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Amanda R. Warfield
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Bowie State Dean to Speak at National HBCU Conference

(BOWIE, Md.) - Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Bowie State University (BSU), Dr. George Acquaah, will serve as one of the invited speakers for the first annual 2011 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Conference at Alabama State University March 7-10.  The theme for the conference is Entrepreneurship: Globalization of the New South.

The conference will focus on raising awareness of opportunities in areas such as business development, entrepreneurship, grants, contracting and fellowships with a special focus in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

"It is important that HBCUs continue to build and strengthen relationships with businesses and enhance programs and opportunities in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics," said Dr. Acquaah. "This conference will help raise awareness of such opportunities and ultimately assist in the growth and development of HBCUs across the nation."

Dr. Acquaah will co-present at the conference with Dr. Cajetan Akujuobi, dean of the College of Science, Mathematics and Technology at Alabama State University. Dr. Akujuobi has extensive experience in the areas of broadband communication systems, signal/image/video processing and communications, mixed signal design and testing, compressive sensing, wavelet and wavelet transforms and has developed and taught several courses in these areas.

"The National HBCU Conference, the first ever of its kind, presents a golden opportunity for HBCUs and even the larger community to discuss entrepreneurship opportunities and what it takes to succeed in this 21^st century economy," said Dr. Akujuobi. "Therefore, training the workforce of the future depends on how institutions, especially, the HBCUs innovate, educate and build STEM programs. Having such a world renowned expert such as Dean Acquaah as my co-presenter in the conference makes it worthwhile and elevates the importance of this must attend conference."

More than 300 guests including representatives from federal, state and local agencies, corporations, small businesses, government officials and the higher education community are expected to attend the event.

Dr. Acquaah, who received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University, has led several major initiatives as dean of BSU's College of Arts and Science. Some of those initiatives include: the Center for Global Engagement; the Graduate School Head Start Program; enhancing the STEM research infrastructure; the Dean's Young Faculty Development Initiative; instituting the STEMing the TIDE initiative; SAS (Science, Arts and Society) Connection TV outreach program; an Annual Celebration of Excellence Awards program in the College of Arts and Sciences.

For additional information on the 2011 HBCU Conference, click here.

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Brandon Yancey, a Bowie State University graduate student majoring in communications, was a contributing writer for this press release.

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