An 'Academic Olympic Gold Medal': Dr. Zekeh Gbotokuma Speaks About His Promotion to Full Professor
BALTIMORE, Sept. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a letter dated March 14, 2025, Morgan State University's President David Wilson wrote:
"Dear Dr. Gbotokuma:
After careful evaluation of your materials, you have been granted promotion to Professor in the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies, in the College of Liberal Arts, effective Fall 2025. Congratulations on the success of your achievements in the areas of teaching, research, and service. Thank you for the contributions you have made to MSU […]." On May 9, 2025, the Office of the Provost welcomed Gbotokuma and other newly promoted professors to a "Celebrating Your Success" event during which the Provost and the College of Liberal Arts Dean presented a plaque with the lettering, "Dr. Zekeh Gbotokuma. Professor. Congratulations! – August 2025 –." This highest academic award is comparable to an athlete's Olympic Gold Medal, since 'Full Professor' is the highest rank for faculty members who have demonstrated sustained excellence in their teaching effectiveness, scholarly/creative output, and service to the university. Full professorship is a milestone earned by after going through the ranks of Instructor, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor.
Dr. Gbotokuma submitted his application for Full Professor in September 2024 after a deliberate transit in France to witness the Paris 2024 Olympics Inauguration. His final destination was Rome, Italy, where he participated in the 25th World Congress of Philosophy (https://ereleases.com/y/nhbz), the largest gathering of philosophers, and a 'medal-less academic Olympiad.'
Dr. Gbotokuma's rise from Assistant to Associate Professor was an easy one. But things were not the same due to many reasons. For example, serving for ten years as director of the Center for Global Studies while teaching two courses made it difficult to do serious research and publish. Poor documentation, missing deadlines, and not investing sufficient time in the preparation of the application dossier played a big role in his unsuccessful applications. Learning from these problems and showing confidence in the Application Cover Letter led to success. Believe it or not, authoring an award-winning book was very helpful. Reference is to OBAMANOMICS AND FRANCISCONOMICS (2022) that won three international literary awards (https://ereleases.com/y/lkxa).
"I am because we are" (African Proverb). Gbotokuma's success is not purely personal enterprise. He acknowledges benefiting from the collaboration and helping hands numerous families, friends, and colleagues, many of whom taught him to believe in himself. Special thanks go to the following eminent Professors who took him under their wings by writing recommendation letters and prefaces to some of his books: Professors Bokamba Eyamba (University of Illinois); Henry Louis Gates (Harvard), V.Y. Mudimbe (Duke University, may he rest in peace), and John Murungi (Towson University). Another round of Thank You goes to Morgan's various APT Committees as well as Dept. Chair M. B.-Cocoves, CLA Dean M. N'gom, and Provost Yungtao Yu. Their positive recommendations led to President Wilson's final decision. Last but not least, Thank You to my wife Madeleine.
Dr. Zekeh GBOTOKUMA is a cosmocitizen, globetrotter, polyglot, and lexicographer. Born in D.R. Congo, he lived and studied in Europe before migrating to the U.S. He is one of "the Key Figures in the African Intellectual Revolution" (QUORA), an AFRO's WHO'S WHO IN BLACK BALTIMORE 2025 Honoree; one of Afrimpact Magazine's 100 Most Influential People Awards 2007 & 2021 recipients; The DR. SANDYE JEAN MCINTYRE, II INTERNATIONAL AWARD 2008 winner; Founder of Polyglots in Action for Diversity, Inc. (PAD), and an award-winning author. Cosmoportism is his Philosophy of International Education. His publications include, inter alia, OBAMANOMICS AND FRANCISCONOMICS; Global Safari; A Pan African Encyclopedia, etc.
CONTACT:
Dr. Zekeh Gbotokuma
[email protected]
443 622 3033
SOURCE Dr. Zeekeh Gbotokuma
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