My Story | Intertwined Memories

by Dr. Tonija M. Hope

As the director of the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University and a PhD student, the memories of my graduate school time at HU are intertwined with professional and student experiences.  I was fortunate enough to focus my doctoral research on a subject that was directly related to my “day job”, internationalization at HBCUs.  So, my memories as a graduate student are also my memories as an administrator - someone who had the good fortune of working with students to help them realize their full potential as citizens of a global community.  

One of my fondest memories was taking our first 'Embassy Walk.' It was 2021 and we were just returning to campus following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.  We were looking for ways to engage with students, provide an international experience and not be inside.  We decided that was an ideal moment to capitalize on our advantageous location in the nation’s capital to get off campus, and visit some embassies within walking distance.  

For our first walk we partnered with the Embassy of India to organize a visit.  That academic year India was the theme of our annual series, so we asked if we might visit the Ghandi statue outside the Embassy and have its staff come out and talk with us - about the sculpture and Ghandi the man.  Not only did they come outside to talk with us, they invited us inside with prepared food, chai, and gift bags which included information on India and books by Gandhi.  We met with the First Secretary and the Political and Education attaches.  It was a wonderful for our students to be able to ask questions about their work as diplomats, and how they engage with the U.S. government.  And for many of our students it was the first time they had been inside an embassy, so it was a special moment.

My doctoral research focused on “Black Internationalization” or the ways in which HBCUs engage with the world, how they develop, and implement their internationalization strategies.  Historically, HBCUs have been focused on engaging with parts of the world that have experienced oppression similar to what Black people in the US experienced.  This led to deep engagement with the colonized world, including India (Howard Thurman’s visit to India that inspired Dr. King as an example).  So, our visit to the Embassy of India was a wonderful way to kick off the academic year, build relationships with the diplomatic corps in D.C., and revisit the history of the relationship between HBCUs and India.  That year we also visited the embassies of Colombia, Ireland and Botswana.  From the Bunche Center, we continue to seek opportunities for our students to engage the world, to get out and explore. But because that's not always possible, then we encourage everyone to connect globally through D.C.'s readily available resources.