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Senior Spotlight: Katie Shannon
By Leora Tanjuatco
Every student attending the University of Virginia has, at one point in time, been referred to as “well-rounded.” Most UVa students volunteer in the afternoons, run races for medical research on the weekends, while making the coursework of one of the toughest schools in the country look easy during the week.
But for the epitome of “well-rounded”, look no further than senior Katie Shannon.
The fact that this defender is currently residing in a little inconspicuous place that Thomas Jefferson called the Lawn is a testament to her abilities, but her aptitude to perform in a variety of capacities isn’t limited to world of academia. She’s been all over the lacrosse field.
“Right now, my focus is on the defense,” Shannon said. “I had the opportunity to play attack my first year, midfield my second and defense my third and fourth year. So I’ve been all over the field and that has helped me to be able to adapt wherever I am.”
This plethora of experience has also allowed her to be a valuable leader for the team. Shannon, as a member of the class of 2009, takes it upon herself to push her teammates whenever she can – in practice, on the field and in the locker room before games.
“We have nine seniors and we have all step up to the plate, whether it’s on the field or off the field,” Shannon said. “When somebody needs something or when the intensity needs to be stepped up in practice, we try to be the ones that step it up. We’ve set a new goal – before every home game, one of the seniors gives a motivational speech in the locker room, so I think it’ll be a neat thing for us to do.”
As a lawnie, she bridges the world of athletes and scholars, oftentimes dragging her team along. She encourages all of her teammates to participate in the activities on the lawn, Pancakes for Parkinson’s, Halloween and the Lighting of the Lawn, just to name a few. Her leadership role extends outside of her duties on the lacrosse team, though. As a student in the nursing school, she has served as the co-president of her class, helping to organize charity and social events.
In the true fashion of an overachiever, she already has a plan and a job lined up for next year. Shannon is California-bound, as she will be moving to Los Angeles to work at the UCLA medical center.
“I’ll be working in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit starting in August,” she said. “It’s pretty exciting and I’m looking forward to being in the warm weather.”
Her brother will be on hand to help her with the transition, too.
“My brother moved out there after he graduated and he’s loved it. Every time I talk to him, he’s having the time of his life. I actually spent last summer there with him while working at UCLA. What’s not to like about California?” Shannon says, clearly excited.
While southern California has a lot to offer, there is one thing it doesn’t have – lacrosse. There are some professional leagues, but colleges, high schools and middle schools don’t have any sort of lacrosse programs. Maybe, with Shannon’s help and enthusiasm, they will soon.
“I would love to get into teaching lacrosse,” Shannon said. “Even if it’s at a younger level, like the middle schools or high schools, just to bring the sport out west. I think it’d be an awesome opportunity. I’d be interested in running some clinics.”
And with her sparkling resume, no one would put it past her.