Meet Communication Junior Shermarie Hyppolite 

By Nusrah Azeez and Christine Souaiden

Shermarie is a junior studying Communication and Journalism with a concentration in Public Relations. She is a member of the Commonwealth Honors College

Why did you choose UMass?

I chose UMass because in high school I was a part of a program called Collegish. The program focused on people of color, first generation and low-income students. When picking a college, I was worried about going to a school that would not care about me and my community, and I did not want to feel like I was drowning in a sea of people that are completely different from me. I really liked the fact that UMass allows its prospective students to come to campus ahead of time to explore the campus and learn about the different types of programs and resources available to students. I was able to talk to the Black Student Union (BSU) leaders; it felt special to me that leaders in my community provided me a sense of belonging. They explained to me that even though the school is a predominantly white institution, we still have a strong community that leans on each other and supports one another. That really influenced my decision to attend this school. Another reason is that at the time of my acceptance to UMass, I was majoring in Journalism and one of the requirements was that Journalism majors had to take part in at least one internship that would prepare them for the real world.

Do you feel like you have a sense of belonging on campus?

I do feel a sense of belonging because of the friendships I have made with people I met through the cultural organizations on campus. I had a friend when I first came to UMass who was the president of Latinos Unidos at the time. She introduced me to people and pushed me to get involved in all the events. I found a sense of community with people at cultural organizations who eventually became my closest friends. Also, I found a sense of belonging through my role at the Academic Fellows Program (AFP) which is a program under SBS that was created to help out marginalized students on campus; this includes first generation students, students from low-income families and/or people of color. We come together to hold events and projects that are centered around the community. My most recent project is a new podcast I started called Voice Your Truth; its mission is to let marginalized voices be heard in a safe space. 

What do you love most about UMass?

I love my friends, it’s a given, but in terms of being specific to the school, I like my classes the most. The classes that I have taken so far, especially my Comm classes are what I enjoy the most about being here. My Comm classes are not restricted to one topic, it covers a range of topics with different scopes and I could also say that for my Journalism classes.

What do you think about the Communication department?

I think the Comm department is great. Everyone here is so nice, everytime I come here for advising, the advisors are always really helpful. The professors are cool and they always look out for their students. I tell everyone that the Comm department is the best department on campus and I am not being biased. 

How do you feel about being back on campus as opposed to having fully remote classes?

The weeks leading up to moving back on campus, I was very nervous because of COVID. My family faced a lot of COVID related issues which made me scared about coming back. I felt a little better when the school mandated COVID vaccines and masks. Also, I think having a year of remote classes diluted the excitement I had about being on campus. I felt like I had lost all my social skills. It was stressful to think about going from being in my room to living and interacting with a lot of people who come from various cultural backgrounds and live differently from me. However, I have had time to settle in and I am grateful that I got another year on campus.

What are your Involvements on campus? 

I am involved in the Her Campus Chapter of UMass, I have been a writer for them since the summer before my freshman year. I am currently a writer and one of the multimedia directors for them. I am a diversity fellow under the Academic Fellows Program. Also, I am the public relations director for the UMass PR club and I am a member of Latinos Unidos. Through these responsibilities, I have developed better communication skills and I have learned how to juggle and prioritize a lot of things. 

What advice would you give students trying to get involved on campus?

I would say, do not underestimate yourself, if you see something you are interested in, apply for it. In my freshman year, I was part of a dance team called Soul Sisters, I did not think I was going to get on the team but I still tried and I got it. There are things that I apply for and do not get, but it is always a learning experience. If what you are interested in is specific to a club, go to the general body meetings, subscribe to their email and show interest because they check for that. Also, I think it is important to know that you deserve it just as much as the next person so do not discourage yourself because you bring something different to the table.

If you could go back in time, what would you tell yourself as a freshman?

I would want to be more involved in the cultural organizations. I am only involved with Latinos Unidos but I wish I was more involved with the Black Student Union (BSU).

What do you hope to take away from your junior year? 

I think I am a better writer than speaker so I hope to gain more confidence when talking to people. I want to be more outgoing, I lost all of that from being at home for a year. I have become more reserved than I was in my freshman year and I want to change that. The Academic Fellows Program is teaching me skills that I cannot get in class so I look forward to utilizing those skills. Also, I want to get more job experience in terms of public relations. 

What do you think is the most underrated campus event?

I think this depends on the community. The POC on campus are not going to say that SoulFest is underrated, everyone goes to SoulFest. However, some other communities might think SoulFest is underrated because they do not know about it. It is very debatable what event is underrated.

Where are your top three spots on campus?

I really like the Student Union, I think the bathrooms are nice. When the weather is nice, I like the green area by the Honors College. Also, I like South College, the architecture is beautiful.

What is your favorite thing to do to relax after classes?

I have something I call my therapy show, it is just something light hearted or funny I watched to relax. My freshman year it was The Office, sophomore year, it was Supermarket and Brooklyn Nine-Nine and now it is Modern Family. After a stressful day or after classes, I would go to my room, put on the show, get my food and a nice cold drink.

What is your favorite meal at UMass? 

I like the buffalo chicken quesadilla with ranch from Roots and the Japanese curry from Hamp.