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HAYS,
Kan. -- Dr. Eric Arubayi, Warri, Nigeria, who will receive Fort Hays State University’s
Presidential Award at Homecoming 2012, has been selected by university
President Edward H. Hammond to serve as the grand marshal of the Homecoming
Parade on Saturday, Oct. 6.
Arubayi
is president and a professor of education administration and planning at Delta
State University, Abraka, Nigeria. The university has 35,000 students, 94
academic departments, 800 professors and 3,000 support staff.
The
Presidential Award, the university’s most distinguished recognition, given by
the Office of the President, recognizes substantial contributions to the
university through professional and personal achievements.
Arubayi
graduated from FHSU with an M.S. in education administration in 1976 and an
Education Specialist degree in education administration-superintendent in 1978.
His bachelor’s degree, a B.S. in biology, was received in 1974 at New Mexico
Highlands University, Las Vegas. He earned his doctorate from Kansas State
University in 1979. He was a graduate teaching and research assistant at FHSU
and at Kansas State.
"In
his life and career, Dr. Arubayi is a wonderful exemplar of a Fort Hays State
graduate," said Hammond. "His accomplishments and integrity, his
commitment to education and to his students, all have served to advance the
profession of education."
He
began his career at Delta State in 1992 as a professor and dean of education
faculty. He became deputy vice-chancellor in 1993 and was appointed director of
external degree programs in 1996.
He
has also taught as a secondary school teacher for Urhobo College, Warri,
Nigeria; for Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt,
Nigeria; and for the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Arubayi has
written one book, "Toward Efficiency in School Administration," and co-written
three others. He has also written chapters for eight others. He has published
in national and international journals and has written 19 technical reports.
His
resume includes 20 appointments by the national and state governments and 22
national and international consultancies for entities such as the World Bank,
UNESCO, Shell Petroleum, and the International Development and Green Resources
Institute as well as for state and national bodies in Nigeria. His has served
as an external examiner for a dozen universities and colleges and as an
editor-in-chief or consulting editor for 16 academic and scholarly journals.
His
awards and commendations include a Merit Award from the Delta state government
for fighting examination malpractice in Nigeria and a commendation from the
Academic Staff Union of Universities in Nigeria for his work supervising Ph.D.
and master’s degree candidates.
His
community work includes his church council and membership in the Uvwie Club and
Uvwie Improvement Development Union. Uvwie is a local government area, one of
the Urhobo tribal kingdoms of southern Nigeria. Arubayi has a Merit Award from
the Uvwie Development Union.
He
and his wife, Diana, have four children.
The parade begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, on
Main Street in downtown Hays.