President

Email: gpcpresident@missouri.edu

Jessica Osaze is an international scholar from Edo State, Nigeria, with a diverse and interdisciplinary academic background. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Literature, a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Missouri (MU) with licensure as a Master Social Worker, and dual Master’s degrees in Health Administration and Health Informatics & Bioinformatics from MU. Jessica also earned a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification to enhance her process improvement skills. She is in her third year of Ph.D. studies in Translational Biosciences at MU. As President of the Graduate Professional Council, Jessica is committed to enhancing the graduate student experience. Her primary focuses include promoting positive graduate student experiences and amplifying student voices, increasing student engagement and fostering collaboration across disciplines, and advocating for graduate student needs.
For questions, observations, or concerns, please contact Jessica at: gpcpresident@missouri.edu

Vice President

Email: gpcvicepresident@missouri.edu

Teja Teppala is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Missouri. He earned a Master’s in Physics from the University of Hyderabad, India. He also earned a Master’s in Physics and a Graduate Certificate in Public Engagement from the University of Missouri. His research focuses on constraining the timescales of bursty star formation in low-mass galaxies beyond the local universe. Teja actively engages in public outreach and engagement and has received the Sandra K. Abell Science Education Award}, and the Mary Elizabeth Gutermuth Award for Community Engagement from MU  Graduate School. He previously served as the Vice-President of the Cultural Association of India (CAI) and as the Publicity Team Co-Director of the Missouri International Students Council (MISC). gpcvicepresident@missouri.edu

Treasurer

Email: gpctreasurer@missouri.edu

Onyedika is a third-year doctoral candidate in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. He is a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition, UK. He has over nine years of post-bachelor education and research experience spanning nutritional biochemistry, public health nutrition, and clinical nutrition. He holds a double master’s degree in Biochemistry and Public Health Nutrition. His research interest borders the basic scientific mechanisms of food materials on health and diseases, food policy systems, and clinical interventions to manage cardiometabolic diseases. His overarching research goal entails conducting clinically significant research centered on lifestyle interventions with the prospect of influencing public health nutrition policies. Primarily focused on improving the health and well-being of ethnic/racial minority groups and bridging the health disparities. He is currently the Treasurer for GPC. (gpctreasurer@missouri.edu)

Secretary

Email: gpcsecretary@missouri.edu

Angela Danso Gyane is a political science Ph.D. student focusing on International Relations and Comparative Politics. Her research interests revolve around the intricate dynamics of race, ethnicity, and gender in international relations. Other research interests include human rights, conflict studies, peace studies, Africana studies, and politics of the Global South. She previously served as the president of the Graduate Association for the Advancement of Truman Students (GOATS) in its inaugural year. Angela is currently the GPC Secretary (gpcsecretary@missouri.edu)

Director of Professional Development

Email: muoslprofdev@missouri.edu

Felix Oguche Michael is a PhD student and graduate assistant at the University of Missouri in Biological Engineering, focusing on precision agriculture, ergonomic tool design, and sensor technology. He is the Director of Professional Development for the Graduate Professional Council and the Administrative Director for the African Graduate and Professional Student Association. Felix holds degrees from the University of Debrecen, Hungary, and The Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria. He has received awards including ISASH and stUDinnovate Innovation Scholarship. With extensive teaching experience and a background as a Senior Systems Specialist in Nigeria, Felix is an asset to the academic and professional community. Email: muoslprofdev@missouri.edu 

Director of Programming

Email: gpcprogramming@missouri.edu

Ejike Valentine Iweha  is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Missouri, His research focuses on the development of Theranostics using terbium-161 and copper-64/47 and modular synthesis of new bifunctional chelators for radiopharmaceutical research and development. He has previously served as the vice president of the African Graduate and Professional Students Association (AGPSA). (gpcprogramming@missouri.edu)

Director of Communication

Email: gpc.communication@missouri.edu

Damilola Oduolowu is a doctoral student and graduate assistant at the University of Missouri School of Journalism where he’s studying media sociology and ethics as he explores his research interests in citizen journalism, digital storytelling, environmental journalism and journalism ethics. He is passionate about leadership and has mentored many young journalists and journalism students in Nigeria, his home country. He served as the President of the University of Missouri chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and his commitment to nurturing the next generation of storytellers at Mizzou has been nothing short of inspiring. Damilola is a multitalented international journalist with a great experience in multimedia journalism. Before starting the Ph.D. program, he worked with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service as a Senior Journalist Reporter based in Nigeria and has many stories to his credit which span TV, radio, and digital (podcasts, video, and web). He is a second-time Director of Public Relations and Communications for the GPC (gpc.communication@missouri.edu).

Director of National Affairs

Email: gpc.legislative@missouri.edu

Director of State Affairs

Email: gpc.state.affairs@missouri.edu

GPC Immediate Past President/Ex Officio

Email: parkerowens@missouri.edu

Parker Owens was the immediate past president of GPC