School of Business

Shamarla King was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, before later moving to Hartford,

Connecticut. She went on to attend Stony Brook University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts

in Communication undergrad and later completed a certification in Higher Education

Administration postgraduation.

During her time at Stony Brook, Shamarla was a member of the Women’s Basketball team from

2022 to 2025, where she played a total of 2,550 minutes across three seasons, helped her team

achieve a combined record of 58–36 and regular season championship in 2024. Her dedication

and leadership on the court were recognized with several honors, including the Spirit of the Team

Award (2023–24) and the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Dean Ehlers Leadership Award

(2024–25).

Beyond athletics, Shamarla was deeply engaged in leadership and service initiatives. She was an

active member of the Black Student-Athlete Huddle Steering Committee, serving as Secretary

(2023–24) and Vice President (2024–25). She also participated in the Academy of Leaders

(2023–25), a selective program led by Athletic Director Shawn Heilbron that emphasized

leadership development, collaboration, and addressing challenges in athletics. Additionally,

Shamarla served as a Pack Mentor (2023–25), helping incoming freshmen and transfers adjust to

campus life, and contributed to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as Social

Media Chair and a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (2024–25).

She further gained professional experience through a rotational internship in Athletics, where she

worked with Compliance as well as the Business and Finance offices.

Currently, Shamarla is pursuing her graduate studies while completing a graduate assistantship

with VCU Women’s Basketball. She is excited to continue her journey in the Center for Sport

Leadership (CSL) program and looks forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.