Criminal Justice, Sociology
Professor Okereke holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degrees in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma and a doctorate degree (Ph.D.) in Sociology from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater Oklahoma. Professor Okereke joined Texas A&M University-Texarkana (TAMU-T) in the summer of 2002 as an advanced Associate Professor of Criminal Justice. Prior to coming to TAMU-T, Professor Okereke worked at Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, North Carolina for ten (10) years where he first earned tenure and promotion to the rank of Associate Professor of Criminal Justice in the 1996/1997 academic year.
Before coming to Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Professor Okereke was a tenured Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and the Coordinator of the Criminal Justice Program at Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, North Carolina. At Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Professor Okereke served as the Coordinator of the Criminal Justice Program/Sociology Program and latter, as the Coordinator of the Sociology Program for several years after the university went through downward expansion.
Professor Okereke received his doctorate degree (Ph.D.) in Sociology from Oklahoma State University in May 1992, his Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice in December 1987 from the University of Central Oklahoma, and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice in May 1986 also from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Professor Okereke believes that teaching is not a perfectible art but rather an ongoing dialogue between a professor and his or her students. Professor Okereke therefore sees his role in the classroom as that of a facilitator who lets the students understand that their opinions matter by encouraging them to be active participants in the process of learning. And because learning new materials is often stressful and can create self-doubt, Professor Okereke sees it as his responsibility to ensure that the classroom environment is non-threatening and that the students are relaxed. Professor Okereke’s specialties include: Methods of Law Enforcement; Social Problems; Deviance & Deviant Behaviors; Sociological Social Psychology; and Violent Behaviors. Courses Professor Okereke teaches include: Ethnic & Cultural Diversity; Sociological Theory; Law and Society; Deviance & Deviant Behavior; Social Psychology; Social Stratification; and Crime and Delinquency.
Professor Okereke has research interests and peer reviewed publications that crisscross various academic disciplines within the social and behavioral sciences fields especially, the fields of sociology and criminal justice. More recent interests and publications have centered on the issues of: Income Inequality; Gender Wage Gap; Political Economy and Governance; Human Trafficking; Conflicts and Civil Unrests; Violence Against Women; Spousal Abuse; Domestic Violence; Law Enforcement Tactics; and Imprisonment.
Professor Okereke is a 2020/2021 academic year recipient of the Texas A&M University System’s Board of Regents Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2021/2022 recipient of the Texas A&M University-Texarkana Honors Program Teaching Excellence Award.
In terms of teaching philosophy, Professor Okereke believes that all students can learn and earn a university degree if adequate opportunities and resources are made available to them and the university environment is both friendly and inclusive.
