Kenyan scholar wins coveted US award

By Roseleen Nzioka

Dr Peter Kareithi, a Kenyan has won the coveted prize for excellence in Faculty Teaching from the US Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools (NAGS).

NAGS Executive Committee member, Sandra Holley presented the award to Kareithi at the association’s annual meeting at the University of Delaware in the US.

The don is an associate professor of humanities and communication and coordinator of the communications programmes at Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg, USA.

He was pronounced this year’s recipient of the NAGS Graduate Faculty Teaching Award – Master’s Level for 2009 in recognition of his outstanding teaching and exemplary mentoring of graduate students. In her strong letter of nomination, Graduate Dean Eva Pell said:

"We are nominating Dr Kareithi for this award because of his outstanding contributions to master’s students at so many levels: Creative classroom education that also incorporates state-of-the-art technologies, experienced education that translates academic perspectives into practical experience in the field, outstanding mentoring/coaching on academic issues and role modelling/ mentoring that advances far beyond the academic area."

Prior to entering academia, Kareithi worked as a journalist in Africa, Europe and the United States.

News Editor

He began his professional career in Kenya, where he was news editor with the Daily Nation. He was also a correspondent for several British and US news organisations. His articles were published in the ‘Washington Post’, the ‘Boston Globe’ and the ‘Cape Cod Times’.

Kareithi is not a stranger to national and even international accolades. He was named Kenya Journalist of the Year in 1980, best Investigative Reporter in 1981, and Best Reporter in 1983. He also won the 1990 international Lillian Hellman-Dashiell Hammett Award presented by the Fund for Free Expression, which honours writers for their courage in defence of free expression.

Faculty members in the Humanities Graduate Program praised Kareithi, saying his impact on students was "electrifying" and transformational. The comments submitted by Kareithi’s students were equally powerful.

Higher Education

NAGS is one of four regional affiliates of the National Council of Graduate Schools and has a membership of 101 US and 21 Canadian institutions of higher education.

Overwhelmed by the news, Kareithi said, "I am happy my style of teaching is acknowledged. It’s what I call a personally engaged student-centred approach in which I try to get to know students not just in the classroom, but also in their lives outside of class. That way, I get to learn where their academic and personal lives intersect. We need to break down power barriers between teacher and student, and although it can be risky, but can also be powerfully productive."

Kareithi says he won the award because of the conducive environment for teaching and learning fostered at Penn State Harrisburg. "The environment truly allows faculty and students to examine issues from multiple perspectives," he said.

In addition to the honor by NAGS, Kareithi was also named this year’s winner of the Penn State Harrisburg Excellence in Teaching Award.