After she graduates in December, Amiya Williams plans to combine her double-major
subjects 鈥 dance entrepreneurship and psychology 鈥 into a means for helping others.
鈥淚鈥檝e always been interested in psychology because I just like listening and trying
to understand others,鈥 she explained. 鈥淎nd I鈥檝e always been interested in dance, too,
so I wanted to make sure I got both areas of study while I was an undergrad, because
my eventual goal is to pursue dance/movement therapy,鈥 a practice that uses physical
rhythm to help support users鈥 emotional, intellectual and motor functions.
Fittingly, Williams, a native of Woodbridge, Virginia, has stayed in motion for most
of her undergraduate career.
She鈥檚 a member of Radford鈥檚 Rocker dance team, has held a work study position with
the Department of Dance since day one of her freshman year and serves as treasurer
for two student organizations 鈥 Harmony in Motion and the College of Visual and Performing
Arts (CVPA) Ambassadors.
As a CVPA ambassador, Williams is often called upon to represent Radford at events
and to promote the arts, and she鈥檚 also a Highlander Guide tasked with showing guests
around the university鈥檚 campus.
鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e learned so much more about Radford by giving tours, and I like speaking
to the incoming students,鈥 she said. 鈥淢y work in the Department of Dance has also
been a great opportunity to get to know the professors a little more and to tap into
the arts administration side of things.鈥
Amid all that activity, she found time to undertake a summer internship with the American
Dance Festival and, in 2022, took her first trip to Europe, spending a month studying
abroad in London, England.
鈥淭hose opportunities 鈥 would not have been possible without the support of the Radford
University dance department faculty,鈥 Williams said.
鈥淚鈥檝e tried to maximize my time here at Radford. I feel like every opportunity that
arose was an exciting one, and there was always so much to do.鈥