Nigerian Professor makes history at US varsity

In a move considered a masterstroke, Professor Princess Halliday, a leadership professor and authentic leadership teacher has just developed what would be the first ever- six leadership courses for Virginia State University college of Sociology and Criminal Justice.

The move received a boost because the chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Dr. Joyce Edwards, saw the need for undergraduates and graduate students to have knowledge of leadership.

A press statement signed by Diaspora Press Release said that the newly developed courses as projected will go the way of building leaders not just in the communal societies of the United States but one that will impact on the governance and leadership needed in Africa and other emerging nations and institutional establishments.

Virginia State University, also known as Virginia State, is a historically black public land-grant university in Ettrick, Virginia. Founded on March 6, 1882, Virginia State developed as the United States’ first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans. Although Virginia State University was founded in 1882, this would be the first time the department would have leadership courses integrated into its curriculum since inception.

Princess Halliday’s outstanding expertise in demonstrating leadership principle embodies nurturing the next generation of leaders. She stated that “Coming from Bonny Island in Nigeria, West Africa, where women are not believed to be carriers of great initiatives, I believe this is revolutionary and should be a testament to every young girl who aspire to be leader.”

In her thirties, Halliday continuously makes Nigeria, Africa and African-Americans proud with her extraordinary accomplishments. She significantly reinforces the fact that young women can be carriers of great initiative, and those talents and opportunities can lead to strong leadership. 

She is redefining what it means to be a revolutionary leader: an authentic young lady who leads with high emotional intelligence; a voice to reckon with, worthy of great honour and attracts reverence. Having accomplished so much in such a young age, Princess Halliday offers the belief that you can be young, well-presentable, intelligent and still do things the right way.

She has developed these courses through her numerous one-on-one conversation with Presidents, Presidential candidates, Governors, great leaders, celebrities and ordinary people doing extraordinary things across the world. Princess Halliday speaks three different languages besides English. She is fluent in Hindi, French and Arabic.  She is from the Halliday Awusa “King Halliday” House of Grand Bonny Kingdom, making her a Princess by birth.

Strong analytical skills and proven record of professional success, has shown in Princess Halliday the process of making women empowerment policies a reality. Her astuteness and the university course is based on a solid foundation in teaching leadership, emotional intelligence, organisational development, change, authentic leadership, conflict resolution, ethics, strategic communication, leading innovation and group dynamics through educational experience which makes her do the extraordinary.