N.J

N.J Umoh is the founder and CEO of CompSciLib, an EdTech platform making computer science theory and math help more accessible to students around the globe. Currently working as a software engineer, N.J is passionate about building a community of those in tech with marginalized identities. We talked to N.J about the conceptualization of CompSciLib and his experience in computer science.

Hi N.J! Can you tell us about CompSciLib?
CompSciLib is a global EdTech platform that makes computer science (CS) theory and math courses easier for students to learn. We focus on CS theory rather than programming, helping students around the world get their CS degrees with more success than they have in the past. We’re currently a web app, but hope to make a mobile app later this year.

We launched a little over a year ago, in February of 2022. Today, we’ve had close to 200,000 users on the site, joining from all over the world. We’re really proud to have users join from almost every single country – having that reach in such a short amount of time has been amazing.

What was the need or gap you noticed that you wanted CompSciLib to fulfill?
I come from a Nigerian household, where the only four options I had were being a doctor, lawyer, engineer, or a failure. I chose the doctor route but really struggled – high school was difficult and I failed horribly, finishing with a 2.9 GPA. The summer before my freshman year of college, I realized that something had to change. I was trying to live the dreams of my family versus my own dreams. So I decided to put off everything else and figure out what my own dream was.

I like tech, I’ve always really liked tech. We didn’t have much tech when I was younger, but whatever we did have I would try to break and rebuild. I started out studying IT at my local community college, and from there I studied cybersecurity at a public college. That’s where I was introduced to programming, which I was really good at. But math and theory were difficult; I didn’t have a good foundation so a lot didn’t make sense to me. But I studied really, really hard and ended up not only passing with As, but becoming a tutor. I tutored hundreds of students over a year and a half.

I realized that many other students were leaving computer science, dropping their classes and their dreams because the classes and material were so hard. It wasn’t just me having this issue! But this felt avoidable. I wanted to take my experience and knowledge and put that into a platform, similar to an on-demand CS theory tutor to help students with the material. We talk about all of the great jobs and opportunities people can get with their CS degrees, but those don’t matter if students end up leaving before getting to that goal. So that became the idea for CompSciLib – helping students get their CS degrees and succeed in their careers.

As an EdTech innovator, what do you think are the benefits of integrating technology into classroom settings?
By leveraging EdTech platforms, you can create a much more interactive learning experience. Especially in this day and age, there’s so much access to technology that big fat textbooks aren’t really cutting it anymore. At the end of the day, we need to not just remember material for a test, but to be able to apply it. So having EdTech platforms that can integrate directly into the classroom creates such a vibrant experience for students to learn how to apply the material in their future careers.

What has your experience been like in the computer science field?
Computer science has been rough. I’ve been in a community college, I’ve been in a public institution, and now I’m at a private institution. Seeing the difference in resources for computer science has been very alarming. Many times I was the only Black person in my CS classes – sometimes the only person of color in general. It can be lonely.

People often downplay how important it is to have representation. In addition to representation at higher levels, like tech CEOs, it’s important to have people of color in the room with you, taking the same classes and sharing experiences. It can be more comfortable asking for help when you relate to someone, when you look like someone. It was really hard for me to get help; there was a time that I stopped going to study groups, stopped going to office hours. I felt like I had to do everything myself. I just didn’t want anyone else to go through that. That’s why I started CompSciLib, to help with those issues. So although it has been rough, I feel that these struggles have made me a stronger person. I’ve been given insight into how we can help minorities struggling with computer science.

Is there anything you’d like to add?
I want to put myself out there to connect with other founders in tech, as well as anyone interested in the computer science space. I’m trying to build a community that allows CS students – especially those who don’t come from families with a lot of tech experience – a leg up, to make the field a bit more equitable. I’m willing to connect with anyone who’s interested!

N.J can be reached via email at nj@compscilib.com or through his LinkedIn profile.