Wendy Osefo Celebrates a “Trailblazing” Career Milestone

Four degrees was just the beginning. Dr. Wendy Osefo earned yet another recognition on February 24, and this one acknowledges her as the “trailblazer” she is. 

We’ll get to Wendy’s latest acclaim. But first, let’s review some of her incredible credentials. Grab a cup of coffee: This may take a while!

According to her bio on BravoTV.com, The Real Housewives of Potomac cast member has a “Bachelor of Arts from Temple University, a Master of Arts from The Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Science from Rutgers University, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Rutgers University.” At Rutgers, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in public affairs/community development.

Her expertise is in hot demand. This past July, Wendy was invited to speak at a women’s conference in Nashville. Her photos from the day prove she was truly in her element. “Thank you to [The Equity Alliance] for having me speak at The Black Women Empowerment Weekend. When women support women, magical things happen,” she wrote in a post that commemorated the day. She added the hashtag “Professor O Speaks.”

Shortly thereafter, Professor O turned out for another event that looked just as magical. In a February 16 Instagram post, she shared a video of herself in a cobalt pantsuit, speaking at a roundtable filled with heavy hitters. “Thank you to the Embassy of Italy … and the National Digital Roundtable for having me discuss the power of Activism and Influence in Social Media,” she captioned her post. OK, Wendy! And the accolades keep on coming. 

In her February 24 post, Wendy shared a photo of herself at Howard University. Clad from head to toe in tomato red, she stood in front of a sign that bore her image. The sign advertised “The Trailblazing Black Women Summit,” where the mother of three was an honored guest. “Thank you [Howard] for naming me one of your Trailblazing Black Women of 2023,” Wendy wrote in her caption. 

As RHOP viewers have seen, Wendy also has an entrepreneurial spirit. In 2021, she shared her plans to launch a home essentials line that featured scented candles. “It’s Onyi Home Essentials because my middle name is Onyi and it means ‘gift from god,’ so Onyi is my gift to the world,” Wendy shared on a Season 6 episode. 

Writing is another one of her gifts. (You didn’t think we were done yet, did you?) In 2022, Wendy released a memoir called Tears of My Mother: The Legacy of my Nigerian Upbringing. The book, which hit shelves last spring, explores Wendy’s loving yet complicated relationship with her mother, Susan Okuzu. The book also delves into how Wendy’s Nigerian upbringing has impacted her life and her role as a mother today.

“Motherhood is a layered concept, and being able to examine it through this book from my lens of an immigrant and mother of three has opened my eyes to the many ways we as mothers carry the weight of our past into not only our future but that of our children,” she told People last year.

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