Sharell Williams, ’14

Name: Sharell Williams

Major: Broadcast Journalism

Hometown: Tampa, FL

Relationship Status: Single

Campus Involvement: National Association of Black Journalists, Images Modeling Troupe Inc., and Fearless Collegiate Chapter.

HC FAMU: What is the most fearless thing you’ve ever done?

SW: It actually had to be just last semester when David Talbert came [to FAMU]; he’s the producer for Baggage claim.  He made me go in front of everyone in the lecture hall of J-school and do a monologue, and I didn’t have one memorized. He was like “I don’t care, just act out your favorite scene from the movie”. So I did it, but the first time I was scared and nervous. I was like ‘Oh my gosh this big time producer is having me do this’ and I sucked. He stopped me and made me do it again, and I still sucked because I was still nervous. But that third time, I let all fear go and I did it, and it was a great result. That had to be the most fearless thing I’d ever done. To stand in front of all those people, especially a FAMU crowd, and do this monologue from a movie that I didn’t even have memorized.

HC FAMU: Would you ever date a guy friend?

SW: Yes, if there’s really good chemistry and he’s attractive.

HC FAMU: Have you ever been in love?

SW: In high school; but I feel like that doesn’t count because it’s like in training. In my adult life? No. Am I looking for it? No. But if it comes, then I would embrace it.

HC FAMU: How would your friends describe you?

SW: Something else, funny, a mess, rational, gives great advice, and headstrong.

HC FAMU: What are the dating rules you always follow?

SW: I mean of course [the guy] has to pay! [laughs]. But I’m big on courting, especially on the first date because you need to be on your best behavior. Oh! You can’t come to my house. There is no chilling at my house, and I’m not coming over yours. If you want to get to know me, then you need to do it outside of four walls. I’m also kind of getting out of the thing of [the boy] texting me. We’re adults; we’re getting older, so if you want to get to know me you can pick up the phone and call. And then we can go to a nice coffee shop, grab a coffee, and have a nice conversation.

HC FAMU: What are you afraid of?

SW: Financial instability and not living out my dreams.

HC FAMU: What is your advice to incoming freshman?SW: It’s ok to have fun but remember you came here to get a degree. So don’t make decisions that can really screw you up in the long run. My scholarship got suspended after freshman year ad I had to work hard sophomore year to get it back. In the meantime, your GPA doesn’t rise as quickly as it falls. So if you’re trying to do anything like internships where you need a certain GPA, keep that in mind. Freshman year you have the easiest classes so you should be getting As. Also, really familiarize yourself with whatever program you’re in. [For example] I’m in journalism, so you have to have a minimum of 10 published articles in order to graduate. A lot of times people wait until their last semester of senior year to write these articles, and then run the risk of not graduating; but you had all 4 or 5 years to do it. So that would be my advice.