Beverly Bond was announced as the new director of The University of Memphis African/African-American Studies program Monday night.
The program was approved three years ago and is an interdisciplinary approach to many issues facing Africans and African-Americans.
“I am very interested in and committed to this program,” Bond said. “I think it shows a great deal of promise to bring people together, not only to talk, but also to do some real scholarly work.”
Students can minor in the program or major for a bachelor’s degree. It takes 30 hours to major in African/African-American Studies.
There are three core courses offered along with many other special topics courses. These include images of Africans in art, historical culture studies, African and African-Americans in business, Cultural Health Economics, interracial communications and African-American rhetoric.
“My vision for the African and African-American program is to really stress the African side,” Bond said. “What are the roots and origins of African-American culture?”
Bond plans to push for The U of M to offer a master’s degree.
“I think that would benefit the Memphis community greatly,” she said. “For teachers who are already out there to be able to come back and learn about this area would be great.”
Bond, who has taught history at The U of M for seven years, said she plans to stress visibility while she is director since many students do not know they can get a major or minor in this area.
“We want to turn out students who know what the world is like,” she said. “The most important thing is that we send out students who are comfortable with the world outside of Memphis.”
Bond and her faculty members want to establish a program that students want to be involved in. This includes sponsoring various campus events as well as the study abroad program.
The study abroad program within the African/African-American program currently consists of two opportunities. The summer programs, which are directed by history professor Dennis Laumann, go to Ghana and Jamaica.
Bond earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at then Memphis State University before attending Columbia University, where she earned a master’s degree in education. She returned to The U of M to get her doctorate in history.
In 2002, Bond was given the distinguished teaching award well as the College of Arts and Sciences teacher’s award.
