Dr. Nana Kwame Osei Fordjour, a US-based Ghanaian scholar and Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, has been named the inaugural 2026 Early Career Scholar Award recipient, a new international honor from the National Communication Association’s (NCA) African Communication Studies Division recognizing exceptional early-career African researchers in communication.
In announcing the award, Professor Godfried Asante, Chair of the African Communication Studies Division, said, “The review committee was impressed by the strength and volume of Dr. Osei Fordjour’s scholarship, his Africa-centered research agenda in political communication, his service and mentorship across his department, university, and the field of communication.”
Speaking after the announcement, Dr. Osei Fordjour said, “To God be all the glory! I thank Andrew Donkor, who nominated me, and Professor David Weiss, my adviser. I am also grateful to my collaborators, department, and my family, who supported me throughout this journey, and to the leadership and awards committee of the African Communication Studies Division for this honor.”
Dr. Osei Fordjour’s work has appeared in well-regarded outlets across the discipline, including the International Journal of Communication, Journal of Public Relations Research, International Journal of Strategic Communication, Crisis and Risk Communication, Environmental Communication, and Communication Management.
His scholarship has earned Top Paper awards from organizations such as the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, the Eastern Communication Association, and the Western States Communication Association.
His work draws on qualitative, critical, and mixed-methods approaches, as well as machine learning. Previously, Dr. Osei Fordjour served as a strategic communication consultant for multinational organizations, non-profits, government, and political candidates in Africa.
The award will be presented at the NCA convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, November 19-22, 2026. NCA is a non-profit scholarly organization founded in November 1914 that promotes communication research, teaching, and practice.
