School of Information has one of the broadest class categories I have seen at the University of Arizona—from creating video games to rapid prototyping, the iSchool probably has it in its catalog.
Learn more about the iSchool's BS in Information Science and MS in Data Science programs, or explore ways you may support iSchool students like Jacquie who are driving the digital revolution.