Looking toward the future, Dr. Afoaku aspires to continue spurring the prevailing American culture toward fostering further improvements in race relations and equity as a whole.
BLOOMINGTON, IN, April 03, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Oyibo H. Afoaku, PhD, has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Hailing from over three decades of experience in her chosen field, Dr. Afoaku has earned distinction through her work as an author, administrator, community organizer, consultant, and educator. Motivated by a passion for fostering the best practices in diversity, equity and inclusion, she has leveraged an impressive array of skills while working to increase organizational efficiency and responsiveness across the span of her career. Presently, Dr. Afoaku serves as a scholarship and engagement consultant on behalf of the Hudson and Holland Scholars Program at Indiana University, Bloomington (IU Bloomington.) In this capacity, she is responsible for providing data support and research expertise regarding program scholarships, as well as working closely with students to monitor their academic progress and make improvements when necessary, among other duties to her credit.
Prior to her current role, Dr. Afoaku worked as a student access coordinator at the Accessibility Resource Office for Indiana State University in Terre Haute, where she availed herself on behalf of students living with disabilities and ensured that reasonable accommodations could be made for them. She had previously worked as a lecturer on African society and culture at IU Bloomington, where she specialized in teaching the language and culture of the Igbo people of Nigeria. Among her other accomplishments at IU Bloomington, she served as part of the special professional task staff on residential programs and services from 2007 until 2008, and as the inaugural director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center from 2002 to 2007. During this time, she was responsible for hiring culture center staff and collaborating with stakeholders to develop educational programs for low-income and first-generation college students. Before joining the staff at IU Bloomington, Dr. Afoaku worked as an assistant director at the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center at the University of Northern Colorado between 1994 and 2001.
Outside of her primary endeavors, Dr. Afoaku has distinguished herself as a community organizer and leader. To wit, she maintains her affiliation with a number of worthy causes, including as the founder and president of chapter 810 of Woman's Life and the founder of both Volunteers in Education and the Harambee Group of Bloomington – the latter being a community-wide potluck and forum for conversation. Dr. Afoaku has also been a member of Noah's Ark Bloomington, the Bloomington Black Strategic Alliance and the Global Dialogue Initiative. Furthermore, to remain aware of developments in her vocation, she remains active with the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education, the American Association of University Women, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, to name only a few.
Dr. Afoaku's performance in the field was born of her academic journey, which began at Washington State University. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in history and a Washington State Initial Teaching Certificate, she went on to attend the University of Northern Colorado, from which she earned a Master of Arts in history in 2001. Following this accomplishment, she attained a Doctor of Philosophy in educational leadership at Indiana State University in 2015. Extensively qualified in her field, Dr. Afoaku has completed a variety of certifications in professional staff development, human resources, legal compliance, alcohol and drug counseling and IRB training, among others.
Well-regarded for her accomplishments across the span of her career, Dr. Afoaku's published works include "Black Women and the Struggle Against Apartheid in South Africa," which was released in 2023. She also penned "African-born Female Professionals in American Higher Education" in 2015. To commemorate her numerous achievements, she has been bestowed with several accolades, including two Awards of Appreciation from the African Students' Association, an International Women's Award from Zeta Phi Beta, a Building Bridges Award from the Weld Citizen Action Network, a Certificate of Appreciation from the Greeley Human Relations Commission and an Award of Recognition for her role in founding the Annual Weld World Festival.
In accounting for her success, Dr. Afoaku largely credits the influence of her family, under whose tutelage she richly benefited. Likewise, she is grateful to have formed numerous fruitful connections with the right people, who encouraged her to go above and beyond what was expected of her. Though her professional journey has been filled with many memorable moments, she is especially proud to have exerted a positive impact on the lives of her students, many of whom have gone on to pursue successful careers in their own right. Looking toward the future, Dr. Afoaku aspires to continue spurring the prevailing American culture toward fostering further improvements in race relations and equity as a whole.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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