Ijeoma Kola

Dr. Ijeoma Kola (she/her) is the Founder and Executive Director of Cohort Sistas, a national nonprofit working to close equity gaps in higher education by helping Black women and other historically excluded doctoral students navigate grad school, build community, and advance their careers. Under her leadership, Cohort Sistas has grown into a thriving community of over 4,000 scholars across the U.S., providing mentorship, professional development, and a network of support that enhances academic success and well-being.
An Assistant Professor at the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Kola is a historian of race, medicine, and environmental justice. A first-generation immigrant, she has long championed equity in education—leading mentoring programs in college, serving as a peer educator and health advocate, and now driving institutional change through her research and nonprofit leadership.
Before her career in academia and nonprofits, Dr. Kola built a platform as a digital storyteller, using blogging and social media to connect with over 250,000 followers, amplify Black- and women-owned brands, and cultivate community. She holds a PhD and MA in Sociomedical Sciences from Columbia University, where she was a National Science Foundation Fellow, and an AB in History of Science from Harvard University.