PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (April 8, 2021) – Armed with a breadth of personal and professional experience, Godlove Fonjweng, Ph.D., joins Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) as the executive director of International & Intercultural Programs.

Godlove Fonjweng, Ph.D.

Godlove Fonjweng, Ph.D.

Tasked with internationalizing PVAMU, Dr. Fonjweng will draw on his 22 years of professional service in higher education as well as his personal experience of completing a Ph.D. in geology as an international student from Cameroon.

“I have broad and relevant experience in higher education that has helped to shape my approach to campus internationalization,” Fonjweng said. “My experiences as an undergraduate international student and a professional in higher education have shaped my understanding of the situations faced by our international students, faculty, and staff as I draw on my own early and recent experiences in carrying out my duties at PVAMU.”

Before joining PVAMU, Fonjweng served as assistant provost of Global Education & Field Studies at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York. He led Hartwick’s internationalization efforts and oversaw and taught in Hartwick’s Honors Program.

One of Fonjweng’s overarching strategies at PVAMU is to create an enabling environment for internationalization to thrive on campus through effective collaborative engagements with various campus stakeholders. The overall goal is to prepare students for an increasingly interconnected world by focusing on enhanced global competence.

Initially, in his new role, he will identify key program stakeholders on campus, understand the systems and processes, and determine the scope of the university’s new B—GLOBAL program, which he will help implement.

“I have a strong affinity for HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and I really relished the prospect of being part of the implementation of the B—GLOBAL program,” Fonjweng said. “Many in my field only dream of the possibility of being part of such an important campus internationalization initiative.”

Fonjweng and his team will also continue navigating study abroad operations amidst COVID-19 shutdowns. In the interim, they have developed virtual international programs for students to experience.

“Now that more people are getting vaccinated, we are looking forward to when international education travel can safely resume,” he said. “First, we must do our part to defeat this virus by following all CDC guidelines and hope that the virus is under control in the study destinations because the international destinations have to be ready to receive us. This just points to the interconnectedness of our world — our success depends on the success of others.”

When international travel resumes, Fonjweng expects to grow the number of students and faculty participating in international programs.

“I expect the B —GLOBAL program to increase interest in international programs well beyond the incoming student cohort because, as it is commonly said, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats,’” Fonjweng said. “You can also expect to see an introduction of new programs designed to enhance our internationalization efforts.”

Fonjweng and his team are also in the process of reorganizing their physical space to better support upcoming programming.

“You can expect to see us partnering with various campus stakeholders to develop and deliver intercultural programs that reflect the belief that our diversity is our strength,” he said. “We need to take pride in our cultures and celebrate each other. We will be returning to this theme over and over again.”

Fonjweng says he’s excited to settle into the Lone Star State. After enduring Texas’ historic freeze a few weeks into the job, he is now enjoying the state’s typical weather.

“I love warm weather,” he said. “I was born in Cameroon, where we have two seasons — hot and hotter — so I am comfortable here.”

Previously, Fonjweng served as assistant dean for Academic Advising at the University of Pennsylvania, special assistant to the provost and director of Academic Advising at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, assistant professor of Earth and Environmental Science at Philadelphia University, and adjunct faculty at the University of Pennsylvania.

By Kendall Hebert

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