Influential Woman · Academics

Sherifat Alabi

PhD

Assistant Professor, City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College

Chicago, IL

1Award received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics Degree 2011 Degree Nigeria Degree Master's degree in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Degree 2014 Degree University of Ibadan Degree PhD in Agricultural Communication Degree 2025 Degree The Ohio State University Cert PhD Member American Association of Agricultural Educators (AAAE)

Her Story

About Sherifat

I just graduated with my PhD in Agricultural Communication from The Ohio State University in 2025 and started my position as an assistant professor at a community college less than one year ago. I come from a farming background, and I wanted to align myself with what my family is known for and be able to champion farmers' voices. Not very many people are involved in that field, so I want to be a change agent who will be able to communicate their needs to people and influence community support in meeting those needs. My major responsibilities include instruction, facilitation of instruction, student advising and mentoring, engagement in college policy, and curriculum assessment. I'm looking forward to more that I can do as I'm just getting started in this role. One of my major accomplishments has been my community engagement work, where I launched a podcast to document the narratives of small-scale farmers, majority of whom are BIPOC people, so that people can hear their voice and to archive their stories so that their community can also be engaged and put their hands on the soil as well. I really wanted to do something that would benefit people directly. I don't want my research to end up on the shelf or on the internet while not necessarily impacting the people that I am advocating for. I influence support directly for low-income farmers through several community engagement efforts, making sure that the people in the community come close to the journeys of these people, because it's only when you know what a farmer is going through that you can actually be able to provide the support.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Sherifat

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to my family, hard work, resilience, and looking up to many people who have come before me. I stand on their shoulders, and I have also received a lot of support as well. I am much motivated by all of those. And also, being a woman coming from where we have a lot of stereotypes, I'm just looking forward to break some of those things, to show that a woman can also not be limited. When you have the power, you have the support, you can achieve as much as you desire.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best career advice I've received, or that I've made up for myself, is I want to do a kind of work that impacts people directly. With my PhD, I really wanted to do something that would benefit people. I don't want my research to end up on the shelf or on the internet while not necessarily impacting the people that I am advocating for. So I channel my energy, my resilience, everything to make sure that the people that are at the top of my research, who are low-income farmers, I influence support directly for them. I do this through several community engagement efforts, making sure that the people in the community come close to the journeys of these people, because it's only when you know what a farmer is going through that you can actually be able to provide the support. Bringing community together to influence support is one of the things that really, really inspired me, and I'm grateful that I achieved this during my PhD journey, and which I am continuing to do even while I'm on the job right now.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Especially for Black or Brown women like me, when there's a will, there's a way. Even while we have limited spaces or opportunities for us, I think we still have our own niche, because we are the voices of Black and Brown farmers as well. So they should be involved, they should look past limitations, but I think it will always get better.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

The biggest challenges in my field are that not very many of us are Black or Brown, and so that's a challenge in my work. We are still navigating, and there are limited opportunities for people, Black and Brown. There are limited opportunities for us.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

The values most important to me are dedication, resilience, and just showing up. Just showing up.

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