Membership

How to join Tshepo 

Tshepo welcomes participation in our activities from graduate students, postdoctoral students, academics from Laurier and other institutions, and community members interested in promoting global awareness and excellence in knowledge development on African issues, with the aim of inspiring positive transformation.

Categories of membership include internal fellows, junior research fellows, external research fellows, community fellows and Laurier students; instructions on how to join are outlined below.

Internal Fellows hold academic appointments with Wilfrid Laurier University. This includes full-time or part-time faculty members at Laurier University who have a demonstrated interest in the research agenda and/or activities of The Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa, who request to the Director to be an   Internal Fellow , and whose request has been accepted by Tshepo's Council. The result of the application will be communicated in writing by the Director. Contact Karen Cyrus, Tshepo Director, to join as an Internal Fellow.

Junior Research Fellows are PhD students and Postdoctoral fellows who have a demonstrated interest in the research agenda and/or activities of the Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa, who request to the Director to be a   Junior Research Fellow , and whose request has been accepted by Tshepo's Council. The result of the application will be communicated in writing by the Director. Contact  Karen Cyrus, Tshepo Director, to join as a Junior Fellow.

External Research Fellows hold academic appointments at other recognized Universities who have a demonstrated interest in the research agenda and/or activities of The Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa, who request to the Director to be an   External Research Fellow , and whose request has been accepted by the Standing Committee on Research and Publications.  The result of the application will be communicated in writing by the Director.

External Fellows of the Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa (Tshepo) are invited to engage with the Institute through:

• Participate in the activities of the institute (including research projects).
• Receiving notifications and contributing to upcoming institute events and research collaborations.
• May attend council meetings and have voting privileges.

To apply, contact  Karen Cyrus, Tshepo Director.

Community Fellows are non-academic individuals who are actively collaborating with the research institute, who have a demonstrated interest in the research agenda and/or activities of The Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa, and who have requested to the Director to be a   Community Fellow , and whose request has been accepted by Tshepo's Council.  The result of the application will be communicated in writing by the Director. If your work or activities relates to Tshepo's mission of promoting global awareness and excellence in knowledge development on African issues with the aim of inspiring positive transformation, please join us! Contact  Karen Cyrus, Tshepo Director, to join as a Community Fellow.

Undergraduate Students

Tshepo welcomes participation in our activities by undergraduate students. To apply, contact Karen Cyrus.

Partnerships

Partnerships are important to Tshepo; they represent collaborations on projects that fulfill our mission to promote global awareness and excellence in knowledge development on African and Afrodiasporic issues.

Our partners are, and have been, community organizations as well as universities in Canada and abroad. Below are the logos of partners we have collaborated with over the past two decades: