Wakhisi is the two-time winner of the University’s Excellence in Teaching Award, which she received in 1996 and 2006. Wakhisi received a Master of Science degree in journalism (MSJ) from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and English from Mundelein College in Chicago. Her professional background includes serving as a reporter or editor for several daily newspapers, including the Detroit News, the Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio, the Kansas City Star and The Miami Herald.