By Faith Jarrell
Student Life Editor
Senior Nicole Chimezie can be found in many places around campus, from the Johnson Fitness Center during a ShoreFIT event or in the Student Government Association office in Hodson Hall. Chimezie has a long list of accomplishments at Washington College, and she continues to add to that list, even in the spring of her senior year.
When Chimezie first enrolled at WC, all of her classes were on Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, one of her professors, Dr. Brian Scott, reached out to her about the SGA. After that, Chimezie applied and became the financial controller her sophomore year.
Even as the financial controller, Chimezie wanted to do more. In her sophomore year, she founded ShoreFIT, a campus organization dedicated to creating a safe environment for working out.
“In high school, I was super involved in the gym. I was very athletic. It was a place where I grew, where I challenged myself. I wanted everyone to enjoy that space,” Chimezie said. “I would ask my friends to come to the gym with me and they would be like ‘Oh, no, I feel kind of uncomfortable or intimidated.’ It kind of blew my mind, because that’s such a safe space for me and I wanted it to be like that for everyone.”
After this, Chimezie created ShoreFIT, getting help from the Coordinator of Campus Recreation, Evan Clayton. Chimezie said she was “amazed” by the amount of support ShoreFIT received, even when it was a new club.
“When I tabled to get signatures for interest, we got about 100 signatures, which is pretty amazing for a club that is just starting out. That also happened during the COVID year when we all had to wear masks and stuff, so it was also a great way to get people out of their dorms and moving,” Chimezie said.
Being the founder and president of a club is a feat on its own, but Chimezie did not stop there. At some point, Chimezie was a member of sorority AOII and she is currently the Vice President of SGA, the Vice President of the Black Student Union, and the Co-President of bible study group 100% Triumph.
Chimezie’s friend and co-worker junior Miranda Parrish acknowledged how busy Chimezie often is.
“She does a lot, like many students do here, but the way that she does her job is great and I love it. She knows how to balance her roles, which I think is great, and she has a passion project, which is ShoreFIT, but she also is able to balance that with her different interests including SGA and including BSU,” Parrish said.
As for her biggest accomplishments, Chimezie considers all the events she has planned over the years as hers. This includes the annual ShoreFIT ski trip, the annual BSU showcase, and a Christmas gift event for 100% Triumph.
“We also started our thrift boutique which is where we collect donations from people in school…and then donate all the proceeds. I think the fact that everyone here can contribute to something like that and buy each other’s clothes — it reduces waste and it also raises money for people who may not have clothes and shelter,” Chimezie said. “For the Black Student Union, I really enjoyed the mentorship program that I started this semester. It was made to get underclassmen into leadership here on campus. I just enjoy planning events.”
Along with that, Chimezie believes that anyone on campus could accomplish their goals with enough work. After all, she started ShoreFIT on the idea of making others feel safe in the gym.
“I love to see an idea come to life. I actually believe that there is so much talent here. There are so many ideas and I hear people talking about ‘I wanna start this’ or ‘I wanna start that,’ but sometimes you never see it all the way through, it just starts and dies, so I really enjoy having something that becomes an idea in my head. I enjoy seeing the support around that and I enjoy seeing it come into fruition,” Chimezie said.
When Parrish met Chimezie, she was a sophomore, and Chimezie was a junior. Despite their small gap in undergraduate years, the pair became friends, and Parrish called Chimezie a great person to “bounce ideas off of.”
“She always has been someone I admired and respected because the way she conducts herself is so impressive. She not only learns so much but she brings so much to the table and it’s so exciting to see from a friend’s point of view,” Parrish said. “On a personal level, she’s always someone who I can count on and she’s someone who is very level-headed…She always will take time to make sure that each piece of the puzzle and each part of the project is strong.”
Chimezie made it clear that without the amount of support she has received at the College, she wouldn’t be where she is today.
“I want to mention that if not for the support I’ve had from faculty and stuff…without their support and their belief in me, I don’t think I could’ve done half of what I did, so I’m grateful for this college,” Chimezie said.
Photo courtesy of Nicole Chimezie