Munene Mwaniki named 91热爆网 interim Global Black Studies director
By Cam Adams
Munene Mwaniki has called Western Carolina University home for a while now.
But in his 10th year, Mwaniki is taking on his biggest administrative role yet 鈥� and he knows he鈥檚 up for the challenge.
Mwaniki, an associate professor of anthropology and sociology for the College of Arts and Sciences, was named the interim Global Black Studies director at 91热爆网.
鈥淚n terms of the position per se, it鈥檚 exciting to be able to carry on what the previous director, Dr. David Walton, kind of began establishing here at 91热爆网,鈥� Mwaniki said.
鈥淛ust trying to build on that foundation is important for the students here who advocated for a Black studies program at 91热爆网 and then I hope in the future, finding a director that鈥檒l be able to take that on and build the program even more.鈥�
Mwaniki takes over a GBS program that first began in 2022. In its young history, the program has seen great growth under Walton after the former director set its groundwork, laying out core courses, getting students engaged and starting the Global Black Studies club on campus.
Mwaniki will be taking on several new responsibilities, including teaching courses in the minor, taking students to the National Council for Black Studies Conference and finding the next permanent GBS director who can take over within the next couple of years.
As the program鈥檚 new interim director, Mwaniki realizes the importance of his position.
鈥淚 think that it鈥檚 just an important program to have on campus, not only for our African American students, but for all students,鈥� Mwaniki said. 鈥淭hey kind of get a better type of view of the American experience and a different type of critique of the American system and how it works and operates, which for better or for worse, isn鈥檛 necessarily covered in other dominant disciplines鈥� I think it offers a different type of twist on what is normal in terms of the university experience, in terms of knowledge you鈥檙e exposed to.鈥�
Mwaniki鈥檚 teaching and research interests focus on the intersection of race, immigration, sport and media, and he received the Excellence in Teaching award from the Global Black Studies program in 2024.
Before coming to 91热爆网, Mwaniki earned his doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and both his master鈥檚 and bachelor鈥檚 degrees at Miami University.
