Botswana President Masisi visits his alma mater, Florida State University

Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi left his Southern African homeland, Botswana, to attend graduate school at Florida State University in 1989. 

On Thursday, he returned to campus as the fifth president of the Republic of Botswana.

Masisi, dressed in a tailored suit and accompanied by his wife, Neo Jane Masisi, and his daughter, Atsile, was treated to a spirited welcome as his entourage arrived around 8:30 a.m. at the northeast steps of the Westcott Building.

Members of the U.S. Secret Service, FSU and Tallahassee police provided security, as about 50 members of the Marching Chiefs performed “Seminole Uprising” and the Botswana national anthem.

Masisi is in the United States to attend a conference next week at the United Nations. He arrived Wednesday in Tallahassee, and, eager to see the campus in a more intimate setting, was given a tour by FSU Police Chief David Perry.

His must-see stops included the Stone and Bellamy buildings, Strozier Library, the University Center, Bobby Bowden Field and the President’s box.

Masisi earned his master’s degree in social studies education and instructional systems design in 1991. Many of his classes were in Stone and Bellamy.

“We are proud to call you an alumnus of Florida State University,” FSU President John Thrasher told Masisi during a brief media availability before the entourage engaged in closed sessions with FSU administrators, staff, and invited guests, including U.S. Rep. Al Lawson Jr., and State Sen. Bill Montford.

Landlocked, Botswana is surrounded by South Africa to the south, Namibia to the west and north, Zimbabwe on the east and Zambia to the north.

Masisi, a social science teacher by training, was a supervising curriculum specialist for Botswana’s Department of Curriculum Development and Evolution when he got the opportunity to study at FSU.

He spoke passionately about FSU in his 12-minute public remarks.

He praised Thrasher and his wife, Jean, for their work on campus, especially completing the $1-billion Raise the Torch campaign. The entrance to Westcott is blocked off in preparation for FSU’s gala Friday night when the grand total will be announced.

“And, when you look at the campus, from 28 years ago when I was here, it's remarkably different, but it still has its unique sparkle,” he said. Unlike the pessimism of this football season, FSU boasted a 10-2 winning record the year Masisi came to Tallahassee. He offered fellow Seminoles words of hope.

“FSU and the Seminoles will win again," he said. "The Seminoles will win again.”

After he returned home in 1991, Masisi became national coordinator for social studies education and Botswana’s representative for the African Social and Environmental Studies program

Masisi credits his experience at FSU in preparing him for the elevated position he now holds.

“I feel a lot of what I picked up from Florida State, particularly at the Stone Building, and from courses I took in the Bellamy Building and the business school -- not forgetting Strozier Library -- enabled me to do what I am doing and the way I am doing it.”

Maisi comes from an influential family with strong ties to the country’s government. He was vice president under President Seretse Khama Ian Khama and chief of the Botswana Democratic Party, which has a parliamentary majority.

In April, he was sworn in as president to succeed the retiring Khama.

Among the challenges he faces early in his tenure is reversing a declining economy and eradicating poverty, an area he oversaw during the Khama administration. About 20 percent of Botswana's 2 million residents subsist on less than $2 a day.

Masisi said there are about 15 public and private universities in his country, and that he would like to see agreements between FSU and some of those schools.

There's one Botswanan graduate student among the 66 African students enrolled at FSU, according to FSU's Center for Global Engagement. Masisi would like to see that number grow.

“There is a lot of value you bring and we have a number of universities, both private and public that can benefit by working with you,” he said.

Contact senior writer Byron Dobson at bdobson@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @byrondobson.