COMPASS is proud to announce an exciting milestone for our VetIF Fellowship program: the graduation of our first two VetIF Fellows.
The VetIF Fellowship supports veterans as they pursue academic, research, and professional pathways—particularly in high-impact disciplines that advance innovation and serve society. These first graduates represent the strength, potential, and leadership that veteran scholars bring to higher education and research.
Honoring Our First VetIF Graduates
Jebril (Gregory) Thaxton, B.S.E.
Jebril graduated in December 2025 with a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan. A Rackham Merit Fellow, Jebril conducted research in solid state and nanotechnology under the advisement of Prof. Di Liang and worked in the LSIP Lab. His experience also includes an internship with KLA in Ann Arbor, and he has applied to the NDSEG Fellowship.
Jebril plans to pursue a career leading research and development in the semiconductor industry after completing his doctoral program.
Olubukola Akinbami
Olubukola graduated on December 17, 2025 with a B.S. in Cognitive Science and will participate in the University of Michigan commencement ceremony on May 3, 2026. Her academic path includes an additional major in Psychology and a minor in User Experience and Design. She currently serves as an LSA Undergraduate Recruitment Program Assistant.Through COMPASS, she conducted research under Prof. Xiaoming Mao and Prof. Paul Bogdan on a project titled:
Non-Markovian Dynamical Systems Modeling of Electroencephalogram-based Brain Activity for Predicting the Cognitive Fatigue Level.
Olubukola’s long-term goal is to continue graduate study while building a career dedicated to supporting veterans and their families, strengthening community, and advocating for veteran well-being.
A Shared Milestone
Both graduates served in the U.S. military prior to beginning their academic journeys—bringing discipline, leadership, and purpose into every step of their work. Their success marks an important milestone for VetIF and reinforces COMPASS’s commitment to building pathways where veteran scholars can thrive.
COMPASS congratulates both VetIF graduates on this outstanding accomplishment and looks forward to celebrating many more successes in the years ahead.