Daily News

Chikmedia Announces Chik of the Future Scholarship Winners

SPRINGFIELD — Thanks to the generosity of Summerlin Floors, Ryan McCollum of RMC Strategies, and the Springfield Thunderbirds, Chikmedia has chosen four $500 scholarship awardees for its 2021 Chik of the Future scholarships.

Chikmedia, a boutique firm offering strategic marketing planning and creative PR, launched its annual scholarship this year to support future generations of marketing professionals. Chikmedia offered four $500 scholarships in 2021, and a variety of local businesses decided to match that scholarship amount. These four scholarships are being awarded to Western Mass. women who are high-school graduates pursuing a college degree in marketing, public relations, communications, or business. They are:

Shermarie Hyppolite is pursuing a double major in communication and public relations with the hope to one day become a successful public-relations professional specializing in brand building and storytelling. She aims to have her own public-relations agency that can help uplift brands and create a space in the public-relations industry for women and non-binary people of color.

“Winning this scholarship is so meaningful to me because it feels special to have won it from public-relations professionals since it is my dream to become one as well,” Hyppolite said. “I am so grateful to be awarded something that will allow me to further my education in public relations.”

Claudia Gonzalez is currently obtaining her degree in marketing with the goal of working in a television and networking company. Additionally, she will be pursuing her MBA this fall at Bentley University.

“I am honored to receive this scholarship from an organization that empowers women in business with diverse and cultural backgrounds,” Gonzalez said. “Winning this scholarship brings me a lot of joy and some financial relief.”

Kimberley Moore is completing her degree in communications with a concentration in human resource management at DeVry University. As a mother of six daughters, she made a commitment early in their life to instill the importance of education, including hard work and dedication. She is proud to say that all have finished or are still attending college, and it is now her turn to do the same.

“I am honored to be selected to receive the Chik of the Future Scholarship. This will certainly assist as I continue the final stretch of my educational journey as a non-traditional student,” Moore said. “It also gives me the push and motivation to work even harder and maintain my 4.0 GPA. I am deeply appreciative of your generosity and support.”

Saniya Stewart is a full-time student at American International College and a dual-enrollment student at a local community college. She simultaneously attends both colleges, working toward her bachelor’s degree and the prerequisites for a master’s degree in healthcare management. Her goal is to open a nonprofit healthcare facility in her hometown of Springfield to be an advocate for those who truly need a person to lean on.

“I am ecstatic to be a recipient of the Chik of the Future Scholarship. As a black woman in a male-dominated major, it is important to receive support and recognition; I am glad that Chikmedia makes it a priority to recognize students such as myself,” Stewart said. “This scholarship will help with my educational expenses and aid me in becoming a trailblazer in the business community.”