The MA degree in African and African-American Studies has been approved by the College Committee on Graduate Studies and by the College Assembly. The proposal is being revised for the Graduate School.
Dr. Elyes Salem leads KU students to the Arabic Summer Institute at Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco, in June. Apart from studying Arabic intensively, the students will visit interesting sites in Casablanca, Marakesh, Mekines, and Fes.
Professor Shawn Alexander joins our faculty in August 2007 to teach African-American Studies courses. Shawn comes to us from Yale University.
Professor Naima Omar has been promoted with tenure. Naima is the language coordinator for the Department, and the director of the KU Arabic Summer Institute at Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco.
Professor Chico Herbison, who for many years has been the backbone of the African-American Studies component of the Department, will relocate to the Pacific West in the summer to teach at The Evergreen State College, Olympia. Chico is the director of the Multicultural Africana Scholars Program (MASP) and has assisted the chair of the Department for many years.
Rebekah Hartnett and Cynthia "Cindy" Lynn will graduate with honors this year. Rebekah had earlier spent a semester at Stellenbosch University in South Africa and will be working in Botswana upon graduation. She is currently improving her fluency in Setswana. Cindy will be honored this semester by the KU Women's Recognition Program with one of the student awards. She plans to attend graduate school.
Congratulations are in order to Cynthia "Cindy" Lynn, our graduating senior, who is this year's recipient of the Ethel Bohning Single Mother Award. Cindy will be recognized on April 17 at 7:30pm in the Big 12 Room at the annual Women's Recognition Program.
African American Studies major Derrais Carter, was one of four KU students to be awarded the Student Achievement Award from the Black Faculty and Staff Council. Congratulations Mr. Carter!
Assistant Professor Elizabeth MacGonagle has been awarded the 2007 ING Excellence in Teaching Award (Formerly the TIAA-CREF Award). This award recognizes outsanding teaching on the Lawrence campus.
Associate Professor Naima Omar is the recipient of the American Institute for Maghreb Studies (AIMS) grant. She will be conducting research in that region of Africa in spring 2008. Congratulations Dr. Omar!
GTA Tasha Keathley-Helms has received many scholarships and awards recently. She is a recipient of the FLAS fellowship used to attend SCALI and study KiSwahili in the summer. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Award (Eddie Jacobson Memorial Scholarship for International Studies) and the Russell County Area Community Foundation Award. The most recent for her awards is the Kansas Federation of Republican Women Scholarship. Congratulations on all of you achievements Tasha!
