Dr. Martha Agbeli joined Wilkes this fall as an assistant professor in the graduate nursing department. Agbeli is from Ghana, West Africa, and came to the United States when she was 17-years-old.
Agbeli’s educational background is extensive, having started with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Rhode Island. She then went on to earn her master’s degree in psychiatric nursing from Drexel University and eventually obtained her doctorate in nursing. Her diverse educational journey reflects her commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
“I’ve always been an adjunct faculty at Wilkes and I would always joke and say Wilkes is a cool place to work. I’ve really enjoyed the experience,” said Agbeli.
Agbeli highlighted the positive experience she had working with students and praised the learning management system, Brightspace. Her transition to a full-time position at Wilkes was facilitated by recommendations from upper administrative personnel.
Her entry into the medical field was inspired by her family’s strong medical background, with her mother and older sister both being nurses.
“It just made sense growing around nurses to go into nursing and I’m very passionate about it,” said Agbeli.
In her role at Wilkes, Agbeli hopes to delve deeper into scholarly work, identifying it as an area where she wants to grow. Her enthusiasm for teaching and nursing as a passion, and her unique blend of nursing and teaching fulfills a lifelong dream.
Looking ahead, Agbeli envisions herself heavily involved in scholarly work, aiming for
publications. Her research focus lies in geriatric pscyhiatry, working towards improving the quality of life for the elderly population.
“In the next five years I see myself as doing a lot of scholarship work being published and hopefully becoming an associate professor,” said Agbeli.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Agbeli shared insights into her personal life. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking traditional meals and spending quality time with her husband and three children. Her favorite dish to make is jollof rice and chicken.
Agbeli spoke about the impact she’s had on her students, and expressed pride in receiving messages from former students, thanking her for the positive influence she had on their educational journeys.
In offering advice to students, Agbeli emphasized the importance of having a dream and working towards it with dedication.
“Have a dream, go for it. Just set your heart on one thing that you love and just work, whether it’s a slow pace, fast pace, just so far as you achieve it, I think that’s the most important thing. Just hard work and dedication, you’ll get there.”