University Faculty Member Shares Extensive Knowledge from Africa to US From Cameroon, West Africa, to Austin, Texas, Dr. Wawa Ngenge, Chair of the John Sperling School of Business Graduate Programs and of the College of Information Systems and Technology at the University's Austin Campus, is a miracle worker of sorts. He finds ways to bring people together, enhance diversity, and develop programs to improve their economic, social, and educational status—whether those individuals hail from continents as diverse as Africa or from the United States.
Prior to joining the faculty at University of Phoenix, Ngenge served in various capacities with the Government of Cameroon in its Ministry of Agriculture. He was responsible for researching and creating policies that supported all agricultural and rural development in Cameroon.
"I worked with international agencies such as the World Bank, World Food Program and other foreign governments to build relationships and survey and process data using real-world knowledge to enhance agricultural and other types of development policies in Cameroon," he said.
Later, as a staff member of the United Nations Development Program in Cameroon and a consultant for the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Ngenge helped initiate projects to bring Internet technology into schools throughout Africa through SchoolNet Africa where he was a founding board member.
"The Internet was a new thing in the 1990s, and I shared research and information with governments, non-profit organizations, businesses, as well as schools, to show them that by increasing access to information through the Internet, they would greatly improve their overall operational success and make better decisions about development," Ngenge said. "Through SchoolNet Africa, we reached out to 25 different countries to bring computers and Internet technology into the schools; I am very proud of that accomplishment."
Ngenge found the transition from Africa and his work in technology there, to the United Sates and University of Phoenix, a seamless one.
"University of Phoenix intrigued me because of its use of extensive computer technology," he said. "The University was doing things with technology that no one else, to my knowledge, was doing, and I wanted to be a part of that."
Fortunately for University of Phoenix – Austin, Ngenge moved to the area and began doing what he had done for decades in West Africa—bringing people together and creating programs to benefit education.
As a lifetime member of the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA, http://austinblackmba.org), he helped launch the local Austin chapter's Leaders of Tomorrow program, a leadership training and mentorship program in which Chapter members, University faculty, students, employees, and other volunteers reach out to minority high school students to assist with their socialization, academic and leadership skills.
"Through this program, we are able to share information about a quality university education, professional development, and career management with underserved population groups," Ngenge said. "These students have leadership qualities, but may need additional motivation and mentoring to reach their full potential."
In its inaugural year in 2008, the Leaders of Tomorrow group already had 18 students involved, one of whom was selected for a national leadership training program in Washington, D.C. The program also organized a College and Career Expo that attracted 50 students and their parents, at which the program awarded five college scholarships to high school students from the area. Now in its second year, the program has 30 active students whose futures look brighter because of their participation in the program.
"The partnership between University of Phoenix and the National Black MBA Association is a perfect fit because we can work together to help these students realize their fullest potential and become our future leaders within the community," Ngenge said.