The American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services has awarded Amaobi Otiji, a Master of Information student graduating in fall 2025, a 2024 Spectrum Scholarship.  

Otiji, who is specializing in the Technology, Information, and Management concentration in the MI Program and works full-time as a Digital Collections Specialist at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., said, “Receiving the Spectrum Scholarship is a really meaningful opportunity for growth. It gives me a chance to connect with a network of other emerging professionals who share a passion for increasing access to the field of library and information science. Being a part of this community pushes me to learn, grow, and engage with others hoping to contribute to shaping the field.”

As a Spectrum Scholarship winner, Otiji will receive a $5,000 scholarship to support his master’s degree at SC&I; the opportunity to attend the Spectrum Leadership Institute, which offers professional development, networking, and mentoring opportunities; and complimentary registration to the ALA Annual Conference which includes the cost of his travel, lodging, and meals (valued at $1500).

Describing how the scholarship will support his Rutgers education, Otiji said, “The Spectrum Scholarship is helping me focus on developing my skills and building more meaningful connections. It provides access to a great network of current and former Spectrum Scholars who work in a wide range of specialties in library and information science. So far, it’s been a great way to learn about what other new professionals are focusing their work on. The financial support also relieves some of the challenges of balancing work and school. It allows me to focus more energy on my professional development and skill set.”

“The Spectrum Scholarship is helping me focus on developing my skills and building more meaningful connections. It provides access to a great network of current and former Spectrum Scholars who work in a wide range of specialties in library and information science."

Otiji said he chose to attend the MI program at Rutgers iSchool because it stood out to him “for its thoughtful modular design, focus on technology, and alignment with the needs of someone working full time. The asynchronous courses provide a ton of flexibility for me to balance school and other responsibilities. I also really appreciated that the information session I attended was conducted by the program director herself and considered the needs of part-time students. While researching my school choice, a lot of the information sessions I attended about other programs didn’t really speak to my situation. Since I’m based in Washington, D.C., I also really value the ability to visit the campus with a short train ride if I ever needed to.”

Noting that he has particularly benefitted and enjoyed the range of courses and electives offered, Otiji added, “I’ve gotten to take courses that connect directly to my professional interests like digital preservation, knowledge management, and classes that use different programming languages. These classes have not only expanded my knowledge of concepts and tools relevant to my career but also have helped me see how to apply these concepts in real-world situations, which has been incredibly helpful.”

While managing his full-time job at the Library of Congress and his master's studies is demanding, Otiji said his best advice “for others contemplating a similar workload would be to take things one week at a time and focus on manageable goals. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the bigger picture but being able to break the work into smaller tasks was crucial for me. I also found it is really important to make the most of my breaks and truly try to get as much quality mental rest as possible.”

"These classes have not only expanded my knowledge of concepts and tools relevant to my career but also have helped me see how to apply these concepts in real-world situations, which has been incredibly helpful."

According to the ALA, the Spectrum Scholarships are awarded “to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students to assist them with obtaining a graduate degree and leadership positions within the profession and ALA.”

The ALA said this year they awarded Spectrum Scholarships to 70 “exceptional students,” the winners were selected by “a prestigious committee of jurors” and chosen based on “their commitment to community building, leadership potential, and planned contributions to making social justice part of everybody's everyday work in LIS.”

Learn more about the Master of Information degree at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information on the website.

Photo: Courtesy of Amaobi Otiji