Ambassador Molelekeng E. Rapolaki
Her Excellency Molelekeng E. Rapolaki, former Ambassador of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the United States, has joined Winston-Salem State University’s School of Health Sciences as Diplomat-in-Residence for the 2008 and 2009 academic years.
A reception in her honor was held Aug.15, in room 202 of the F.L. Atkins Building.
“Ambassador Rapolaki brings with her to the university a wealth of experience in international relations, networking, an array of contacts, both locally and internationally-based, with governments, multi-lateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, foundations and religious organizations,” said Dr. Peggy Valentine, dean of the WSSU School of Health Sciences. “With her six years of experience as a diplomat and her prior 21 years of engagement in public service and development planning experience, she will not only help open doors for the WSSU to reach out to the world and forge strong, mutually beneficial partnerships, but will also assist in bringing WSSU into the mainstream of teaching and learning through the international and intra-national perspectives she will offer in equipping our graduates with the requisite tools to effectively adapt in the global community.
Ambassador Rapolaki represented the Kingdom of Lesotho, a country of more than two million people, which is entirely landlocked by the Republic of South Africa. The ambassador visited WSSU in March 2007 in response to an invitation from Dr. Valentine, when she attended the “Lesotho Experience Through Service” Conference held in Lesotho Dec. 15-18, 2006.
About her appointment Ambassador Rapolaki said, “I would like to thank Chancellor Reaves for welcoming me to the university and for his foresight in bringing international perspectives into the teaching and learning programs of the university. I also thank Dr. Valentine for her efforts in pioneering the idea to establish the international links for the School of Health Sciences and university so that it can claim its rightful place in world affairs.”
