Sacramento State Honors Dean Emeritus Dr. Otis Scott With Prestigious President’s Medal

By Williamena Kwapo | OBSERVER Staff Writer In a ceremony at Sacramento State’s Julia Morgan House on April 4, Sacramento State presented Dean Emeritus Dr. Otis Scott with the university’s 2024 president’s medal for distinguished service. The president’s medal, a distinction not given annually, is reserved for individuals whose contributions have left a profoundly positive mark on Sacramento State. Dr. Scott’s decades of service, work, and impact at Sac State positioned him as the ideal candidate for the high honor. Sacramento State President Dr. Luke Wood, a former student of Dr. Scott, bestowed the prestigious award, emphasizing the profound impact of his contributions on the university and beyond. “We wanted to honor every good work that he’s done, his contributions to the field of Africana Studies, and to a whole generation of students at Sac State that would not have made it through without people like him helping us navigate the way,” Dr. Wood told The OBSERVER. Dr. Scott, a trailblazer in ethnic studies, was recruited by Sac State in 1974 to join its ethnic studies program as a professor. His tenure was transformative and instrumental in elevating the program to departmental status, and he became its chair for 21...