The University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in the UK has announced that it has appointed Kenyan born Professor Magdalene Odundo as the Chancellor. She will succeed the current Chancellor Dame Zandra Rhodes in June 2018.
Odundo is a world renowned artist with her discipline being in ceramic art. Her She was born in Nairobi and received her early education in Kenya and India. She is a former student of UCA and graduated in 1976 with a first class degree in 3DD Design: Ceramics, Printmaking & Photography. She also has a master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in London.
In 2001, UCA appointed her Professor of Ceramics, a post she held until her retirement last year. In 2008 she was awarded the OBE for services to the arts, and also received the African Art Recognition Award by Detroit Art Institute’s Friends of African and African-American Art. In 2016, on her retirement from teaching, UCA awarded her the lifelong title of Professor Emerita to recognise her contribution to the University’s research culture.
The Chancellorship will be officially conferred on Professor Odundo on June 25 2018 at the first of UCA’s 2018 graduation ceremonies.