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Zambian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Visits SUNY Schenectady

H.E. Amb. Dr. Chola Milambo with Dr. Steady Moono and Mr. Stephen Banda

H.E. Amb. Dr. Chola Milambo with Dr. Steady Moono, College President, and Stephen Banda, Zambian Diaspora Spokesman

9/06/2022

H.E. Amb. Dr. Chola Milambo, Zambian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), was on the SUNY Schenectady campus this week. Before his appointment as Ambassador to the UN, Dr. Milambo worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Washington, D.C., holding various positions including Senior Adviser to the World Bank Group Executive Director for Africa Group 1 Constituency and lead adviser for Botswana, Ethiopia, and Zambia.

H. E. Ambassador Dr. Chola Milambo

H. E. Ambassador Dr. Chola Milambo in the School of Music Recording Studio with Professor Sten Isachsen
Sten Isachen, Associate Professor in the School of Music, shows H.E. Amb. Dr. Chola Milambo the Vianna-Brignola Recording Studio. 

Dr. Steady Moono, College President, shared information with Dr. Milambo about the College’s innovative agreements signed this summer with the African Education Program (AEP) and the University of Zambia (UNZA). Dr. Milambo praised Dr. Moono and SUNY Schenectady for the outstanding work the College has done in forging international exchanges between the College and AEP and UNZA, as well as the agreements SUNY Schenectady also signed this summer with officials from Bali Tourism Polytechnic, Palembang Tourism Polytechnic, and NHI Tourism Polytechnic Bandung in Indonesia.

“It was such an honor to meet with President Steady Moono, his leadership team and some members of the Board of Trustees. I was impressed with ongoing transformation at the institution in terms of its programs and infrastructure. Efforts to meet the needs of the community, including through the Workforce Department and Food Pantry Program, are highly commendable. Clearly, partnerships with the various stakeholders such as the local authority and private enterprises has been important in the successes of SUNY, all to the benefit of its students.”

H.E. Amb. Dr. Chola Milambo with staff in the Food Pantry
Robyn King, Director of Wellness and Support Services, with Stephen Banda, Dr. Steady Moono, Dr. Chola Milambo, and Stella Banda, Northeast Zambian Diaspora President, in the College's Food Pantry in Elston Hall. 

H.E. Amb. Dr. Chola Milambo tours the Confections Lab
Vanessa Traver, Assistant Professor in the School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism, explains the art of making high quality chocolate in the Joan R. Dembinski ’10 Chocolate and Confections Lab

“We were truly honored to have Dr. Milambo visit SUNY Schenectady to tour campus, meet our students, and learn more about the creative ways in which we are generating partnerships around the world with institutions who share our vision for international academic exchanges for students and faculty. We must think globally and build upon these initial agreements to strengthen our international ties now and into the future. In addition to our international programs and the achievements of our students, faculty and staff, it was also an honor to share with him all of the ways in which Schenectady County, SUNY, and our local community provide immeasurable support for our students, programs, and the College as a whole.”

Students with H.E. Amb. Dr. Chola Milambo and College officials
Students Ngambela Zulu and Maureen Mbanga with Stella Banda, Dr. Steady Moono, Dr. Chola Milambo, and Stephen Banda.

After touring Elston Hall, the Begley Learning Commons, the School of Music, as well as Craft Brewing areas and the Joan R. Dembinski ’10 Chocolate and Confections Lab in the Mill Artisan District, Dr. Milambo met with Maureen Mbanga and Ngambela Zulu, the first two students from Zambia to become students at SUNY Schenectady. They both began taking courses at the College this fall after earning full scholarships to SUNY Schenectady this summer. Students through the African Education Program, they were selected as recipients of the Joan R. Dembinski ’10 Study Abroad Scholarship through the SUNY Schenectady Foundation.

More photos from Dr. Milambo's visit to SUNY Schenectady.