TOMBALL (Oct. 16, 2026) An expert in African American history, LSC-Tomball Professor J. Shango, was selected to be a co-coordinator for the Council of American Overseas Research Centers’ (CAORC) Overseas Faculty Development Seminar (OFDS) in Senegal, West Africa. The competitive international academic program is designed for U.S. higher education faculty and administrators to engage in high-level global scholarship.
Shango has visited multiple countries in Africa, and in 2017, Shango was a participant in the OFDS that he will now co-coordinate. His former trips have been for enjoyment and professional development. He learned about the country, some of the local languages, and built a network of friends and colleagues.
“In Senegal, my personal and professional worlds are intertwined, and much of that stems from my first visit,” said Shango. “This co-coordinator appointment will allow me to build upon both simultaneously. I am excited about the opportunity to build more personal and professional bridges between the United States and Senegal, and Africa in general, which will be rewarding for faculty and students on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.”
Founded in 1981, CAORC is a private, nonprofit federation of 26 independent overseas research centers. The OFDS is primarily designed to support teaching and curriculum development.
For administrators, the program may assist with establishing visiting professorships, study abroad, and faculty exchange programs. For faculty, regardless of their disciplinary background, the OFDS offers an opportunity to explore aspects of higher education teaching in another country.
“Teaching styles, workloads, expectations, student interactions, and even office space may be different. Cultural nuances are certainly different,” said Shango. “I think it’s important for American faculty to experience these differences firsthand. Visiting a different cultural setting can lead to more culturally sensitive faculty. American colleges and universities are global spaces. I think it's good for faculty to visit the places that may be home, or like home, to some of our students who are in the United States.”
As co-coordinator, Shango will lead participants in a two-week workshop in Dakar with visits to Gorée Island, Toubacouta, and Saint-Louis, featuring lectures, site visits, panel discussions, and film screenings on the history, culture, arts, economy, and political life of Senegal.
As an LSC representative, Shango is stocking up on college shirts and paraphernalia to make sure he has enough for all the photo opportunities, saying “exposure is good for the college, especially global exposure.”
One of the most significant benefits of serving as a co-coordinator, according to Shango, is the opportunity to enhance his teaching. With his students in mind, he values the chance to engage with colleagues from around the world on curriculum-related topics, helping shape and strengthen the learning experiences and activities he brings into the classroom.
“As a Professor of African American history, the lectures, readings, and site visits throughout Senegal will add to my level of expertise in topics such as the Atlantic Slave Trade,” said Shango. “Senegalese professors have their own unique methods, strategies, and principles of teaching. When applicable and appropriate, I will incorporate them into my teaching.”
Overall, Shango is excited about his own continued pursuit of knowledge and the opportunity to share with others all he learns.
“LSC has a well-established set of faculty qualities of excellence. We strive to be student-invested, content experts, pedagogically excellent, and institutionally dedicated. My participation in the program, especially as one of the co-coordinators, will undoubtedly lead to my own development in those areas,” said Shango. “LSC-Tomball has a new Praxis Lab for faculty. Hopefully, my post-travel presentations in the lab will inspire others to take advantage of the many programs offered through CAORC.”