Erik van Kuijk
Welcome to Minneapolis University Rotary Club. We meet virtually for fellowship, service, and excellent speakers. Our members represent diverse backgrounds, professions, and communities—including the University of Minnesota—who share a passion for serving, learning, and connecting with the world and each other. We invite you to get to know our small and mighty club and join a worldwide organization committed to making a positive difference.
In Rotary Service, Dr. Erik VanKuijk
May 19, 2021
Matt Miller, Acting Director, Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State
U.S. Relations with Africa
Matt Miller arrived in the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the State Department's Bureau of African Affairs in August 2020 after three years as the Public Affairs Officer in Dakar, Senegal. Matt joined the State Department in 2001, and his previous assignments include serving as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs; Senior Watch Officer in the Operations Center; Assistant Public Affairs Officer in Bratislava, Slovakia; Information Officer in Yaoundé, Cameroon; Watch Officer in the Operations Center; Political Officer in Paris, France; and Consular Officer/Staff Assistant in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Matt was born in Western Pennsylvania but spent the formative years of his youth in South Carolina, where he studied English, History, and Political Science at Presbyterian College. He speaks French, Portuguese, Slovak, and Haitian Kreyol.
Matt will provide an overview of U.S. relations with African countries. He will answer questions on specific areas of interest on the African continent.
If you are interested in learning about future programs, click the Upcoming Speakers link at the top of the home page.
Partnering with Africa Strong Inc. to provide bunk beds for students in Uganda
The Minneapolis University Rotary Club partnered with Africa Strong Inc to provide 10 bunk beds for 20 students at Rwemiyenje Primary School in Southwestern Uganda. Africa Strong is a nonprofit whose mission is to improve the quality of education in Uganda and Zambia. Our very own Rotarian, Erin, will be in Uganda at Rwemiyenje Primary School in early June. On her visit, she will be working with teachers on reviewing teacher professional development curriculum to aid the teachers in learning new teaching methods with the ultimate goal of improving student learning. We are excited about this new project and happy to see the students sleeping comfortably.
rotary and covid-19
The COVID-19 virus continues to plague the world, but we are fortunate to have three effective vaccines that prevent serious illness and death in the US. When enough Americans are fully vaccinated, life will return to normal for all of us. Minneapolis University Rotary Club, along with Rotary International, urges our fellow citizens to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Rotary has decades of experience fighting another disease—polio—around the world. Public education regarding the safety and efficacy of the polio vaccine has been crucial in the fight to eradicate this disease from the earth. Strategic partnerships and funding from Rotary clubs have eliminated the threat of this once-feared disease from most of our lives.
Minneapolis University Rotary Club has supported the Rotary Polio Plus program for many years. We are working to support efforts to educate the Twin Cities public regarding the COVID-19 disease, its prevention, and treatment. As always, the best treatment is prevention. Please get vaccinated!
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A small and mighty group of local professionals and a global network of 1.2 million Rotarians.
Minneapolis, MN 55414
United States of America