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From l-r, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, state Rep. Donald A. Blakey, DSU alumna Flavia Rutkowski; Dr. Dyremple Marsh, dean of the DSU College of Ag and Related Sciences; Wilmington social worker Patrick Adzadu; Aoko Midiwo-Odembo and her husband Kenyan Ambassador Elkanah Odembo; and Dr. Akwais Osei, DSU chair of the Dept. of History, Political Science and Philosophy, get together during the conference.

  Opportunity Africa 2013 Held at DSU -- Photo Slideshow/Article

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Delaware State University was the site Feb. 11 of the Opportunity Africa Conference 2013 hosted by U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, who is also the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs.
 
For images from the Opportunity Africa Conference, click on the below photo slideshow followed by more information about the event:
 

Held in the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center, the conference was opened by DSU President Harry L. Williams with a welcome address, and DSU’s Dr. Marshall Stevenson and Dr. Michael Casson also served as moderators for two of the workshop sessions. 
 
U.S. Rep. John Carney and three ambassadors – Elkanah Odembo (Kenya), Somduth Soborun (Mauritius) and Eric Goosby (U.S. International HIV/AIDS Relief) – were in attendance. Ambassador Odembo was the morning keynote speaker and Michael Gerson, author and senior advisor of the ONE Campaign to fight extreme poverty and preventable diseases, gave the afternoon keynote address.
 
Sen. Coons said that Africa is a continent of enormous opportunity for Delaware businesses, faith communities and individuals. He noted that Africa is home to six of the ten fastest-growing economies in the world, creating an important opportunity for American companies to grow and create jobs.
 
“As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, I am always looking for new ways to connect Delawareans with opportunities in Africa. There is so much we can do together, whether by opening doors to new markets or by connecting local faith groups with service opportunities abroad,” Sen. Coons said.
 
He added that with such talented faculty and interested students here, hosting this year’s conference at Delaware State University was a great opportunity. “I’m deeply grateful to Dr. Williams and everyone at DSU for their warm hospitality,” Sen. Coons said.
 
Workshops were held throughout the daylong conference, which included the topics of doing business in Africa, meeting human needs in the continent, Delawareans who impact Africa and careers in Africa. A town hall-style conversation on Africa was also held.