Dr. Daniel Abebe

Daniel Abebe Joined Metropolitan State University in fall of 1989.  Since then, he has taught and advised students in the College of Individualized Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences (now College of Liberal Arts).  Daniel earned his Masters and Ph.D. Degrees in Adult Education from the University of Minnesota and holds a B.A. in Economics from Hamline University.

 At Metropolitan State University, Daniel coordinated the Perspectives Center, served as the first Dean of Metropolitan State University's First College (now, the College of Individualized Studies), founded and served as the first co-chair of the Ethnic Studies Department, served as Acting Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, assumed a permanent Dean position in First College where he served for 10 years and, while he was there, was appointed simultaneously as the Acting Dean of the College of Professional Studies for one year. He also served in a leadership roles on the Inter-Faculty Organization (IFO), Internal Multicultural Advisory Committee, The Anti Racism Leadership Team (ARLT), Diversity Learning Task Force, and the International Exchange and Study Committee, to name a few. He was nominated for excellence in teaching and advising numerous times. In 2017 he became the recipient of the Carol Ryan Excellent in Advising Award and in 2018 he received IFO’s Statewide Multicultural Issues Committee Award.

As a representative of our university externally, he served on the International Committee of the Metropolitan YMCA (now YMCA of Greater Twin Cities), co-founded and later chaired Ethiopians in Minnesota, Incorporated which proudly served Ethiopian refugees for 23 years, founded and served as a board member and trustee of Global Citizens Network – an organization which has sent over 2,000 volunteers to villages in 20 countries around the globe, Joined the first "Voices of Ethiopia" program on KFAI Fresh Air Radio, and served as a board member for many non-profit organizations locally, regionally and nationally. In 2005, at a celebration of Hamline University’s 150 year anniversary, he was honored and recognized as “One Hundred and Fifty Lives That Make A Difference” for his life’s work. 

As a faculty advisor and Volunteer, Daniel has guided hundreds of college students, faculty peers and other U.S. professionals on trips to Kenya, Tanzania, Jamaica, Botswana, Western Samoa, Ghana, Liberia and other destinations for over 25 years.