North Carolina Central University (NCCU) has named James T. Ham, ’93, as the director for the Office of International Affairs (OIA).
In this role, which he began on April 1, Ham will oversee all international affairs activities, including partnerships, collaborations and global fellowship programs aligned with the four pillars of 'The Eagle Promise.' He will report to Will Guzmán, Ph.D., assistant vice chancellor for international programs and community engagement.
With more than 34 years of federal government experience, Ham brings a wealth of expertise in public health, education, small enterprise development and agriculture across various regions of Africa. He has held senior leadership positions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Peace Corps (PC).
Ham’s dedication to servant leadership was cultivated during his PC volunteer tour in Guinea. Upon his return to the United States, he served at the PC agency, overseeing strategy development, administration and policy implementation for programs in several African countries - Ghana, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Gabon, Chad and Burkina Faso. He also held positions as country director in South Africa, Uganda and Cameroon, and served as the country desk officer for the Africa region.
While at the CDC, Ham served as the deputy country director in Côte d’Ivoire and deputy director for management and operations in Zambia, where he supported the Ebola virus disease response in Guinea.
He is fluent in French, a U.S. Navy veteran, and holds a bachelor’s degree in middle grades education from NCCU and master’s degree in international education from American University. Ham has also completed prestigious leadership programs at the University of Denver, Harvard University, African American Federal Executives Association and American University. Additionally, he recently became a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in executive leadership at the University of Charleston.
As a proud Eagle alumnus, he is excited to return to the ‘Nest’ to inspire NCCU in internationalizing its institution and community.
