Goodnight celebrates Black History Month!
Nyana Williams, Class of 2024, is interested in integrating business and science during her studies at NC State and within her future career. Read on to learn more about her academic journey and her time in the Goodnight Scholars Program!
Tell us about yourself!
I was born and raised in Fayetteville, NC. I am a junior in the class of 2024 pursuing two degrees; a B.S. in Business Administration with a supply chain concentration and a B.A. in biological sciences with a cross discipline in operations of STEM based companies. I currently work part-time at a Psychiatry practice in the triangle where I get to work dually assisting the nurse team and with the administrators with operations.
A fun fact about myself is that I live with two other Goodnight Scholars!
Do you participate in any extracurriculars that you would like to discuss?
I love being physically active and try to make time at least six days a week. I am currently a member at a boxing gym called AKtivate Fitness which has not only helped me achieve my fitness goals but it has also been a wonderful community to be a part of. Wellness is something that is important to me and I am constantly trying to better myself. Through NC State’s WellRec I am a participant in a NASM CPT course with the goal of becoming a certified personal trainer by May 2023.
What are some of your favorite aspects of the Goodnight Scholars program?
The GSP has been a huge part of my college experience. As a student entering college during a pandemic I was really nervous about finding “my people” while having all virtual interactions. Through programming and seminars provided by the GSP, there has never been a time where I felt alone. The sense of community I have felt being a part of the GSP has truly transformed my college experience. One of my favorite memories occurred recently while visiting the NC Tiger Rescue with other Goodnight Scholars. We worked as a team to help clean up the area while also having fun with each other. Long story short, I ended up climbing a tree before the afternoon was over.
How have you been able to connect your racial and ethnic background to your major and involvement at NC State?
As a woman of color attending a PWI I find it critical to make other people of color aware that they have a community here at NC State. I have served as a University Ambassador since I was a sophomore. In this role I get the chance to interact with prospective students who want to see and get a feel for the university and I get a chance to add representation to the tour guides and those answering prespect questions.
Through my academic journey at NC State I have realized that there is a gap between STEM disciplines and business skills even though they are heavily intertwined which led me to my double major.
What are your future career and life goals? Do these goals connect to your racial and ethnic background?
Being able to integrate both business and science into my education has not only been very fulfilling but it also has helped me learn where I see myself in the future. I hope to work in a management role for a science company. I am considering health care management, pharmaceutical supply chain management, and regulatory affairs of medical products.I mentioned that there is a gap between scientists and those in business professions but there is also a gap in the communication between STEM-based companies (Health care, pharmaceuticals, technology, etc.) and people of underprivileged/underrepresented communities. This is especially problematic because of the exploitative nature of a lot of these companies. My goal is to help bridge this gap by providing appropriate communication and resources to every person regardless of their socioeconomic factors.
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