The Annual Betty Bowe Castor '63 Lecture
The Annual Betty Bowe Castor '63 Lecture
The Annual Betty Bowe Castor '63 Lecture
On behalf of the Operation Uganda Renewed planning committee at Rowan University, we would like to invite you to attend our annual Betty Bowe Castor '63 Lecture and Banquet! Held on or near the date of Ugandan independence on October 9th, this event celebrates the African Diaspora in the Delaware Valley and supports our mission of creating new connections with Africa. Operation Uganda Renewed is a special cause rooted in Rowan University’s history, dating back to 1962 when students at Glassboro State created Operation Uganda to support education and literacy in the newly formed nation. The lectures raise funds to support the educational journey of an international student.
Upcoming Lecture
The 3rd Annual Betty Bowe Castor ’63 Lecture and Reception will begin at 6pm on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
This year's featured keynote speaker is Dr. Chuka Onwumechili, a professor of communication at Howard University, who specializes in the history of sports and politics in Africa. Dr. Chuka Onwumechili is particularly knowledgeable about African soccer, and his lecture will include the recently concluded FIFA Men’s World Cup in historical perspective, as well as a look ahead to the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup. Dr. Onwumechili's most recent book is Women’s Football in Africa (Routledge, 2024).
This year's featured keynote speaker is Dr. Chuka Onwumechili, a professor of communication at Howard University, who specializes in the history of sports and politics in Africa. Dr. Chuka Onwumechili is particularly knowledgeable about African soccer, and his lecture will include the recently concluded FIFA Men’s World Cup in historical perspective, as well as a look ahead to the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup. Dr. Onwumechili's most recent book is Women’s Football in Africa (Routledge, 2024).
After the lecture, enjoy refreshments, mingle with fellow Profs, and engage with current students as they present their research posters. This lecture has been made possible by many supporters including Betty Bowe Castor ’63 whose gift created a perpetual fund for the celebration of African history and culture at Rowan University. Proceeds will support the Operation Uganda Renewed Fund and the educational journey of an international student at Rowan University during the 2026-2027 academic year.
Registration link:
Past Lectures
The second annual lecture was held in the Chmaberlain Student Center on October 11, 2025, and focused on the transformative impact the original Operation Uganda had on the lives of faculty and students at Glassboro State College and now Rowan University. The 2025 featured keynote speaker was Dr. Isaac Kalumbu. A noted ethnomusicologist with a doctorate from Indiana University, Dr. Kalumbu is a Grammy-nominated singer who is currently Outreach Coordinator and Assistant Director of the African Studies Center at Michigan State University.
The inaugural lecture took place on October 5, 2024. The audience of alumni, students, and staff celebrated six of the original participants in Operation Uganda and helped raise funds for Operation Uganda Renewed. Photographed above, the keynote speaker was Middlebury College's Damascus Kafumbe an ethnomusicologist, teacher, performer, composer, producer, filmmaker, and instrument technician.