A poet. An author. An educator. Those were just some of the words used to describe Nikki Giovanni, by her colleagues, friends, and those who loved her on social media. Giovanni was in her third battle with cancer,

"Jill and I send our love and condolences to her family—including her wife Virginia, her son Thomas, and her granddaughter Kai—and all those who loved and admired that something special, her courage."

Pender was one of the many people on Virginia Tech’s campus mourning the loss of Nikki Giovanni. She died Monday at the age of 81, after battling cancer. Pender got to know Giovanni not just as a literary star, but as a person.