Cameroon village honors dean

Not everyone returns from winter break with honorary titles given by African village leaders. Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Kathleen Madden and Associate Professor of Political Science Andrea Talentino are not everyone.

Madden and Talentino accompanied 19 Drew students to the West African country of Cameroon in January.

Madden and Talentino returned to Drew not only with pictures to show and stories to tell, but also honorary titles from the Cameroonian Nkanda society. A third title was given to President Bob Weisbuch.

The highest title for a woman in a traditional Cameroonian society was given to her from the Nkanda clan. This group is comprised of men and women and is secondary only to the all-male society, the Ekpe. These societies were established to fill the roles of government and police-they set community rules and develop community projects.

Those who already hold titles are the most privileged members of the community. Titles are part of the hierarchy of rules established by the community and indicate prestige. Their clothing-hats, scarves, and staffs-indicate their social status.

Madden was named Ekcadim and received a cap and feather and a parcel of land to mark the highest of honors. Talentino was named Osongoribo and received a cap, and Weisbuch was named Ntufah. Madden hopes to have a ceremony soon to officially present Weisbuch with his cap and honorable title. The ceremony in Cameroon included dancing and singing and traditional dress.

Madden is no stranger to the West African country- the January trip marked her fourth visit. Her relationship with the people of Cameroon is longstanding, she said. She has invested a considerable amount of her time teaching and working on community projects.

After majoring in math as an undergraduate at the University of Colorado, she decided to pursue involvement in the Peace Corps. Madden taught "A-level" mathematics in Cameroon for two years from 1985-87 and was recognized as the Math-Science Teaching Volunteer of the Year.

Madden also helped to establish a non-profit organization along with other Peace Corps members and her students called People Funding People, of which she is president.

The organization "connects interested donors with small scale development projects in poor nations of the world." Madden has worked on its development and fundraising to better Cameroon specifically because of its lack of many basic services like as health and sanitation facilities, modern farming equipment, and educational opportunities.

After her return to the United States, she knew that she wanted to continue teaching and attained an M.A. and Ph.D. in Mathematics at the University of Maryland.

She also knew that she would return to Cameroon in the future. Madden said she is always excited to go back. "Some of my students are now leaders of the community," she said.

With this recognition, Madden must fulfill certain responsibilities to the community. Madden intends to continue helping the Cameroonian people through community projects and teaching. She is also required to throw a party, or according to the Cameroonians, "give a cow," for those who so graciously welcomed and honored her and the Drew community. "They were very excited to have us there," she said.

Because of time constraints she had to postpone the celebration until her next trip. She intends on returning for a fifth time to fulfill her duties and visit her former students. "I'll always be tied to Cameroon," Madden said. "Going back there is like going home."