As someone who has always dreamed of becoming a professor, Dr. Emmanuel wasted no time deciding to pursue his Ph.D. He was intentional about his choices before, during, and after his Ph.D. He shared with me how his journey started, the never told before grit and graft stories underlying his many successes. One exciting thing about this interview is the openness of Dr. Emmauel in laying out what it takes to be a successful researcher and academic.