Congratulations to Professor Zakes Mda for the publication of his new novel, Cion. In her story to OU OUTLOOK, Jennifer Krisch said: “The winner of every South African literary prize, Mda is considered to be the most prominent South African writer of his generation.”

Dr. Zakes Mda will be a featured writer at the Ohioana Book Festival in Columbus. He will be participating in a number of readings and panel discussions at the Ohioana Library and in outreach programs at some schools in the Columbus area and at WOSU radio station. On Friday and Saturday (May 15 and 16) Dr. Mda will be one of the ten Ohio writers who are being honored by Ohio First Lady Frances Strickland.

African Studies MA student Bethany Deborde will be spending the 2008 summer at University of Oxford's Refugee Studies Centre's International Summer School in Forced Migration.

Cultural Studies doctoral student Catherine Cutcher participated in a National Science Foundation project during summer 2008 in Kenya. She was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship for dissertation research on informal and popular education among women’s grassroots organizations in Kenya.

Beatrice Selotlegeon, African Business Executive in Residence presented the Success Stories of the African Business at the University of Florida, Gainesville.

School of Media Arts and Studies doctoral student Hala Ibrahim is awarded the Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship. Hala's research is about the role of mass media in peace-building and conflict transformation in Sudan. She will conduct her field research in Sudan and Kenya. Congratulations.