Graduate News & Events

Bison Trailblazers | The Storyteller’s Sanctuary: Jasmine M. Ellis and the Power of the Narrative

by Anna De Cheke Qualls | For Howard University alumna Jasmine M. Ellis, the journey to becoming a premier historian and entrepreneur was forged in the intersection of professional excellence and personal sanctuary. As a seasoned journalist who has contributed to prestigious outlets like Slate Magazine, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and WHYY, Ellis has spent her career intentionally centering the lives of Black women and girls. Today, through her venture Willow x Arch, she is transforming that lifelong mission into a global movement.

Word to the Wise | Forecasting Change: How Jaren Smith is Redefining the Face of Broadcast Meteorology

By Anna De Cheke Qualls | For Jaren Smith, the journey to becoming a broadcast meteorologist wasn’t mapped out by traditional means. It took a village, a detour through athletics and education, and an unwavering commitment to his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, to realize a dream sparked in middle school.

Today, as he graduates with a Master’s degree in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology from Howard, Smith is not just stepping into a new on-air role in Texas—he is making history.

Bison Trailblazers | The Scholar’s Pivot | How Dr. Kevin E. Scriber II Transformed the PhD into a Global Passport

by Anna De Cheke Qualls | In the academic world, a 'pivot' often refers to a change in research focus, but for Dr. Kevin Emmanuel Scriber II, the term describes a life lived across latitudes. From his current post at Texas A&M University, where he instructs the next generation of medical professionals in Anatomy and Physiology, the view is framed by a decade of global exploration that most scholars only read about in journals. 

Word to the Wise | Dr. Susanna Sacks

by Anna De Cheke Qualls | On an ordinary weekday, Dr. Susanna Sacks moves between worlds: from the quiet focus of early-morning writing, to the charged energy of the classroom, to the administrative demands that attend contemporary academic life. It is a rhythm that mirrors her scholarship—one deeply attuned to the movements of language, labor, and value across borders. Sacks, an assistant professor in English and literature, is a scholar of African literature whose work examines how global political and economic systems shape cultural production in southern Africa.