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Cherelle Williams '12 |
Cherelle Williams ’12 remembers well her first impression of the Randolph-Macon College campus. “I thought the school was so pretty, especially the fountain,” she says. “And the faculty, administrators and students were so nice. The small classes and community atmosphere really appealed to me. ”
The Richmond, Virginia native and
psychology major is right at home on campus and is a very active member of the college community. Williams is a member of many campus organizations, including the
Honors Program, the International Interest Group and the Women of Color Discussion Group. In March 2010 she was inducted into Psi Chi, an international honor society in psychology. She is also a cheerleader and an International Assistant (IA).
To read more Student Experience stories, click here.“IAs assist new international students with their adjustment to college life and U.S. culture,” says Williams. “The program starts in the very beginning of the fall semester before the regular student orientation. IAs touch base with new international students before classes begin, and we keep in contact with them throughout the year to make sure they are adjusting well so that they can fully enjoy the college experience.” In August 2009, Williams received the International Assistant Recognition Award at a ceremony sponsored by the Office of International Education. “I was so happy to receive the award because it reflects our commitment as IAs to new students,” she says. “Not only are we here to help them in any way necessary, but we are usually the first friends they make when arriving in the U.S.”
Williams has been a member of R-MC’s Ujima Choir since her freshman year. The choir recently performed when Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones visited the campus in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. “I have loved to sing since being a member of the Sunshine Band Youth Choir at my church at home,” says Williams. “My favorite songs are ‘Victory’ and ‘I am a Promise.’ When I perform I feel stress-free and grateful to spread the Word through song.”
For Williams, giving back to the community is an important part of her college experience. “I’ve participated in Operation Smile, Angel Tree, Community Day and other campus events,” she says. Operation Smile is an international medical humanitarian organization that provides reconstructive surgery for children born with facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate. “During Operation Smile, groups were assigned items to collect; my group was assigned child- size toothbrushes,” says Williams. “We collected donations on and around campus to go toward purchasing toothbrushes, which, along with items collected from the other groups, were put together in baskets to be distributed to families in need.”
Williams’ post-R-MC plans include graduate school. “I want to earn my Ph.D. and M.D. in psychology,” she says. “I plan on working as an independent practitioner in pediatric clinical health psychiatry. Some people do not realize the severity and stigma of mental illness and that it can be just as grave and life-threatening as a physical illness.”
For information on R-MC’s Department of Psychology, visit
http://www.rmc.edu/academics/psychology.aspx.
For information on R-MC’s International Assistant Program, visit
http://www.rmc.edu/Academics/study-abroad/IntlStudents/Intl%20Assistant.aspx.
For more information about the breadth of programs and opportunities available at Randolph-Macon or to schedule a campus visit, contact our Admissions Office at (800) 888-1762 or at admissions@rmc.edu.