Azenegashe “Ozzie” Abaye was named an Alumni Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech, where she has taught for over three decades. Dr. Abaye, the Thomas B. Hutcheson Jr. Professor of Agronomy, focuses her research on sustainable agriculture practice that improve the livelihoods of farmers, women, and children in West Africa. She also coaches the Virginia Tech Crops Judging Team, where students develop practical skills through regional and national competitions in crop, weed, and disease identification; grain grading; and seed analysis.
Dr. Abaye is a graduate of Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in biological science. She holds a master’s degree in animal and dairy science from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in agronomy from Virginia Tech.
Suban Nur Cooley, assistant professor of African American and African studies at Michigan State University, has been named poet laureate for the city of Lansing, Michigan for the 2026–2028 term. In her writing, research, and teaching, Dr. Nur Cooley blends the rhetorics of identity and belonging, cultural and digital literacies, and Black feminist theory to help build understanding and broaden perspectives of how we define and value all forms of writing.
Dr. Nur Cooley is a graduate of the University of Canberra in Australia, where she majored in journalism. She holds a master’s degree in digital rhetoric ans a Ph.D. in rhetoric and writing from Michigan State University.
A. Bolu Ajiboye was appointed chair of the department of biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Ajiboye, the Allen H. and Constance T. Ford Professor in Biomedical Engineering, is a leader in designing technological breakthroughs that improve health outcomes and quality of life. His main research focus is helping individuals who have experienced severely debilitating injuries to the nervous system, such as spinal cord injury and stroke.
Dr. Ajiboye is a graduate of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, where he earned dual bachelor’s degrees in biomedical and electrical engineering with a minor in computer science. He holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
Dustin Bessette was awarded tenure at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon, where he teaches courses in information and technology management. He also serves as an advisor for students in the cybersecurity program. Dr. Bessette’s academic expertise spans cybersecurity, leadership, and data analytics.
Dr. Bessette is a graduate of Marylhurst University in Oregon, where he majored in real estate. He earned MBAs at the University of Saint Mary in Kansas and Campbellsville University in Kentucky. He holds a doctorate in educational leadership in healthcare from Nebraska Methodist College.
