Janet CeCe Kwenah is a master’s student in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of
Advanced International Studies (SAIS), with a concentration in Climate, Development, and Sustainability
and a regional focus on Africa. She is currently completing her first year at the SAIS Europe campus in
Bologna, Italy, and will continue her second year in Washington, D.C.
CeCe graduated magna cum laude with a degree in International Relations from Lafayette College.
During her time there, she served as Co-President of both the African and Caribbean Students Association
and the Lafayette Chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success. She also held the role of
Resident Advisor, where she dedicated her time, energy, and leadership skills to building inclusive,
educational, and culturally enriching residential communities through collaboration with students and
campus staff.
CeCe’s academic excellence and leadership earned her several honors, including the International Affairs
Hatfield Award for Global Scholarship, which recognizes outstanding achievement in international studies
and global citizenship. She was inducted into Sigma Iota Rho, the International Affairs honor society, and
Iota Iota Iota, the honor society for Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
In 2017, she founded Think Kids Liberia (TKL), a nonprofit organization that provides weekly reading
and creative arts classes to disadvantaged children, particularly girls aged 5–17. Her work through TKL
earned her the United Nations Volunteer Award in 2020. To date, the organization has graduated over 150
children from its programs.
CeCe also gained research experience as a Research Assistant at the Wellesley Center for Women over
two consecutive summers. There, she contributed to a USAID-funded project on Higher Education for
Conservation Activities (HECA) in Liberia, conducting stakeholder interviews and analyzing gender
dynamics in the forestry sector. Her work informed policy recommendations and HECA implementation
strategies, particularly concerning women, youth, and marginalized communities. At SAIS Europe, she
has continued her research engagement as a teaching and/or research assistant for two faculty members.
A committed leader from an early age, CeCe has participated in various leadership seminars and civic
programs through the U.S. Embassy in Liberia. These include certifications in Civic Leadership and
Public Management, the Youth Female Leaders Dialogue on the Electoral Process, and the Women’s
Leadership Conference on Gender Bias. She has also led grassroots environmental education efforts,
including community clean-up initiatives and anti-littering campaigns.
Her additional leadership roles include serving as Program Director for Students Against Corruption,
where she helped establish anti-corruption clubs in ten high schools across Liberia. She has also been an
ambassador for the Stefania Forte Education Foundation, which promotes girls’ education and literacy,
and a volunteer for Liberia Unites, a peacebuilding and conflict reconciliation initiative for youth.
