Wyclef Jean Named Brown University Fellow

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island's Brown University says hip-hop singer Wyclef Jean (WY'-klef zhahn) has accepted an appointment as a visiting fellow in its Department of Africana Studies for the 2010-11 academic year.

The Ivy League school says the Haitian Grammy Award winner will engage in activities related to its Haiti Initiative, including lectures, faculty conversations and classes.

Brown says Jean made his first visit to campus Monday and attended two inaugural lecturers.

The 37-year-old singer says his time at Brown will be "a period of learning and reflection."

Jean announced a bid for Haiti's presidency in August but ended it last month. No official reasons were given for his exclusion although he's presumed not to have met constitutional requirements such as living in Haiti.

Jean grew up in New York and lives in New Jersey.

Comments

[teqminsky]

09:43 AM on 10/17/2010

give me a brek! this is the consolation prize for the presidency...i really don't see WJ sitting in a classroom as a student, and taking seriously someone else as an expert, beyond my imagination

[themightylemur]

09:40 AM on 10/07/2010

I figured he'd be a fellow in Defrauding Your Own Charitable Organization

[freedom007]

03:36 PM on 10/05/2010

A guy without an education who grew up in america is a fellow in the department of african studies?

LOLOLOLOOLOLOLOLOLOL!

[Sighedeffects]

03:24 PM on 10/05/2010

Wyclef grew up in NJ and NYC. He went to school in NJ with the other Fugees.

Did gov Patterson put you up to this?

[tuff guy]

01:53 PM on 10/05/2010

desperate.

[jasev01]

01:46 PM on 10/05/2010

really Brown... as someone else pointed out at least its not kanye

[Matt Kane]

11:26 AM on 10/05/2010

"Jean announced a bid for Haiti's presidency in August but ended it last month. No official reasons were given for his exclusion although he's presumed not to have met constitutional requirements such as living in Haiti."

Yes, living in the country you plan to run seems to be a pretty reasonable requirement.

[banja]

11:05 AM on 10/05/2010

good for you Wyclef, i still think you got scummed in Haiti for the presidential run. The good ol boys put the run around on you.

[ptrgamb]

10:22 AM on 10/05/2010

I have no problem with this. I feared it might be Kanye West.

[jasev01]

01:45 PM on 10/05/2010

good point at least its not Kanye

[donnyquixote]

10:08 AM on 10/05/2010

With guest lecturer Stephen Colbert.