Maryland Governor Wes Moore Appoints MSU’s Dr. Hakeem Ibikunle Tijani to the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has appointed Hakeem Ibikunle Tijani, Ph.D., to a four-year term with the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture. Dr. Tijani currently serves as the executive director of the Office of Global Partnerships within Morgan’s Division of International Affairs. Dr. Tijani recorded his oath of office at the Circuit Court for Baltimore County certifying his appointment to the Commission. His tenure officially begins on July 1, 2023, and concludes in 2027.

The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture is committed to discovering, documenting, preserving, collecting and promoting Maryland’s African American heritage. Among one the agency’s primary functions include elevating the awareness and knowledge of residents and visitors about the significance and impact of the African American experience in Maryland. Selected for his commitment to advancing equity across Maryland and serving the best interests of its citizens, Dr. Tijani joins fellow Morgan colleagues, Iris Barnes, Ph.D., associate director and curator for the Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum, who was appointed in 2018, and Edwin T. Johnson, Ph.D., special assistant to the Provost and University Historian, who was appointed to the commission in 2016.

The commission is part of the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives which aims to bridge citizens throughout Maryland to programs that support the economic and civil wellbeing with Maryland businesses, nonprofits and government agencies. The office also houses the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism and Volunteer Maryland, in addition to the governor’s ethnic and cultural commissions, faith-based outreach team, and the Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism-Related Needs.

A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and member of the Nigeria Academy of Letters, Dr. Tijani was named the inaugural director of Strategic Partnerships at Morgan in 2019, and as the executive director for the Office of Global Partnerships–Africa in 2020. Dr. Tijani has been at the forefront of Morgan’s strategic push to accelerate global education initiatives and expand the university’s international footprint. His breadth of knowledge and experience in international education, experiential learning, e-learning and pedagogy have contributed to the establishment of new partnerships with universities in Africa that are designed to advance postgraduate programs and increase doctoral degree matriculation. 

Congratulations Dr. Tijani on your appointment to the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture!