Darlain Presmy
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts
College/School: College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts
Diagnosed with sickle cell anemia as a child, Darlain Presmy began experiencing extreme episodes of pain at the age of 16. As an FIU student, the incapacitating pain made ordinary tasks impossible on most days.
Still, Darlain made it to class. Often, he used a walking cane to assist him.
During his time at FIU, he was hospitalized over a dozen times, but he did not let the downtime impede him. If he missed a semester, he would return and take up to five courses at a time to make up for it.
Outside of the classroom, Darlain joined the Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society, became vice president and president of the Students Write Club, served as treasurer for Student Poets Eloquently Articulating Knowledge (SPEAK) and participated in the Miami-Dade Police and Youth Community Dialogue program, which brings officers into local high schools to establish a dialogue with high school students.
In his free time, Darlain likes to write poetry, song lyrics and compose music. After graduation, he plans to pursue creative writing and return to FIU for a graduate degree in communication or marketing. He credits his mother, Marie, for being such an influential and strong person in his life and for encouraging him to fulfill his dream of graduating.