Leep student Tobias Paul is the recipient of the Sarah Rebecca Reed Scholarship from Beta Phi Mu, the international honor society for library and information studies. The scholarship provides financial support for a beginning student at an LIS program accredited by the American Library Association. Paul earned their bachelor’s degrees in professional writing and political science from Miami University in May 2020. Paul's interest in librarianship dates back to high school, when they worked as a student page at their local library.
"I decided to pursue my MS/LIS because I've found that librarianship intersects particularly well with my passions for connection and knowledge-sharing. I believe that information access and engagement is a critical resource for a better world—always, but perhaps especially in the current moment," Paul said.
Paul chose the iSchool at Illinois because of its "impressive" online program, faculty, and course offerings.
"The online program allows me to pursue my degree full time while also working as a departmental assistant at my local library," Paul said.
Within the field of LIS, they are interested in the areas of new media, digital preservation, and censorship. While Paul would like to pursue a career in public librarianship, they are "keeping an open mind and looking forward to further exploration."