Education

2013 Covenant University, Nigeria, B.Sc.
2021 Texas State University, M.A.
2025 Ohio University, Ph.D.

Courses Taught

Speech Communication for Business and the Professionals
Group Communication

Career Specialties

Odunsi's research integrates health and family communication, and she is especially interested in how narratives impact our health-related behaviors, including how family dynamics and decision-making processes shape people's habits for managing their health.  Her research explores the intersection of motherhood, identity, and health communication, with a particular focus on African and Black mothers’ health and family experiences. Additionally, her research examines the symbolic use of names, and identity in understanding women's (de)motivation to adopt health behaviors.

Professional and Community Activities

Odunis's work extends scholars’ understanding of how understanding culture contributes to reducing maternal health disparities among immigrant populations. Her most recent publications examine how memorable messages, and cultural narratives shape maternal well-being and self-identity, particularly in cross-cultural contexts. These publications informed her dissertation, which focused on how cultural narratives about pregnancy care from mothers’ home countries shape their interactions with U.S. prenatal healthcare systems and their health information management practices.

Her research has featured in peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Family Communication, American Behavioral Scientist, and Journal of Communication in Healthcare: Strategies, Media, and Engagement in Global Health. Beyond publications, she disseminates research widely at national and international conferences such as the National Communication Association, Central States Communication Association, and International Association for Relationship Research.

She enjoys teaching foundational courses in communication, including group, interpersonal, and health communication. Her teaching approach prioritizes creativity and critical thinking, fostering active discussions where students connect course concepts to diverse life experiences and engage meaningfully in the learning process.

Honors and Awards

2024       Departmental CSCA Cooper Award Nominee: In recognition of a doctoral student who has been nominated by their academic department for the prestigious Central States Communication Association (CSCS) Cooper Award at the doctoral level.  

2024       Doctoral Honors Seminar Fellow, National Communication Association (NCA). Participants were competitively selected from universities across the discipline seminar that “brings together promising doctoral students and distinguished faculty members from across the discipline and around the nation to discuss current topics in Communication.” - University of Utah, UT.

2024       Judy C. Pearson Graduate Award: Given to support a doctoral student who does outstanding quantitative research in gender and communication or family communication and has a GPA of 3.5 or higher.  

2023       Endah Agustiana and Rudi Sukandar International Travel Award: A competitively selected department wide award based on proposed international research projects.

2023       Paul H. Boase Family Scholarship Award: A faculty nominated award given in honor of Dr. Paul Boase, first director of the school, 1968-1990.

2022       Top Paper Award, Southern States Communication Association, with Farris, K., Houser, M. L., Dye, L. A., & Timmerman, E.C.

2022       Top Paper Award, Rhetoric and Public Address Division, Eastern Communication Association

2021       Williams- Fleuriet Scholarship Communication Studies Graduate Teaching Award