Michigan University honours Prof. Naana Opoku Agyemang

The Board of Trustees of the Grand Valley State University, Michigan, USA, has conferred a degree of Doctors of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) upon Professor Naana Jane S. Opoku-Agyemang, the Minister of Education, in recognition of her service.

The ceremony took place during the 2014 commencement of the University on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at the Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.

A citation presented to her read, “Dr Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang – as Minister for Education of Ghana, you are a fearless advocate for education, the essential ingredient for human progress. Recognised early in life as a superb student, you have been a Fulbright Scholar, the Chief Executive of your alma mater and the first woman to be named Vice Chancellor. Your life’s journey, as both student and professor, took you to universities in Ghana, Canada, and the United States. You are a strong voice for human rights and access to education across the globe.

Your personal dedication to the partnership between the University of Cape Coast and the Grand Valley State University has enabled students and faculty from each institution to study and learn at the other. It stands as one of Grand Valley State University’s oldest and most vibrant of collaborations,” it said.

Background

It will be recalled that in 2010, Prof. Naana J. S. Opoku-Agyemang received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) from the University of the West Indies, Barbados as a scholar, educator and administrator of world-class distinction, a woman of multiple talents and accomplishments.

In 2011, she received another honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (DLitt) from the Winston Salem State University for outstanding research into the African Diaspora, with special emphasis on resistance to enslavement. 

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang is the recipient of the Global Leadership Award from the South Florida University.

She has served on the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and has recently been invited to the Global Advisory Council of World Learning Inc., USA.