Meet our Majors & Minors

MAJORS

Shenaille Beckley [C'15]

"Shenaille Beckley is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences pursuing a double major in Anthropology and African Studies. From Brooklyn, New York, she is the President of the African American Arts Alliance, the Makuu Black Cultural Center Outreach Coordinator, a Campus Campaign Coordinator for Teach for America and is involved in Ase Academy and a lifelong member of the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America." 

Kyle Morales [C'15]

"Kyle Morales is a senior from Sacramento. In addition to African Studies, he is also majoring in Political Science. He is a member of Penn's Men's Club Soccer and an avid AS Roma fan." 

Arame Niang [C'16]

"Arame Niang is a junio majoring in International Relations adn African Studies. She was born and raised in Harlem, NYC. Both her parents are from Senegal so she is very much in tune with Senegalese culture. She speaks wolof and loves her wax print dresses and most of all Senegalese food! Her favorite dish is Chebou Jenn (Jollof Rice  with fish), which Kilimandjaro Restaurant in West Philly does a good job in preparing. She has been blessed with the opportunity to visit her family in Senegal, engage in a some international development studies in Ghana, and spent four months abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. She has documented her journeys through her favorite medium: Fashion. She has a blog that shares her style as well as the different styles that she has witnessed while abroad: proletariatfashion.tumblr.com." 

Hannah Watene [C'16]

'Hannah Watene is from Louisville, Kentucky. She is currently a junior in the College, double majoring in International Relations and African Studies. She loves to travel - this past summer, she traveled to Ghana for a month with the International Development Summer Institute (IDSI), and during this 2015 spring semester she is studying abroad in Iringa, Tanzania, to continue Swahili, which she's been studying since freshman year thanks to courses offered by The Africa Center.'

MINORS

Kevin Rugamba [C'15]

"Kevin Rugamba is a Ugandan/Canadian born in Mombasa, Kenya, but that has also lived in Cote d'Ivoire, Tunisia, and Mozambique. He is an International Relations major and is also minoring in French. His main academic and career interests revolve around development in both the education and governance sectors on the African continent. He is also an avid musician. You can catch him drumming as part of the African Rhythms drum and dance troupe on Penn's campus." 

Olivia Route [C'15]

"Olivia Route is a senior in the college who hails from Anchorage, Alaska. She is a double major in International Relation and Russian, and very happily minoring in African Studies! Olivia likes hiking, running, performing arts, and comedy. She is interested in working in International Development or Aid in either the former Soviet Union or the African continent." 

Ibukunoluwa Oni [C'15]

"Ibukunoluwa (Ibk) is a senior in SAS, majoring in Health and Societies. She was born and raised in Nigeria until the age of 7 when she moved to the United States. She has spent most of my life living in New Jersey. She's interested in ways to enhance the health care system within Nigeria."

Kerubo Mokaya [C'15]

"Winnie Kerubo Mokaya is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in International Relations with minors in Economic Policy and African Studies.  She is interested in development consulting with a keen focus on the African continent.  Kerubo grew up in Nairobi West, spending most of her primary and secondary years of schooling in the Dagoretti region of Nairobi, Kenya. She enjoys traveling and has been to France and Botswana. Her activities on campus involve Amnesty international, Christian Association, Penn African Students Association, and Black Wharton Undergraduate Association."

Deqa Farah [C'15]

"Deqa is a senior from Ottawa, Canada. She is majoring in International Relations with a minor in African Studies. Her academic interests include international development, particularly political, economic and legal development in post-conflict Africa. She enjoys creative writing and film documentaries."  

Alemtsehay Zeru [C'15]

"Alemtsehay, who goes by Meron, is a senior in the College majoring in Health & Societies with a concentration in Health Care Markets & Finance, and minoring in African Studies. She was born in Sudan and raised in Minnesota. She is Ethiopian and hopes to positively impact Ethiopia's health care system in the future. She is also interested in immigrant advocacy, especially advocacy related to undocumented immigrants. She hopes to attend medical school in the future."  

Kwadwo Agyapong [C'16]

"Kwadwo is a junior majoring in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) with a minor in African Studies. From Long Island, New York, he is the son of Ghanian immigrants with an interest in Government/Public Policy, Sports & Entertainment Law and Marketing/Retail."