Recent RWU Alumni Parker Schwartz (They/Them) has been accepted into the Masters of Information and Library Sciences program at Rutgers University! Parker graduated from RWU in 2023, double majoring in Secondary Education and English Literature. Our team at Voices had the pleasure in taking part in a Q&A with Parker regarding their incredible accomplishment. Read the Q&A below:
Q: Tell us a little bit about your program. What is it, what will you be doing, how long is the program itself?
A: A Master’s in Information Science primarily studies information management, cultivates research skills, and dives into human behavior. I’ll be specializing in Library Science, and more specifically will be on the Public Librarianship track, which will give me the skills to be a librarian. The program will take about 3 years to complete, since I’ll be going part time while I work in some local libraries.
Q: What are you looking forward to the most?
A: I’m looking forward to all the new things to learn! Within the program I’ll be able to get a taste of all different departments (children’s, adult/reference, cataloging, etc.), which will give me a broad range of skills and experience.
Q: How will the skills you’ve developed in English Literature/Education be helpful when taking part in this program? And how were they helpful in the process of getting into the program?
A: Being an English Literature/Education major helped me cultivate a deep understanding of literature, literacy, reading comprehension, research skills, and close reading and analysis. These are all skills necessary to become a librarian.
Q: What do you hope to take away from the program? (development of new skills, gaining newfound knowledge, learning more about your craft/field of study, etc.)
A: I hope to take away new tools of community engagement, and gain so much knowledge about the field of librarianship.
Q: How do you feel that this will benefit you and anything else you wish to do in the future?
A: A master’s degree in library science from an ALA accredited program is required to become a librarian so it is necessary for my career goals.
Q: Did you have any professors or mentors that were impactful to you at RWU? If so, tell us a little bit about your experiences.
A: Dr. Case and Dr. Scheinberg were both deeply influential on my academic journey. They encouraged me to push boundaries and helped me grow as a writer.
Congratulations to Parker on this amazing accomplishment! We hope you enjoyed reading their Q&A interview!
Leave a Comment