DAUS Student Spotlight: Charmaine Williams

Charmaine Williams is a student in the online BS in Leadership and Management Studies program at the NYU SPS Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies (DAUS). Born and raised in the South Bronx, she briefly attended Bronx Community College but found navigating her college and personal life difficult. Hoping to discover her passions and strengths, she left school to work in various customer service and operations positions in the retail and merchandising industries, where she discovered that team building and leadership came naturally to her. Williams moved to Brooklyn in 2020 to attend Kingsborough Community College before enrolling at NYU SPS.

Why did you choose to come to NYU SPS?
I chose NYU because it allowed me to continue my academic journey through the CCTOP scholarship program. A school like SPS that focuses on transitioning community college students into senior colleges has my best interest at heart, and I have not been disappointed so far. Also, I became interested in NYU after learning that it sends more students abroad than any other American university, so I’d like to leverage my time here to study at one of NYU’s many satellite universities.

What are you studying at DAUS and why?
I am studying Leadership & Management Studies with a concentration in International Business and Global Management. I chose DAUS because it has allowed me to maintain my full-time job while attending classes remotely. In addition, I have a passion for leadership and would love to become an ex-pat in another country, so this degree concentration will help me achieve my goal of living and working abroad.

Tell me about your passions and hobbies.
My passions and hobbies include interior design and real estate. I plan to take a real estate course while enrolled at DAUS to learn more about the industry.

How have you found the online academic experience thus far?
I started attending online classes during the pandemic at KCC and quickly learned that online schooling is the best environment for me. I spent so much time and energy commuting to school. While working and attending college for the first time, focusing on my academics became tough. The ability to sit for lectures at home and submit weekly assignments on Sundays has helped me use my time more efficiently.

Do you have any favorite professors or classes?
So far, my favorite class is Sustainability Management Principles. The weekly discussion boards about CSR have piqued my interest, and learning about sustainability from a corporate perspective has taught me a lot.

What do you hope to gain from your studies at NYU SPS?
I want to become more well-rounded and equipped for the international professional world.

Where are you working?
I work as a customer service associate at the Gemological Institute of America. I transitioned to a company with more regular hours and less demand once I enrolled at NYU, and it has helped me maintain the bandwidth to focus on academics.