Interim President Everett B. Ward, Ph.D. along with students, faculty and staff welcomed the Venerable Metlhayotlhe Rawlings Ogotseng Beleme, Bishop of the Diocese of Botswana, to campus on November 18. Bishop Beleme was in North Carolina visiting the Diocese of North Carolina.

“Bishop Beleme wanted to visit Saint Augustine’s University to learn more about the educational aspect of Episcopal Church,” University Chaplain the Reverend Nita Byrd said.

During his visit, Interim President Ward hosted an afternoon tea in honor of Bishop Beleme’s visit. Students, faculty, students and clergy from various Episcopal churches in Raleigh attended the reception.

Venerable Metlhayotlhe Rawlings Ogotseng Beleme was elected the 5th Bishop of Botswana in spring 2013. On the July 14, 2013, he was consecrated at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Gaborone by the Most Reverend Albert Chama, Archbishop of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa and his fellow bishops. Bishop Beleme is the first to have been born in Botswana.