This year, I actively participated in several service committees, beginning with my role on the search committee for three faculty hires within our department. As a committee member, my responsibilities included reviewing applications, participating in interviews and candidate dreaming sessions, and hosting candidates by coordinating hotel pickups and airport drop-offs. Additionally, I attended multiple faculty dinners to engage with prospective hires and contributed to follow-up discussions regarding final selections. Ultimately, the search process resulted in three offers being accepted! This experience was a rewarding opportunity to help shape the department’s future and strengthen collaborations with colleagues. However, it was also a time intensive commitment, spanning from October to March and requiring a significant amount of time, attention, and presence.

Beyond the hiring committee, I served as the co-chair for the HARP Exhibition and Performance Panel within the College of Arts and Sciences, working alongside Susan Bonner from the Art and Design Department. as co-chairs, we were responsible for coordinating discussions among reviewers for three different grants: The Harp Development Grant, HARP Production Grant, and HARP Production (II) Grant. In this role we facilitated panel discussions assessed applications, and submitted final reports to Dr. Charles A. Hasemann, Associate VP for Innovation & Economic Development. These grants focused on performance and exhibitions, supporting both large-scale productions and emerging scholars. Next year, I will transition into the chair position for this grant.

Additionally, I served as chair of the department’s Faculty Engagement Community, where I facilitated discussions on fostering faculty collegiality. This year, we prioritized building community through play and intellectual intimacy, organizing activities such as double-dutch and hand games while also encouraging faculty to share their scholarly writing for feedback.

I also continue to serve as the faculty advisor for MSU’s NAACP student organization, a role that has demanded far more time and effort that I initially anticipated, particularly in working to reactivate the chapter on campus. Due to challenges in the current political climate, it has been difficult to get national leaders in the organization to prioritize the reactivation process. As a result, I have had tot take on a more active presence within the organization, since students are unable to host events or engage in official activities without my approval. A major challenge has been the lack of clear communication from the national office, which began to take a toll on students’ morale. To address this, I organized a dinner for the interim executive board to share their concerns and frustrations, and I later escalated these issues by engaging directly with Mr. Harold Pope, President of the Lansing Branch, and Mrs. Yvonne White, President of the State. These discussions, often held late into the evening, helped resolve outstanding administrative issues, clear up necessary balances, and reestablish communication with national office. As a result we increased membership to over 25 students, making the chapter eligible for reactivation. We now have an official election scheduled for this month, marking the final step in reactivating the chapter and ensuring that students can fully engage in the organization’s work. This experience reflects my deep commitment to social justice and my dedication to supporting students both within and outside of the department.

I was also awarded a $5000 Site Visit Grant from the Office of Education Abroad, the College of Arts and Letters, and the Department of African American Studies to visit the University of Ghana Accra. The goal of this visit was to formalize a partnership between Michigan State University and the University of Ghana. During my week-long visit, I met with several key figures including the Head of the Department for the School of Performing Arts, Dr. Deborah Atobrah of the Center for Gender Studies and Advocacy, the Director of the Ph.D. Program in African Studies at the Institute of African Studies, and representatives from International Studies Abroad regarding their Ghana to the World Program. The visit was centered on establishing a formalized student exchange program between graduate students at the Institute of African Studies, the Center for Gender Studies and Advocacy, and our soon-to-be-launched doctoral program in the Department of African American and African Studies at MSU. Following these meetings, I have begun the paperwork to submit the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to the Office of Education Abroad, with the goal of finalizing the program by spring or summer 2026, allowing our first cohort of students to visit Ghana by summer 2026 or 2027. Although, I fell ill during my visit and was hospitalized, I am grateful that I was still able to complete all of my scheduled meetings and generate great enthusiasm about this partnership.

Additionally, I continue to support students in their academic and professional pursuits by writing numerous letters of recommendation for those applying to graduate programs. I am please to share that many of these students have been accepted into their respective programs, and I remain committed to advocating for their academics success.

I also continue to foster collegial relationships outside of the department by participating in informal gatherings, such as line dancing and hustle classes that department members attended last month or participating in the department’s group panel at the National Women’s Studies Association Conference that was held in Detroit, Michigan. Furthermore, I have engaged in other informal acts of care with colleagues such as groups text threads to discuss favorite television shows, birthday party gatherings, and small love offerings left on people’s desks to express my gratitude. These activities serve as meaningful way to build community and strengthen connections with colleagues in a relaxed setting.

Lastly, I took on the role of co-mentor for Dr. Mabingo Alfdaniels of Makerere University, who is the first scholar in Uganda to receive a PhD in Dance Studies. Through the African Alliance for Partnership (AAP), I collaborate with Dr. Joanna Bosse, Professor of Ethnomusicology and Dance Studies, to support Dr. Daniels in his research, teaching, and creative development. He is a recipient of the African Futures Grant, which provides early-career researchers from partnered African universities the opportunity to engage in a year-long mentorship with senior faculty at Michigan State and their home institutions. As part of this exchange, Dr. Daniels will spend four months at MSU (September-December), where Professor Bosse and I will co-develop a structured mentorship plan, assist with his project, and provide guidance on his academic trajectory. To further deepen this collaboration, we also plan to visit his host institution.

Through these various service roles, I have contributed to faculty recruitment, departmental community-building, university-wide grant administration, international partnerships, and student mentorship, each of which has enriched both my professional engagement and the broader academic community.

Site Visit: University of Ghana, Summer 2024

Dr. Kofi Anthonio, Dance Department, School of the Performing Arts

Dr. Deborah, Director of the Center for Gender Studies and Advocacy