Interview with Robert Chirwa, November 23, 2013

Interview Summary

Robert Chirwa discusses his early education in Malawi and how through jobs in Malawi, including teaching computer science at Chancellor College, he was able to get a scholarship to the U.S. to study for his Masters at the University of Kentucky in 1988. He returned in 1996 to study for a Ph.D in computer science and became an instructor at Bluegrass Community and Technical College (then Lexington Community College) in 1999. He is now an Associate Professor at BCTC. He talks about adjusting to life and study in Lexington at the University of Kentucky. He gives examples of questions asked by Kentuckians about Malawi, who and how he answers, and how he keeps up on events and with family in Malawi and elsewhere. He speaks about race issues in Kentucky. With his wife Tambu, Robert has led two groups of Americans to Malawi from Second Presbyterian Church and helped organize a visit by a Malawian to Lexington.

Interview Keyword

Adjustment Childhood Communication Education Family Intercontinental communications Kabelo Lilongwe Race issues Tambu Ulalo University of Kentucky Immigrants Universities and colleges--Faculty. College teaching.

Interview LC Subject

Africa Malawi Emigration and immigration.

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.