Dr. Monique L. Akassi

08/21/2026

I’m honored to announce the relaunch of the Zora Neale Hurston Forum International Conference, taking place virtually on Thursday, January 7, 2027, in celebration of Zora Neale Hurston’s 136th birthday.

This moment is especially meaningful to me because it continues a legacy entrusted to me by Dr. Ruth T. Sheffey, whose commitment to Hurston scholarship continues to inspire this work.

Our 2027 theme is:

“Jump at de Sun: Zora Neale Hurston’s Global Legacy, Scholarship & Future.”

We welcome submissions from faculty, independent scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, writers, artists, archivists, educators, cultural workers, and researchers around the world.

Topics include Hurston’s literature, Their Eyes Were Watching God at 90, folklore and anthropology, Black women’s intellectual traditions, Eatonville, the African Diaspora, spirituality and Hoodoo, film and performance, archives, pedagogy, global perspectives, and Artificial Intelligence, Digital Humanities & the Future of Hurston Studies.

The conference will also feature the Ruth T. Sheffey Emerging Scholars Symposium for undergraduate and graduate student research.

Abstract Deadline: October 30, 2026
Conference Date: January 7, 2027
Format: Virtual
Submissions: [email protected]

Please share widely. I would love to see scholars, students, educators, writers, and cultural thinkers from across the world join us as we celebrate, honor, and advance Hurston’s legacy.

08/04/2026

Walk into every room with the confidence that your preparation, purpose, and perseverance have already made space for you.

Leadership journeys are rarely easy, and meaningful opportunities do not always arrive on our preferred timeline. Yet growth happens each time we continue showing up—prepared, polished, prayerful, and committed to excellence.

Some moments require confidence. Others require courage. The most transformative seasons often demand both.

At this stage of the journey, the goal is not simply to prove that we belong. It is to become the leaders we were called to be, use our influence responsibly, and serve others with integrity once we arrive.

Carry the vision. Honor the process. Keep moving forward.

You did not come this far to shrink now.

08/04/2026

Some messages arrive at exactly the right moment.

Today, I received a thoughtful note from a former Howard University colleague reflecting on the opportunities I helped create for faculty and students, including a study-abroad experience that brought students’ dreams to life across Europe.

One line especially stayed with me:

“You’re a powerhouse of an instructor and a powerhouse of a leader.”

I receive those words with deep gratitude and humility.

Leadership is not only about a title. It is about creating access, opening doors, building meaningful experiences, and helping others see possibilities they may not have imagined for themselves.

I am grateful for every student and colleague who was part of my journey at Howard University, and I am equally grateful for this new chapter at Voorhees University.

The institution may change, but the calling remains the same: to serve, to lead, and to create opportunities that transform lives.

The work continues.

07/31/2026

Today, I had the privilege of welcoming our newest Tigers to Voorhees University and introducing them to the W. Franklin Evans Honors College and the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE).

There is something powerful about the first day of a student’s college journey. It is filled with hope, possibility, and the promise of transformation.

At Voorhees University, we believe a student’s story does not end with admission—it begins with purpose.

Through the Academic Center for Excellence, we are committed to helping every student succeed academically, persist to graduation, and achieve their goals.

Through the W. Franklin Evans Honors College, we challenge scholars to think critically, lead courageously, pursue meaningful research, and prepare to make a lasting impact on their communities and the world.

To the Class of 2030: welcome home. We are honored to walk alongside you as you learn, grow, and become the leaders you were created to be.

07/28/2026

One vision. One team. One unwavering commitment to excellence. 💙🎓

Today, I had the privilege of participating in Voorhees University’s Executive Cabinet Strategies Retreat, led by our dynamic President and CEO, Dr. Ronnie Hopkins.

This was more than a meeting—it was a moment of alignment, reflection, and renewed purpose. Under Dr. Hopkins’ visionary leadership, we were challenged to think boldly, collaborate intentionally, and remain deeply committed to student success and the future of our university.

Transformational leadership is not simply about holding a title. It is about building trust, creating clarity, inspiring excellence, and uniting people around a mission greater than themselves.

I left the retreat energized by the possibilities ahead and even more committed to doing my part as we continue advancing Voorhees University to its next level of excellence.

The work is meaningful.
The mission is clear.
The future is bright. ✨

07/27/2026

Excellence is not an accident—it is built through intentional support, elevated expectations, and people who believe in students before students fully believe in themselves. 💙🎓

Today, standing inside the Academic Center for Excellence at Voorhees University, I was reminded that student success requires more than admission into college. Students need guidance, encouragement, accountability, academic resources, and a community committed to helping them persist all the way to graduation.

The Academic Center for Excellence is where potential is strengthened. It is a place where students can receive academic coaching, tutoring, mentoring, skill development, and the support needed to overcome barriers and remain focused on their goals.

The W. Franklin Evans Honors College builds upon that foundation by challenging high-achieving scholars to think critically, lead courageously, pursue meaningful research, serve their communities, and prepare for graduate school, professional careers, and lives of purpose.

These two areas serve different but deeply connected missions:

ACE helps students discover that they can succeed.
The Honors College challenges students to imagine how far their success can take them.

Together, we are creating a culture where students are not merely surviving college—they are learning, leading, growing, and becoming.

As we prepare to welcome our Tigers, my commitment is clear: every student deserves to be seen, supported, challenged, and reminded that excellence is within reach.

We are here for them.
We believe in them.
And we are building pathways for them to thrive.

The future is bright at Voorhees University. Let’s get to work. 🐅💙

07/27/2026

Headed back to South Carolina to begin a very full workweek—with Welcome Week just ahead at Voorhees University. 🌴✨

There are moments in life when the road before us asks a question:

Will you choose comfort, or will you choose purpose?

The road less traveled is rarely the easier one. It asks for faith before certainty, perseverance before applause, and service before recognition.

This week, the miles ahead are leading me back to a campus preparing to welcome a new generation of students. Behind every meeting, every long day, and every late night is an opportunity to encourage, inspire, and perhaps even change someone’s story.

Frost’s poem reminds us that the choices we make often shape the lives we build.

Today, I choose the road that requires more…
because it also gives more.

As Welcome Week begins, my hope is that every student who arrives on campus discovers not only a place to learn, but a place to belong, to grow, and to realize their potential.

Here’s to new beginnings, open hearts, and the quiet courage to keep saying yes to the work we are called to do. 💙

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
— Robert Frost

07/24/2026

07/24/2026

I made myself one promise when I became a dean at Voorhees University: I would never stop being a Professor. 💙🤍🎓

Leadership should never pull us so far from the classroom that we forget why we chose education in the first place.

That’s why I’ve committed to teaching at least two doctoral courses each year and one course for incoming freshmen.

Because while administration allows me to shape institutions…

Teaching allows me to shape lives.

This summer, I had the privilege of teaching EDUC 745: Innovative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, and I’m incredibly proud to share that my doctoral students are finishing the term with all A’s.

What makes me proud isn’t just the grades.

It’s the critical thinking.
The innovation.
The resilience.
The willingness to challenge ideas, support one another, and grow as future leaders in higher education.

Watching their transformation reminded me that no leadership title will ever replace the joy of standing in front of a classroom.

To my doctoral students: thank you for trusting the process, embracing the challenge, and giving your very best. Your future students will be better because of the educators you are becoming.

And to my fellow academic leaders:

Never get so far from teaching that you forget what inspired you to lead.

Congratulations, EDUC 745. You earned every bit of your success, and I couldn’t be prouder. 👏🏽🎓