Nyamekye Daniel
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Journalism
College/School: College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts
Nyamekye Daniel has suffered a string of losses that would destroy most people. Shortly after leaving her home in Barbados and coming to Miami as a teenager, her father lost his battle with diabetes. In 2005, her fiancé was murdered. Tragedy struck again, in 2006, when her almost two-year-old son passed away. In 2010, she lost her mother.
This is the grief that Nyamekye carries with her – each loss like a permanent hole inside of her that she can never fill, she says. But for Nyamekye giving up isn’t an option. She’s determined to set a good example for her 11-year-old daughter, Nyla, and 21-month-old son, Braylon.
In 2015, Nyamekye was preparing for her final exam for federalism and intergovernmental relations when she suffered complications during her pregnancy. Refusing to let anything stop her, she took the test from her hospital bed – and passed. A few days later, Braylon was born.
On top of juggling her responsibilities as a mother and full-time student, Nyamekye became the managing editor of the South Florida News Service, which provides FIU students the opportunity to publish stories with local news outlets. Many mornings she woke up at 3 a.m. to edit articles and prepare daily news briefs.
Nyamekye has made the dean’s list and is a member of the Kappa Tau Alpha and Tau Sigma honor societies. After graduation, she hopes to have a positive impact by pursuing a career in journalism.