Professor Nwando Achebe elected to senior leadership role in African Studies Association

March 19, 2025 - Emily Jodway Patyna

The College of Social Science and the Department of History would like to congratulate Nwando Achebe on her recent elevation to the role of Vice President-President Elect of the African Studies Association. Achebe is the Jack and Margaret Sweet Endowed Professor of History, Associate Dean for Access, Faculty Development, and Strategic Implementation in the College of Social Science, and Director of the Office of Institutional Access (OIE).

“I am deeply honored to have been elected Vice President-President Elect of the African Studies Association—the preeminent association of Africanists worldwide,” said Achebe. “This appointment is both a humbling recognition and a call to action. I am committed to serving our vibrant community, advancing critical scholarship, and celebrating Africa’s rich contributions to global culture and knowledge.”

Achebe will serve in the role through 2025, transitioning into the role of President for 2026 and Past President through the end of 2027. She brings to the African Studies Association a wealth of knowledge and experience. She is a 2022-2023 ACE Fellow, founding editor-in-chief of Journal of West African History, co-director of Christie and Chinua Achebe Foundation, and co-CEO of Achebe Masterworks. She is also an elected member of the Nigerian Academy of Letters. Her research interests involve the use of oral history in the study of women, gender, and sexuality in Nigeria. 

Dr. Achebe has received a number of other prestigious grants including awards from Rockefeller Foundation, Woodrow Wilson, Fulbright-Hays, Ford Foundation, the World Health Organization, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. She received the 2020 Inspirational Women of the Year (professional achievement category); was named one of “Nigeria’s 100 Most Inspiring Women For 2021“; received Michigan State University’s highest award for academic achievement, the William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award (2021); and the 2023 Distinguished Africanist award from the NY State African Studies Association. 

Established in 1957, the African Studies Association is devoted to enhancing the exchange of information about Africa. With almost 2,000 individual and institutional members worldwide, the membership organization encourages the production and dissemination of knowledge about Africa, past and present. The ASA is based in the United States and aims to cultivate a better understanding of the continent, taking a holistic approach to its areas of focus. This includes all facets of Africa’s political, economic, social, cultural, artistic, scientific, and environmental landscapes.