You may have seen her around campus, you may saw her performance at Last Comic Standing, or you may know her as a friend, but for those of you who don’t know Shannon, she is a ray of sunshine who brightens the days of the people she crosses paths with. Because of her being the only girl in OSL’s Last Comic Standing event, we thought she’d be a fantastic gal to highlight for this week’s profile.
Year: Senior
Major: Geography and Environmental Studies
Hometown: Downers Grove, IL
Plans for post grad: Americorps for a year
What made you try out for Last Comic Standing?
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I saw Leo Nguyen perform my sophomore year and he killed it. He inspired me right then and there to do LCS as a part of my senior year bucket list. I also love really good stand-up. I like to listen to comedy podcasts like 2 Dope Queens and so I was also inspired in that way.
How was your experience at Last Comic Standing?
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It was actually really fun! It was my first time ever doing something like that. I was quite terrified right before I went on stage, but as I kept going through my routine and people were laughing, it became really exhilarating. I started to feel more and more comfortable as it went on. I’ve always loved making people laugh because it makes me feel happy. It felt so good to come off the stage and know that I actually made people, even strangers, laugh!
What are some of your fondest memories at Augustana?
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Wow, there is a lot to choose from. My fondest ones are living in Westie my freshman and sophomore year, that was always a good time. I also loved going on the Appalachia trip my sophomore year with my friends. I’ve enjoyed participating in choir and The Vagina Monologues. Doing my study away on the Camino de Santiago was also a major highlight of my time spent at Augie.
Who has helped you get to where you are today?
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Many, many people have helped me get to where I am today but most importantly, my family. My two older sisters are my best friends and role models in every way. My father is my rock. I truly wouldn’t be who I am today without him. My mother passed away the summer before freshman year. But she is my guardian angel and guiding light. My college experience has definitely been difficult without her but I know she has been with me the whole time.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
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Surprisingly, small children terrify me. I never got into babysitting when I was younger and the thought of being around small children still makes me very uncomfortable. They’re kinda mean, smelly, sticky and loud. I want to like them but I just don’t know how to relate to them, ya know?
What’s the funniest joke you know by heart?
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In the winter, my dog wears a coat. In the summer, my dog wears a coat and pants. (Wait for it.)
Where would you like to be in 5 years?
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I think I would like to have my masters in 5 years. Maybe in forestry or land management. I would like to have moved to Utah or Montana, anywhere out west would be good. If that all fails, I hope to live in a log cabin deep in the woods of some far off place. I’ll probably forage for my own nuts and berries and chop my own firewood. I will be accompanied by my cat and dog, who will hopefully like each other.
What would be the coolest animal to scale up to the size of a horse?
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A Komodo dragon because it would be just like a real dragon straight out of Harry Potter.
What do you like to do in your free time?
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I love to bake. I’m not very good, but it brings me a lot of joy. I love to run, hike and play soccer outside.
What is the best class you took at Augustana?
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While there is a lot to choose from, my favorite class has probably been Landforms and Landscapes with Dr. Heine. It opened my eyes to geography and the class included a fun field trip to Southern Illinois which was frickin awesome.
What kind of cult would you like to start?
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I would like to start a peanut butter cult. I think it is a really important condiment and I would love to pay homage to it on a regular basis. If anyone would like to join let me know.