FSC Alumna Writes Award-Winning Poetry
October 28, 2019
Cheryl Williams ’08 is a poet, singer/songwriter – and advocate for bullied children. And they all work together.
Williams, who graduated from the Nursing program and was a Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence winner, last year published an award-winning book of poetry – A Collection Of Poems: A Journey Through Life – which contains poems that tackle the plague of bullying. She knows first-hand what it’s all about, having suffered as a child when kids at school and in the neighborhood turned against her when she began taking care of her sick mother and raising her siblings. Medical bills drained the family’s finances, and caused Williams to become an outcast. Amazingly, she found solace in the arts.
“Poetry, music, and writing were my lifeline as a child,” Williams says. “I started singing and reciting poems at age eleven. At times, when all seemed hopeless, my only source of encouragement was reading the Book of Psalms, singing, or reciting poems.
“Poems have impacted my life since my childhood, and brought me so much joy, hope and fulfillment. I felt that writing in this genre can also help someone who has lost hope, with no sense of direction.”
A Collection Of Poems: A Journey Through Life earned Williams the 2019 Top Female Author award (poetry category) from TheAuthorsShow.com. The book, which is available at Greenley Library and the campus bookstore, has earned rave reviews on Amazon.com. Poems such as “Direction” and “Human” address bullying, and support for the emotionally abused.
“My book takes us through life’s journey, showing us the good, the bad, and the ugly. Helping us find positive ways to cope with life’s hardships… helping us find hope. I want anyone faced with bullying to know that we are all uniquely different. I want them to embrace who they are, loving and appreciating their unique self, realizing that no one can make them feel less-than without their permission.”
Williams is also a school nurse. She began that career after having been a volunteer at Sagamore Children’s Psychiatric Hospital.
“School nursing is the best move I’ve made. I feel like I have, and will continue, to make a difference in the lives of these precious children.”
All in all, Williams is grateful to FSC for inspiring her to excel at all she does, and to give back to the community.
“The Nursing program taught me time management, critical-thinking skills, discipline, courage, and resilience, which spilled over into my career as an author/poet. FSC set me on a journey of service, allowing me the opportunity and the means to fulfill my dreams.”
Watch this YouTube video of Williams reciting her poetry. Visit her website.
