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,

Known for teaching at Virginia Tech for over 30 years, Giovanni passed away with her lifelong partner by her side, according to her friend Renee Watson.

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.