University Calendar

On the evening of April 14, 2014, 276 Nigerian schoolgirls were kidnapped from their boarding school in Chibok as they prepared to write their exams. Their abduction by Boko Haram, a jihadist terrorist organization, sent shockwaves around the world culminating in a viral social media campaign #BringBackOurGirls.  In the ensuing years, several of the girls have either escaped or have been released by their captors; however, more than one hundred remain in captivity. Through its New Foundation School (NFS), the American University of Nigeria (AUN) has developed a specialized university preparatory program in order to provide an avenue for the young women to continue their education.

This talk will describe the genesis of the NFS as well as its rapid expansion from a 24-student to a 130-student program over a five-week period in the summer of 2017. In addition, there will be a discussion on the specific holistic curriculum that is utilized to educate the students as they pursue their academic goals while simultaneously recovering from their trauma.  Challenges facing the program as well as successes will be shared in an effort to provide a greater understanding of the complexity of educating a homogenous traumatized group of terrorist survivors.

Biography

Reginald Braggs is the Assistant Vice President of Foundation Programs at the American University of Nigeria (AUN). He has had multiple roles in student engagement and is passionate about integrating academic and student affairs with educational philosophies in an effort to provide a holistic, well-rounded educational experience.  Mr. Braggs has extensive international experience having worked in universities in Africa, the Middle East, and the U.S.  He received his B.B.A. from Prairie View A&M, University of Texas and his M.B.A. from Texas Southern University.  Prior to entering the educational sector, he received his commissioning as a United States Naval Officer and served as a U.S. diplomat while Director of Navy Programs at the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain.  He is a fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar.