Senior Teaching Faculty of LALIS
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UR’s Ghana Week
November 17-20, 2025
Each November, in recognition of International Education Week, the UR community "meets in another culture" here on campus. This year, our community’s engagement will be with Ghana -- a growing hub of global connection for UR students, faculty, and staff. Scholars and visitors will travel to Richmond to offer their expertise; faculty will align their teaching with topics and themes related to Ghana; and there will be opportunities for everyone to taste the cuisine, hear the music, and learn about our connections to Ghana.
Header image taken by Sherley Arias-Pimentel ‘23 in Tamale, Ghana; Winner of the 2022 Spiders Abroad Photo Contest.
Invited Speakers
Richard Dzikunu,
Senior Programme Officer at YIELD Hub
“Health, Hope, and the Power of Young People in Ghana: Centering Rights and Justice in Tomorrow’s Health Leadership”
Dr. Wunpini Mohammed,
Cornell University
“Ghana to the World: Challenging African Stereotypes One Story at a Time”
Gideon Sarpong,
2023 Pulitzer Center Ocean Reporting Fellow
“Reporting on Climate Change in Ghana and Africa”
Kwaw Kese,
Ghanaian hiplife artist
Discussion and Concert
Pre-Week Engagement Opportunities
Hip-Hop Week
Hosted by Deandra Clarke, Adjunct Instructor of Theatre & Dance
November 4-6
Learn more here.
African Film Festival
A series of African Films including three films from Ghana
November 6-8
November 7 - The Fisherman (2024)
IE Week Programming Calendar
Monday
November
17
GHANAIAN BREAKFAST
Enjoy a variety of breakfast foods from Ghana
7:00-10:30am, @ Heilman Dining Center
Tuesday
November
18
LUNCH BEVERAGE DISPLAY
Try some Ghanaian beverages at lunchtime (while supplies last)
11:30am-1:30pm @ Heilman Dining Center
TALK
“Health, Hope, and the Power of Young People in Ghana: Centering Rights and Justice in Tomorrow’s Health Leadership”
Richard Dzikunu, Senior Programme Officer at YIELD Hub
12:00pm-1:00pm @ the International Commons
DISCUSSION AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
Musical Guest: Kwaw Kese
6:30-8:30pm, @ the Current
Register for the event here.
Wednesday
November
19
TALK
“Ghana to the World: Challenging African Stereotypes One Story at a Time”
Dr. Wunpini Mohammed, Cornell University
12:00pm-1:00pm, @ the International Center Commons
FAIR
IEW Ghana, featuring more than a dozen stations with connections to Ghana
3:30-5:00pm @ Alice Haynes Room, THC
DINNER
Ghanaian Recipes
4:30-8:00pm, @ Heilman Dining Center
Thursday
November
20
CONVERSATION
“Reporting on Climate Change in Ghana and Africa”
Gideon Sarpong, 2023 Pulitzer Center Ocean Reporting Fellow
9:00am - 10:15am, @ Gottwald Auditorium (A001)
Friday
November
21
ECOCHALLENGE
The last day to compete!
See details below
Weeklong Programming
Opportunities to engage at your own pace and timeline
- The Eighth annual Ecochallenge: Register here!
- Library Guide - Curated by Boatwright Memorial Library.
- Display of books written by female Ghanaian authors in Boatwright Memorial Library.
- Music Library - Playlist, Resources, and blog posts
- Dining Hall: Specials Monday-Wednesday
- Passport Café: Weekly special: Chicken & Vegetables with Peanut Sauce over Rice (Vegetarian option includes Eggplant).
- Kente Cloth Exhibition in the International Commons Large Gallery
IEW Fair: Ghana
Richmond’s Many Ties to Ghana
More than a dozen tables/stations will be on display for the fair on Wednesday, November 19, representing a wide variety of Richmond connections to Ghana on such topics as:
Music, sustainability, children’s literature, cuisine, cultural reflection after study abroad, UR study abroad in Ghana, and more!Faculty & Staff Involvement with IEW 2025
Director of Sustainability
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Executive Chef
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Science Librarian
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Head, Parsons Music Library
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Sustainability Communications & Engagement Specialist
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Associate Professor of Biology
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Associate Professor of Geography and the Environment
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Assistant Professor of Health Studies
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Manager, Passport Cafe
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Assistant Professor of Journalism
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Professor of Journalism
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Registered Dietitian
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Irving May Professor of Human Relations, Professor of Sociology
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Professor of Political Science and Global Studies
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Assistant Professor of Analytics & Operations
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Assistant Professor of Rhetoric & Communication Studies
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Director of Residential Dining
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