Catalyzing Impact: Professor Zoe Marks’s Engagements with South African Stakeholders for the Center for African Studies

In February 2025, Professor Zoe Marks undertook a visit to the Africa Office of the Harvard University Center for African Studies (CAS), spending time in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. The primary objective of this visit was to articulate and share her strategic vision for the future trajectory of the Center, while actively engaging with diverse stakeholders to inform that vision. This visit concluded Professor Marks’s comprehensive “listening campaign,” which was designed to solicit insights and aspirations from affiliates, including Harvard students, faculty, fellows, members of CAS governance, supporters, and alumni regarding the desired impact of the Center both at Harvard and across the African continent.

During her time in Johannesburg, Professor Marks participated in a timely dialogue titled "US-Africa Research: Knowledge Sharing in a Changing Political Landscape," alongside her former student, Zakhona Mvelase, who served as the moderator. This engagement brought together the friends of the Africa Office and Harvard alumni to discuss emerging opportunities for collaborative research in light of the rapidly evolving higher education landscape.

Under the thoughtful coordination of Nthatisi Quella, Director of the Africa Office, Professor Marks also convened a roundtable with representatives from the Harvard South Africa Fellowship Program. This session was aimed at deepening the Office’s understanding of current trends in professional development within South Africa and exploring avenues for strategic partnerships with both the public and private sectors.

In Cape Town, Professor Marks held an informal forum with Harvard alumni to further explore possibilities for enhancing the Africa Office's impact, with a particular focus on strengthening collaboration with the alumni community. The visit culminated in a high-profile convening, graciously facilitated and hosted by Gavin Rajah, a member of the CAS Africa Advisory Board. This gathering provided a platform for Professor Marks to present her vision for the Center, and for board members and supporters to reaffirm their commitment to advancing the mission and success of the Center for African Studies. Throughout the visit, the deliberate efforts of the Africa Office and its hosts—evident in the organization of targeted engagements and inclusive dialogues—underscored a shared commitment to fostering the sustained growth and influence of CAS in Africa and beyond.