His father barely had a fourth-grade education, but in his natural wisdom he knew his son had to go to college, even though college was a strange word and not common in the daily conversations of their immediate or extended family. The father’s inspiration was that his son would become a professor – a word he had heard was the highest achievement in education that a person could reach.

Tilahun Adera, new dean of the College of Health and Social Services at New Mexico State University, fulfilled his Ethiopian father’s dream, but only after completing his bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical studies at Addis Ababa University, working for a while and then having to flee Ethiopia.

In 1974, communist rebels had overthrown the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie and imposed a socialist government that did not favor educated or religious people – people who spoke freely and opposed an oppressive government. Being an educated and outspoken person, Adera’s ability to remain in Ethiopia dwindled – the heart-wrenching decision to flee the country was his only option. Adera left, leaving behind his beloved family and the woman he had hoped to marry some day.

For several years, Adera labored in the United States to fulfill his father’s dream and in 1980, Adera received his master’s degree in environmental health from Oregon State University. Three years later, Adera gained another master’s degree, in epidemiology, this time from the University of Washington in Seattle.

Adera was closer to his goal. And in Seattle, Adera also became closer to the woman he had left behind. Almaz Tiruneh had moved to Seattle and they were reunited. She married the man who would be a professor, years after saying goodbye to him.

It wasn’t until 1987 that Adera was conferred with a doctorate degree in public health from Oregon State University in Corvallis. A long road and a life’s dream had come to an end – but only an end to a dream and the beginning of greater accomplishments.

Adera spent 14 years at Virginia Commonwealth University, reaching all levels of professorships. He has been an associate dean for public health and a senior associate dean for public health, excelling in research interests in the epidemiologic methods for biomedical research, hearing loss in pediatric and occupational populations, and the adverse pregnancy outcomes that determine preterm and low-birth weight in babies.

He is the father of two, Saalem, 23, and Hannah, 21, who themselves are seeking to fulfill their educational dreams – dreams woven by a grandfather 60 years ago – who somehow knew his son would become a professor.