November 27, 2006

KSU Recognizes 2006-2007 Distinguished Professor

Frankfort, KY. – Life is a voyage. Sometimes the direction of the journey is intentional, sometimes accidental. But by following their path, people create their identity.

Such was the subject of the Nov. 16, 2006, Kentucky State University Fall Academic Convocation. Dr. Titilayo Ufomata discussed how people establish and develop their cultural, social and political identities over time based on their experiences.

As the 2006-2007 Distinguished Professor, Dr. Titilayo Ufomata had the opportunity to give a scholarly presentation at the convocation. She chose “Negotiating ‘Self’ and Identity in a Multicultural Host Community,” in which she discussed not only how difficult it is to create an identity, but the challenges of establishing an identity as an immigrant.

The goal of the convocation was to spark discussion and thought among the university community. Freshman Amber Snipes said the presentation did make her think.

“You should accept people for who they are,” Snipes said.  “Everyone deserves to be treated well no matter who they are.”

A distinguished faculty member has been honored each year since the 1980s to recognize that faculty member’s teaching, service to the university and community, and scholarly or creative activity, said Dr. Alan Moore, Faculty Senate president.

“They are the best of the best,” Moore said. “In addition to providing a venue for recognition of faculty excellence, it encourages other faculty to strive to reach that lofty goal.”

Distinguished Professor candidates must submit letters of recommendation and a panel reviews the candidates’ scholarly work, Moore said. Then the entire faculty votes on the candidates.

While Ufomata is the shortest-serving faculty member to be honored as the Distinguished Professor, her contributions to the university and community rival those of any former Distinguished Professor, Moore said.

Ufomata joined Kentucky State University in 1998 and now serves as both a tenured professor of speech and communication in the Division of Fine Arts and interim associate provost.

Her educational background includes master’s and doctoral degrees in phonetics from the University of London and master’s and bachelor of arts degrees in English from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s premier university. She earned professional degrees in the phonetics of English from the Internal Phonetics Association and the Department of Phonetics and Linguistics in the University College – London. She also graduated in 2006 from the Harvard Institute for Educational Management.

Among her numerous awards and honors are the Visiting Fellowship of the British Academy, the Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship, the American International Visitor Fellowship, the Tom Joyner Hardest Working Faculty Award, the Excellence in Teaching Award from the KSU College of Arts and Sciences. She has been named an associate of the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town, a laureate of the Gender Institute of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in African, Dakar and Senegal and a two-time KSU Faculty Fellow as well.

Ufomata also served as KSU Faculty Senate vice president, works on the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program, became a Kentucky Colonel and serves on the board of Building a United Interfaith Lexington for Direct Action, a group committed to justice and social action inLexington.

She is married to dentist and professor Dr. Dickson Ufomata and has five children.

However, she said while that biography accurately describes her professional identity, it leaves out “essential” characteristics of her personal identity like “I’m a Christian, a friend, a daughter, a sister and an aunt.”

Also at the convocation, President Mary Evans Sias presented Dr. Daniel R. Rutledge, assistant professor of languages, with the Raymond Malcolm Burse Outstanding Faculty Award.

Both he and Ufomata received a commemorative glass award and a monetary reward.