From Savannah to Fearless

Never be afraid. Dr. Mulatu Lemma refuses to let you fear what you don’t understand. Perhaps that’s why this expert mathematician, author, and innovative researcher was named the 2013 Georgia Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Just 36 professors across the nation were honored. Dr. Lemma was one of them.

While he’s known for discovering his Mulatu Numbers, an integral sequence of numbers with distinct mathematical properties and patterns (think Fibonacci numbers), he considers his greatest achievement what he creates with his students.

Dr. Lemma worked for more than three years investigating the Mulatu Numbers (producing more than 13 theorems along the way). He used that work as a teaching exercise for his students. They explored numbers—together. And the students who worked alongside him went on to present their work at national conferences.

A native of Ethiopia and graduate of Addis Ababa University and Kent State University, Dr. Lemma has helped students discover the beauty and power of math at Savannah State University since 1994.
In 2010, he received the Savannah State University Distinguished Professors Award for outstanding teaching, research, and services. Dr. Lemma is also one of the most awarded professors in Georgia.

Dr. Lemma is relentless. Tenacious. And has never met a problem that he didn’t want to solve. He challenges his students to live and study with the same single-minded determination he uses to crack equations. Students must rise to meet his challenge. And they do. Seriously Impressive.

From Savannah to the Big Apple

She expects the best out of herself and refuses to let anything or anyone stand in her way. That’s how Savannah State alumna Tatia Adams Fox ’94 became the first and highest-ranking African-American female executive at Warner Music/ADA.

She's a marketing strategist. A community activist. An education advocate. A leadership and career coach. She's been featured in Billboard and Vibe magazines, appeared on Fox News, and been listed as one of New York City’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Philanthropy. Now, she’s come back to share her know-how for making it big time in the big leagues with Savannah’s rising generation.

As a visiting professor in marketing, Adams Fox teaches students how to go from passionate dreamer to innovative strategist. She's determined to help students find their own brand of success.

“It's not enough to have a great idea,” says Adams Fox. “You have to execute it better than anyone else out there. You have to show people how to look at something in an entirely new way.”

That's what sets you apart in this world. According to Adams Fox, you can't wait for a big break. You have to go out and make it happen yourself. Two days after graduation, she bought a one-way ticket to Chicago—determined to use a magazine publishing internship as a launchpad for one great, big career. She did. She's worked for Fortune 500 companies, MTV, and Motown Records. And handled press and marketing for celebrities like Nick Cannon, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Akon, Swizz Beatz, Wu-Tang Clan, Kat Deluna, and Q-Tip.

“I shoot straight with my students. Dreams are essential but not enough,” says Adams Fox. “It's not enough to want something; you have to work hard for it—and give everything you've got.”

Students are hearing her loud and clear. They quote her “Foxisms” around campus. And they’re finding the inspiration they need to follow her bold example.

Student Spotlight : Enow Ayuk

Enow Ayuk

Enow came to Savannah State University to pursue his goal of becoming a neurosurgeon.

Enow's grandfather - his inspiration - was an enthusiastic advocate of Enow's studies. He began showing signs of Alzheimer's, and after he passed in 2013, Enow was faced with an unsure academic future.

Before coming to Savannah State, Enow sat out for two semesters, unable to raise enough in financial aid to return to school.

In those months, he rededicated himself to his passion for science and decided he would work towards finding a cure for Alzheimer's once he returned to school.

Aware of the challenges ahead, he studied during the summer to be sure he was ready for fall. Enow became a Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participations (PSLSAMP) scholar and accepted Hope, research, and presidential scholarships.

It wasn't easy at first, but he realized that the opportunities are endless here at SSU.

This summer, Enow will study antibiotic-resistant bacteria through a research program at Alabama State.

And he knows that with determination and drive, anything is possible.