The Sway | December 2025

Bison Trailblazers | AI in Doctoral Education: A Tool, Not a Shortcut

by Anna De Cheke Qualls | Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept in academia—it’s here, and transforming the way doctoral students learn, research, and write. But as AI becomes embedded in PhD programs, educators are grappling with a critical question: How do we harness its benefits without compromising the intellectual rigor and authenticity that define doctoral work?

For Dr. Desta Haileselassie Hagos — a Lecturer of Computer Science and AI/ML Technical Lead Manager at Howard University—the answer lies in balance. “AI should be treated as an intellectual partner, not a substitute for thinking,” he says. “Its role is to improve how our graduate students search, analyze, simulate, and communicate. But the core intellectual work—framing problems, exercising judgment, making original contributions—must remain the responsibility of the researcher.”

Word to the Wise | Sahir Muhammad

by India Crowe | At the crossroads of identity and inquiry stands Sahir Muhammad, a second-year graduate student whose academic journey has been shaped as much by self-discovery as by research. A graduate of Temple University, Muhammad’s newfound passion for politics and sense of purpose led him to Howard University’s Graduate School. In pursuit of a Master’s degree in Political Science and Government, Muhammad’s work considers political science not only as a discipline to study political institutions, but also as a tool to better understand power, representation, and lived experience. As a Black Muslim scholar himself, Muhammad utilizes his passion for political science to explore and challenge the position of Black Muslim Americans in the American political landscape, a subject that remains underexplored in scholarly literature. In this interview, Sahir Muhammad shares insights from his academic path and reflects on how his lived experiences have led to his advocacy-driven scholarly pursuit.

Bison Trailblazers | Will Marcus Sanders

by Anna De Cheke Qualls | Growing up on the west side of Detroit, less than ten miles from downtown, Will Marcus Sanders was known as the smart kid who challenged authority. But one summer changed everything. While retaking a class in eighth grade, he received the words no child should ever hear: “Your father passed away.”

That moment became a turning point in Sanders’ life. “My dad always told me, ‘I don’t want you to be me. I want you to be better than me.’ Ever since that day, I’ve strived to be one percent better than I was the previous day," says Sanders.

Word to the Wise | Dr. Anaheed Al-Hardan

By India Crowe | While living in London, Dr. Anaheed Al-Hardan witnessed firsthand collective resistance against imperialism.  She watched the city’s large-scale demonstrations against the United Kingdom’s support of the United States’ invasions, and subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

As Associate Professor of Sociology in Howard University’s Department of Sociology and Criminology, Al-Hardan's research focuses on anticolonialism and resistance across the Global South with a particular eye on West Asia and North Africa. This past September, Cambridge University Press published her co-edited book, “Anticolonialism and Social Thought”, a diverse collection of essays on anticolonial thought and theory. The Sway sat down with Al-Hardan to learn more about her recent publication.