Dr. Peter Nwosu is a Nigerian in Diaspora, setting the pace in the world of academia and projecting Nigeria’s image in a positive light across the globe.

On September 27, 2024, Dr. Nwosu made history by becoming the first black person and immigrant to be named the President of the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego in the United States.

The Nigerian is the 11^th president of the high-profile academic institution in its 163-year history.

Dr. Nwosu, who is an alumni of the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education, expressed excitement at achieving the feat and vowed to strengthen the innovative, excellent, and inclusive culture of the university.

“Today marks an extraordinary moment in our journey, and I am humbled to stand before you as the 11th President of the State University of New York at Oswego. Thank you for placing your trust in me to lead this remarkable institution. I stand on the shoulders of 10 presidents, giants who led this institution, including my predecessor,” Dr. Nwosu said during his inauguration ceremony.

“As we gather here today, we celebrate not just an investiture but reaffirm a promise made 163 years ago by our founder, Edward Austin Sheldon. That institution he founded has grown into the vibrant, friendly campus by the lake, offering more than 140 graduate and postgraduate degree programs across numerous disciplines, producing more than 95,000 alumni.”

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Former governor of Anambra State and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party also praised Dr. Nwosu and described his achievement as “a stark reminder, not just to individuals in society, but to us, the leaders of the Nigerian society, of the need to prioritize investment in education if we must salvage our nation from its present level of decadence and place it on the path of development. As I have maintained, education remains the best investment any nation can make for its citizens.”