Spring Break
Director looks to expand African-American studies
Betsy Cohen
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: News
10/23/08 - Under the leadership of a new director, the African American Studies Program will introduce a new study-abroad program, host a guest lecture and continue offering recently developed courses.
"We're alive and well and looking forward to the future," said interim Director Vanessa Quainoo.
During the past 20 years, the program has offered classes that teach this generation about the history and legacy of African-Americans from the Civil War to the Civil Rights era to today.
Now, the program will see some new additions, including a study abroad program to Ghana. Quainoo traveled through Africa for the last 10 years with her husband, who conducted relief work. Working with high-ranking administrators and faculty members in Cape Coast, Ghana Quainoo created a URI study-abroad program in Ghana for University of Rhode Island students.
"It's the first of its kind in West Africa," she said.
URI students can earn up to six academic credits for traveling to Ghana with the program, which offers its next session from July 1 to July 15, 2009. The cost per student is approximately $2,500 and scholarships are available.
For students looking to stay a little closer to home the program will welcome guest lecturer Alice Brown-Collins, a lecturer at Harvard University on Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. Collins, a well-traveled educator who has recently been to Ghana, Costa Rica and Australia, will present a talk on leadership in the Multicultural Center.
As director Quainoo will continue four courses she designed throughout her 20 years of teaching at the university. During her time as a faculty member she has taught rhetoric courses and become an expert on African and African-American studies.
This year in particular has put race in the spotlight as Barack Obama runs for president. Perhaps because of this there has been an increase in the amount of students enrolling in the program that has moved from Roosevelt Hall to Davis Hall. Quainoo said she hopes that the future will bring "a strengthening of the international aspects of African and American community."
With 5 percent of Rhode Islanders of African descent, Quainoo said she wants to reach out them and other residents. And the program "is for the entire URI community, it's not just for black students, it's for everyone. It is my desire to see URI embrace communities of people of African descent that live throughout Rhode Island and New England."
The program will also honor former Director Cynthia Hamilton sometime in April.
"She's had some health challenges and remained quite strong throughout all of it," Quainoo said.
Quainoo asked anyone planning to attend Brown-Collins lecture to e-mail her at vquainoo@mail.uri.edu or call 874-4722 ext. 2536.
"We're alive and well and looking forward to the future," said interim Director Vanessa Quainoo.
During the past 20 years, the program has offered classes that teach this generation about the history and legacy of African-Americans from the Civil War to the Civil Rights era to today.
Now, the program will see some new additions, including a study abroad program to Ghana. Quainoo traveled through Africa for the last 10 years with her husband, who conducted relief work. Working with high-ranking administrators and faculty members in Cape Coast, Ghana Quainoo created a URI study-abroad program in Ghana for University of Rhode Island students.
"It's the first of its kind in West Africa," she said.
URI students can earn up to six academic credits for traveling to Ghana with the program, which offers its next session from July 1 to July 15, 2009. The cost per student is approximately $2,500 and scholarships are available.
For students looking to stay a little closer to home the program will welcome guest lecturer Alice Brown-Collins, a lecturer at Harvard University on Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. Collins, a well-traveled educator who has recently been to Ghana, Costa Rica and Australia, will present a talk on leadership in the Multicultural Center.
As director Quainoo will continue four courses she designed throughout her 20 years of teaching at the university. During her time as a faculty member she has taught rhetoric courses and become an expert on African and African-American studies.
This year in particular has put race in the spotlight as Barack Obama runs for president. Perhaps because of this there has been an increase in the amount of students enrolling in the program that has moved from Roosevelt Hall to Davis Hall. Quainoo said she hopes that the future will bring "a strengthening of the international aspects of African and American community."
With 5 percent of Rhode Islanders of African descent, Quainoo said she wants to reach out them and other residents. And the program "is for the entire URI community, it's not just for black students, it's for everyone. It is my desire to see URI embrace communities of people of African descent that live throughout Rhode Island and New England."
The program will also honor former Director Cynthia Hamilton sometime in April.
"She's had some health challenges and remained quite strong throughout all of it," Quainoo said.
Quainoo asked anyone planning to attend Brown-Collins lecture to e-mail her at vquainoo@mail.uri.edu or call 874-4722 ext. 2536.
