Alumni
Since the African Studies Program was established in 2001, a total of 215 students enrolled in different departments of the University of Pittsburgh have registered for the Undergraduate Certificate in African Studies. Many of our students have participated in study abroad programs in various countries of Africa such as: Botswana, Benin, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. We have witnessed a growing student interest in African Studies and we continue to encourage students to enroll in our certificate programs. Most of our students have expressed a lot of interest in African Studies and would like more opportunities to be able to travel to Africa and experience the continent first-hand.
Alumni Spotlight
Pitt graduate wins Rhodes scholarship Monday, November 23, 2009 By Karen Kane and Moriah Balingit, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Somewhere between mentoring a Bantu refugee with little formal education at Schenley High School to living in a mud house in a Zambian refugee camp, 2009 University of Pittsburgh graduate Eleanor M. Ott realized that if she was going to effect real change for refugees, she was going to have to change policies from the ground up. So she set her sights on becoming the United Nations high commissioner for refugees.
On Saturday, Ms. Ott's potential and ambition were recognized when she was chosen to be a Rhodes scholar, a prestigious distinction given to only 32 Americans this year. The scholarship will pay for two or three years of study at the University of Oxford in England. Ms. Ott is the sixth Pitt graduate chosen to win the international Rhodes award since 1983.
She got the news Saturday evening after finishing a rigorous round of interviews with other candidates in Kansas City, Mo.
"I actually stood up and I started shaking," she said. "I couldn't believe it."
One of her advisers in Pitt's Honors College, Dean Alec Stewart, was less surprised. Having mentored her for four years, he watched her excel in the classroom and apply her energy and enthusiasm for helping refugees in volunteer efforts.
The daughter of Greg and Genna Hurd and the late Michael Ott, Ms. Ott grew up in Lawrence, Kan., where her mother is a research associate at the University of Kansas with the Institute for Policy & Social Research.
At Pitt, she triple majored in French, chemistry and history. She shrugged off her odd combination of study, saying that she pursued what she was interested in, which she said was encouraged by the Honors College.
She said studying chemistry enhanced her ability to break down and solve a problem, a skill that's useful in her current position as a social science research analyst in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she works on a teenage pregnancy prevention project and works with the Office of Refugee Resettlement. She studied French because she wanted to be able to communicate with non-English speakers, and also studied Swahili and two dialects of Arabic. Finally, she said she felt learning history was important to understanding and ultimately solving any problem.
Ms. Ott's interest in the plight of refugees took her to Zambia, where she served Congolese refugees fleeing civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the summers of 2006 and 2008. There, she lived in a mud house without running water in a camp of about 20,000 people and helped them set up a camp newspaper and a computer lab, powered by solar panels.
Back in Pittsburgh, she mentored high school-aged refugees who needed help with homework and worked with Catholic Charities to help refugee families get clothing. She also started a mentoring program to develop job skills for refugees.
And in Zambia, she took the personal histories of people who had survived unspeakable acts of violence only to be stuck in limbo, sometimes for decades, in a refugee camp.
At Oxford, she plans to study forced migration and evidence-based social intervention.
Is the Director of Operations for Amizade. Cohen first began experimenting with social entrepreneurship and service-learning while an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh. After sailing on Semester at Sea in the fall of 2003, he combined his passions of travel and social justice by helping to create a student-initiated NGO, FORGE. As Associate Director of FORGE he worked in three refugee camps in Zambia and Botswana on a slew of small-scale development projects. Since then, Cohen has worked in development for the Tahirih Justice Center in Washington, DC, as a researcher and program assistant for aids2031 in Worcester, MA, and as a consultant for several other small nonprofits and foundations. From 2007 - 2009, he was a Social Change Fellow at Clark University, where he earned an MA in International Development and Social Change. To date, Cohen has worked, studied, or traveled in over 55 countries on five continents.
For more information go to Amizade
The following have graduated and obtained the undergraduate Certificate as listed below:
2011
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
| Graduate: | ||
| Oyebade Ajibola Dosunmu | Department of Music | Born and raised in Nigeria. Visited Ghana summer of 2005. |
| Geoffrey John Heiple | Master of Public Policy & Management | Interest in the Region |
| Rachael Quinn Long | Master of International Development | Spent 2.5 months in Kenya. Spent 2 months in Uganda/Rwanda |
| L. Caitlin Newman | Master of International Development | Uganda in summer of 2008. |
| Maria Paz Ortega Rodriguez | Master of Public and International Affairs | Spent 6 months in Rwanda. |
| Julia Blaskowski Savane | Master of International Development | Spent 2 separate Internships and Exchanges in Senegal. |
| Emily E. Thurston | Master of Public and International Affairs | Madagascar for Peace Corps from 2004-2007. Personal Travel to South Africa, Uganda and Ghana. |
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
| Undergraduate: | ||
| Olusesi Aliu | School of Arts and Sciences | Lived in Nigeria. Work in Malawi summer of 2008. |
| Sarah Bakhit | School of Arts and Sciences | Born in Sudan and visits regularly. |
| Gwendolin J. Bandi | School of Arts and Sciences | Research trip to Kenya. |
| Allyson Marie Barnett | School of Arts and Sciences | Kenya for a month as a volunteer. Studied abroad in Senegal for a semester in 2009. |
| Sarah Louise Crisp | School of Arts and Sciences | Studied abroad in Cape town, South Africa. |
| Michael George Daniel | School of Arts and Sciences | Born in Zimbabwe. |
| Katharine Delay | School of Arts and Sciences | Interest in the Region |
| Sara G. Dufner | School of Arts and Sciences | Studied Abroad in Tanzania 2009. |
| Saleemah Y. Flythe' | School of Arts and Sciences | Interest in the Region |
| Sarah C. Grill | School of Arts and Sciences | Studied Abroad in Nairobi spring 2009. |
| Imani J. Harper | School of Arts and Sciences | Senegal and Gambia 2004. South Africa 2006 and 2010. |
| Janelle Nichole Johnson | School of Arts and Sciences | Interest in the Region |
| Aurielle Marie McCauley | School of Arts and Sciences | Studied Abroad in Tanzania summer 2010. |
| Belen Habte Michael | School of Arts and Sciences | Visited Ethiopia 3 separate times. |
| Rachael Ann Murray | School of Arts and Sciences | Studied Abroad in Tanzania 2009. |
| Elizabeth Marie Navratil | School of Arts and Sciences | Interest in the Region |
| Yewande T. Olugbade | School of Arts and Sciences | Lived in Nigeria until 2003. |
| Cory J. Rodgers | School of Arts and Sciences | Studied Abroad in Tanzania. |
| Meghan Barbara Rogers | School of Arts and Sciences | Interest in the Region |
| Nina Elizabeth Weaver | School of Arts and Sciences | Studied Abroad in Tanzania 2010. |
2010
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
| Graduate: | ||
Matthew Auflick |
Public and International Affairs | Interest in the region |
| Ashley Beckett | Master of international Development | |
Joachim M Ghethoho Boko |
Public and International Affairs |
Native of Benin, went to school in Ghana and has worked in Burkina Faso and Mali |
Dawn Close |
International Development |
Lived in Zambia and Zimbabwe and did an Independent Study in South Africa |
Ngalula Kapinga Trice Kabundi |
Public and International Affairs |
Congo native and Lived in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Senegal. |
Phiona K Kanabimanya |
Public and International Affairs |
Uganda Native |
| Jana Melpolder | Public and International Affairs | Mission trip in Ghana January 2007 |
| Josephine J Mills | International Development | Ghana native |
| Rosemary K Muliokela | Public and International Affairs | Zambia native |
| Anne Marie Nagy | Public Health | Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea July 2001, went to school in Kenya July 2004 and Masters research in Cameroon May 2009 |
| Eliada Nwosu | Public and International Affairs | Nigerian native, conference visits in Senegal and Mozambique, and Doctoral research in South Africa |
| Jeffrey Austin Price | International Development | Internship in Cameroon |
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
| Undergraduate: | ||
| Marie Evangeline Berude | School of Arts and Sciences | |
| Davidson Camille | School of Arts and Sciences | |
Paula Marie Cox |
College of General Studies | Travelled to Ghana, July 2009 on a Fulbright-Hays Program |
Miranda A Dore |
Political Science and Psychology |
Mission work in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique |
Kathleen Elizabeth Fitzsimmons |
Social Work |
Volunteer work Kenya 2006 |
Mary E Griffith |
Biology |
Study Abroad in Cape Town, South Africa |
Rachel E Hellman |
English Writing |
Study Abroad in Cape Town, South Africa |
| Jamillia Nyampu Kamara | Urban Studies | Native of Liberia |
| Lynette M Miller | School of Arts and Sciences | Travelled to Tanzania and Uganda |
| Johanna O Ojo | Political Science | Interest in the Region |
| Abiola Nike Oke | Africana Studies and Microbiology | Native of Nigeria |
| Brendin Giuseppe Rogers | Anthropology | Interest in the region |
| Carly A Stasak | Sociology and Anthropology | Interest in the region |
| Raina Denise Warren | Business Marketing | Cultural exchange in Ghana, 2006 |
| Negede T Yilma | Film Studies | Has resided in Djibouti and Ethiopia |
2009
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
| Graduate: | ||
Michelle Cocker |
Public & International Affairs |
Interest in the region |
Nathan A. Emery |
International Development |
Lesotho, Angola, Kenya, Ghana, Sudan, Chad, Nigeria |
Christopher D. Jones |
Public & International Affairs |
Morocco |
Sandra M. Matoushaya |
International Development |
Zimbabwe Native |
Justice Kofi Gbolonyo |
Interest in the region |
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
| Undergraduate: | Kenya Summer 2006 | |
Aaron M. Arnold |
Africana and Sociology |
Interest in the region |
Marcelius L. Braxton |
Arts & Sciences |
Kenya Summer 2006 |
Halima Buhari |
Chemistry and Medicine |
Nigeria |
Betty J. Busey |
Africana and Anthropology |
Egypt |
Brigid E. Cakouros |
English writing |
South Africa Spring 2008 |
Megan E. Davis |
Anthropology |
Senegal Spring 2008 |
Timothy M. Dempsey |
Chemistry and Medicine |
Botswana Spring 2007 |
Redeate Dessalegn |
Africana and Psychology |
Ghana, Ethiopia. Ethiopian Native |
Kathryn B. Dickerson |
Communication |
Tanzania Summer 2009 |
Sandra O. Dike |
Chemistry and Psychology |
Ghana, Nigeria. Nigerian Native |
Joseph R. Enten |
Tanzania Summer 2009 | |
Melissa S. Estrada |
Architectural studies |
Interest in the region |
Ashley Green |
Interest in the region | |
Sharae J. Graham |
Africana and French |
Interest in the region |
Kathleen M. Henschel |
French and Microbiology |
Senegal 2007, Mali |
Jaerhyn Rose Lowery |
Psychology |
Interest in the region |
Kristie Dawn McVay |
Anthropology |
Tanzania summer 2004 |
Chemistry, History and French |
Zambia summer 2006 and 2008 | |
Emily E. Perrotta |
Public Service |
Tanzania summer 2007. Tanzania and Kenya 2009 |
Sarah T. Powell |
Anthropology and Communications |
Tanzania summer 2008 |
Norman D. Richardson |
Africana and Communications |
Interest in the region |
Nana Ama A. Sarfo |
Africana and English writing |
Ghana summer 2008 |
Alexandra C. Teale |
Art History |
Ghana fall 2008 |
Lether C. Vavassoeur |
Psychology |
Interest in the region |
Henry Clay Webster |
Political science |
Nigeria and Kenya |
Bezawith Y. Wossene |
Political Science |
Ethiopia, and Ethiopian native |
2008
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
Rachel Ann Barron |
French and Psychology | Peace Corps Guinea 2007-2009 |
Lauren, Dobbin Brooke |
Interest in the region |
|
Tara Constock-Green |
Urban and Africana Studies | Kenya summer 2006 |
Erika Chowa |
Africana Studies | Interest in the region |
Megan E. Davis |
Interest in the region |
|
Marie, Adia Effiong |
Anthropology and Studio Arts | Interest in the region |
Molly, L Ferra |
History and Political Science | Interest in the region |
Laurel, I Friend |
Ghana spring 2008 |
|
Natasha Hoyte |
Microbiology | Tanzania summer 2007 |
Mary Beth, Hutchinson |
English and Religious Studies | Interest in the region |
Sheila, Eka Ema Isong |
Politics and Philosophy | Nigerian native |
Mamothena, Carol Mothupi |
Anthropolgy | South African Native |
Shawna, E McCallin |
Biology and French | Interest in the region |
Abigail, Owens |
English Literature | Interest in the region |
Latosha, A Sanders |
Psychology | Interest in the region |
Jonathan, D Swank |
English | Interest in the region |
Jasmine, Monique Woodson |
English Writing | Interest in the region |
Abigail, L Owens |
English Literature | Interest in the region |
2007
| Names | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
Tahir, U. Abdullah, |
Political Science and Africana Studies |
Independent research Senegal and the Gambia |
Remi, Yewande Ariyo |
Psychology |
Nigerian Native |
Autumn, Renee Burgess |
Film Studies |
Interest in the region |
Kevin, Edward Cox |
Political Science |
Interest in the region |
Sara, Paige Fatell |
Sociology |
Study Abroad Ghana 2006 |
Sheba, K Gittens |
Africana Studies and English Literature |
Senegal 2004 |
Michele, Gwendolyn Greene |
Interest in the region | |
Patrick, L Kiprotich |
Environmental Studies |
Kenya |
Pamela, K Kirkland |
Political Science and Communication |
Interest in the region |
Susan, P Maniwoski |
Economics and Urban Studies |
Study Abroad in South Africa 2006 |
Patrick, Jo Millord |
Neuroscience and Sociology |
Tanzania and Uganda 2006 |
Sarah, Danielle Orgass |
Psychology, Sociology and Political Science |
Interest in the region |
Nicole, A Rearick |
Africana Studies and Anthropology |
Independent study Mombasa Kenya |
Emily, E Trostel |
English Writing and History of art |
Ghana summer 2004, Kenya and South Africa (semester at sea), spring 2005 and Study Abroad in Mali summer 2006
|
Allison, Tiffany Walker |
Anthropology and Psychology |
Study Abroad Ghana 2006 |
Natia, Lashae Williams |
Psychology |
Interest in the region |
Pamela, S Wint |
History of art |
Interest in the region |
2006
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
Deborah, E Allison |
English and Public Relations |
Interest in the region |
Chinyere Anyanwu |
Communication |
Nigerian native |
Leah Baldwin |
English Literature |
Interest in the region |
Shanika Brown |
Africana Studies and Political Science |
Interest in the region |
Benjamin, S Case |
Anthropology and Political Science |
Kenya fall 2004 and semester at sea, Kenya and Tanzania spring 2005 |
Hilery Farrell |
English |
Interest in the region |
Ndjamina, Angelika Johnson |
Chemistry and Biology |
Interest in the region |
Jesicca, M Kubiak |
English and Computer Literature |
Interest in the region |
Kiley, Jade Kunselman |
Anthropology |
Interest in the region |
Emily, M Lovallo |
Chemistry |
Interest in the region |
Riedolia Monique Moore-Ellis |
English Literature |
Interest in the region |
Erin, Elizabeth Morgan |
History and Studio Arts |
Interest in the region |
Rebecca, Ann Mrljak |
Anthropology and Linguistics |
Interest in the region |
Harlyn, Jabbar Owens |
Chemistry |
Interest in the region |
Jamie, Christine Pelusi |
Social Work |
Interest in the region |
William, J Schlachter |
History and English Writing |
Interest in the region |
Katherine, Emily Shuler |
History |
Interest in the region |
Bahdua Sirleaf |
Interdisciplinary studies |
Interest in the region |
Anna, A Vitriol |
Africana Studies and Anthropology |
Interest in the region |
Amanda, M Wertz |
History |
Interest in the region |
Alison, Todd West |
Sociology |
Interest in the region |
Megan, Wilcox |
English and International Studies |
Interest in the region |
Ashley, N Williams |
English Literature |
Interest in the region |
Laura, C Yealy |
Psychology and English Literature |
Interest in the region |
Meghan, Elizabeth Young |
Political Science and History |
Interest in the region |
Lesmarie, A Singleton |
Public Service |
Interest in the region |
2005
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
Agnes, Munaku Aboka |
Africana Studies |
Zimbabwe native |
Amarty Daniel |
Political Science |
Ethiopia summer 2004 |
Yemsrach Dessalegn |
Information Science |
Ethiopia summer 2004 |
Darren, Phillip Dixon |
Urban Studies and Political Science |
South Africa summer 2004 |
Jasmin, N Dobson |
Film Studies |
Interest in the region |
Leah Anne Ghoston |
Sociology |
Interest in the region |
David T Gourley |
Political Science & History |
Kenya spring 2004 |
LaChelle, Green Ellonda |
Psychology |
Interest in the region |
Tiffany, Imani Green |
English Writing |
Interest in the region |
Gary B Hudson |
Interdisciplinary |
Interest in the region |
Charis Jones |
Africana Studies |
Interest in the region |
Autumn Long |
Anthropology |
Interest in the region |
Kianga Mungai |
Political Science |
Tanzania spring 2004 |
Peter O Okemwa |
Public Administration |
Uganda spring 2003 |
Razwel R Reed |
Communication |
Interest in the region |
Monique Rogers |
Information Science |
Interest in the region |
Edward S Smith |
Political Science |
Interest in the region |
Kharee, H Staten |
English Writing |
Interest in the region |
Jamal-Francis Tariq |
History & Political Science |
Interest in the region |
Nickki Lee Weyant |
Urban Studies |
Interest in the region |
2004
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
Michelle Anita Agostini |
English Writing & Urban Studies |
Ghana August 2002-April 2003 |
Abolaji Awosogba |
History & Political Science |
Ghana 1994, Nigerian native |
Bryan Bancrof |
English Literature |
Interest in the region |
Paula Bell |
Anthropology |
Kenya summer 2003 |
Bernic, Kate |
General Studies |
Interest in the region |
David Brown |
Anthropology |
South Africa summer 2003 |
Bruce, Q. Naquana |
Africana Studies |
South Africa summer 2003 |
History and Political Science |
Zambia summer 2003 | |
Cole, Tabia J. |
History |
Interest in the region |
Carla Daniels |
Physics and Secondary Education |
Interest in the region |
Dehanna, A Daughty |
Psychology |
Interest in the region |
Angela, K Davis, |
Pol Science & Philosophy |
Interest in the region |
Daren, A Ellerbee |
Communications |
Interest in the region |
Ross Farrell |
Urban Studies and Sociology |
Interest in the region |
Daniel Feller |
Urban Studies |
Interest in the region |
Holly Ann Fenner |
Sociology |
Interest in the region |
Stephanie, M Fernandez |
Cultural Anthropology |
Interest in the region |
Heather Gadonniex |
Environmental Studies |
Interest in the region |
Allison Hahn |
Political Science & Philosophy |
Interest in the region |
Kenneth, B Henderson |
Social Science |
Interest in the region |
Brandiese, E. Jacobs |
Microbiology |
Interest in the region |
Raymond Merriweather |
Psychology |
Interest in the region |
Shereena, S Morrow |
Africana Studies |
Interest in the region |
Steven, D Narumo |
Engineering |
Interest in the region |
Christopher, D Nolan |
Political Science |
Interest in the region |
Johnson Oluwakemi |
History & Political Science |
Interest in the region |
Inola Hector Pamphile |
French Literature |
Interest in the region |
Nidirha D Rogers |
Political Science |
Interest in the region |
Sabrina Spipher |
English Writing |
Interest in the region |
Athena Whiting |
Economics |
Interest in the region |
2003
| Name | Degree Program | African Affiliation |
Nkaiso Akpabio |
History and English writing |
Interest in the region |
Rachel Brinson |
Africana and Sociology |
Senegal and Gambia May - August 2002 |
Jeana Carlins |
Sociology |
Interest in the region |
Raheem, R Dawson |
Film & communications |
Interest in the region |
Michael Idiokitas Doe |
Communications and History |
Liberia and South Africa |
Eleazer, Kelly |
Computer Science |
Interest in the region |
Flint, Jason |
Journalism |
Interest in the region |
Ayanna Christine Fortson |
Psychology |
Interest in the region |
Danielle Hamner |
Sociology |
Interest in the region |
Kierstin Homblette |
Anthropology |
Interest in the region |
Risi Marie Johnson |
Interdisciplinary |
Interest in the region |
William, Edward Louey |
Interdisciplinary |
Interest in the region |
Tendai Matambanadzo |
Information Science |
Zimbabwe Native |
Folasade Olowude |
Biology |
Nigeria |
Josephine Mary Paolello |
Anthropology |
Kenya |
Meghan Rice |
Spanish |
Uganda summer 2001 |
Shaunika Robinson |
Communication |
Interest in the region |
Deshan Sewell |
Urban Studies |
Interest in the region |
Michele Lynn Steenson |
Anthropology |
Interest in the region |
Altavese Terrill |
Urban Studies |
Interest in the region |
2002
Name |
Degree Program |
African Affiliation |
Shanna Ardis |
English Writing |
Interest in the region |
Stacey A Atkins |
Political Science |
Interest in the region |
Ariel BenYishay |
Political Science and Philosophy |
Kenya summer 2001 |
Selena, M Brown |
Africana Studies |
Interest in the region |
Jay, H Dworin |
Political science |
South African summer 2001 |
Abimbola Fakinlade |
Africana Studies |
Nigeria |
Andrea, L Girvan |
Sociology |
Interest in the region |
Jamel Idris |
Africana and History |
Interest in the region |
Courtney Martz |
French |
Interest in the region |
Mofoluwaso, Olowude |
Computer Science |
Interest in the region |
Emmanuel, Onosode |
Political Science |
Interest in the region |
Smana, Pamphile |
Religious Studies |
Senegal 2001 |
Keisha, N Senior |
Psychology |
Interest in the region |
Beth, M Strittmatter |
Anthropology |
Interest in the region |
Tara, N Turman |
Africana and History |
Interest in the region |
Shayna, J Watson |
Political Science and Africana Studies |
Interest in the region |