Shameika Daye

Boston, Massachusetts

College:

College of Sciences

Degree Program:

Sociology PhD

Research Focus:

How space and place form and inform interactions within society and its prominence in race, gender, and the intersection of race and gender in communities and the workplace

---

Sociology doctoral student Shameika Daye began her journey at UCF when she decided to pursue her Management BSBA at the university for its dedication to impact in the community. “I have seen so many innovative projects and opportunities made available for different departments, community partners, and units that work together to tackle the many challenges we face in our city, state, nation, and around the world,” she says. After her undergraduate, she moved on to earn her master’s in Public Administration.

After receiving her masters, Daye knew UCF was the right place for her PhD because of her passion for studying social inequalities—a track that was made available to her through her department. Her research focused on how space and place form and inform interactions within society and how this is prominent in race, gender, and the intersection of race and gender in communities and the workplace. She accepted into the Mid-South Sociological Association Inc. Annual Conference Fall 2020 for her work in progress abstract titled, Black Women, Cultural Aesthetics and the Construction of Space. This annual conference provided her with the opportunity to network with other professionals, introduce herself to other students and members of the professional community, and gave her time to share and discuss current efforts in sociological research.

Along with her studies and research, Daye was also a member of the Black Faculty and Staff Association at UCF and worked as the coordinator of academic programs for the Nicholson School of Communication and Media. She remains very grateful for her colleagues at UCF. “My supervisor, colleagues, and leadership at the Nicholson School of Communication and Media where I work, often ask about my progress and research constantly and are truly there to give their knowledge and expertise when and where they can, which is a blessing.”

In the future, Daye plans on pursuing a tenure-earning faculty position to make a difference in the amount of Black faculty representation found at universities. “The idea of being a professor for me was not one that I knew existed because it was not one that was available to me in the makeup of my faculty. I want to change that by not only being a representative, but by assisting others into the academy as well,” she says.

While at UCF, Daye received the Strategies for Success Outstanding Faculty Member Award, a student nominated award given by the First Year Advising and Exploration office for outstanding work in teaching Strategies for Success (SLS 1501). She also received the UCF Alumni Fellows Scholarship and the SGA Graduate Student Achievers Scholarship. With these recognitions, Daye is also a graduate of the Leadership Enhancement Program, a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and the Golden Key International Honour Society.

Highlights:

• Accepted in the Mid-South Sociological Association Inc. Annual Conference Fall 2020
• Member of UCF Black Faculty and Staff Association
• Strategies for Success Outstanding Faculty Member award
• UCF Alumni Fellows Scholarship
• SGA Graduate Student Achievers Scholarship
• Golden Key International Honour Society