Bison Pride with Shawanna

Transcript

It’s time to meet Shawanna. She’s a sophomore from Columbus, Ohio and a criminal justice major, a member of Nichols Cheer Team and a Bison social media influencer. Shawanna is gonna talk about school spirit and how she’s using her voice to promote the college to students from near and far. Shawanna, the camera’s yours.

– Thanks, Alex. I was in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio, playing lacrosse when my twin sister, met the Nichols cheer coach at a cheerleading competition. Nichols offered her spot on the team, so my mom decided to take the opportunity to tell them about me. At the time, I had never been to Massachusetts, but within a week we were both applying and committing to the cheer team. Choosing Nichols was a little unexpected, but I definitely think it was meant to happen and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I was shocked by how quickly I was able to bond with my team. Coming to Nichols as an out-of-state athlete was definitely scary, but becoming a part of the friendly and supportive community here was exactly what I needed. We eat together, practice together, and spend nearly every minute with each other. Cheerleading is a huge part of my college experience and I’m so glad that I get to thrive in my classes as a criminal justice major while still competing in the sport that I love. The team cheers for football and basketball games and goes to nationals in Florida each spring. This is definitely the most memorable part for me, traveling with my best friends and competing against top programs. From the classroom to the gym, I’ve learned how to juggle my books, sports, and social life. Plus, being a leader on a new and growing varsity program has helped me unlock my true potential. My advice to out-of-state athletes is to take the risk because you never know what will come out of it. In eighth grade, I thought my charities were over, but here I am years later, states away, being a student athlete and learning something new every step of the way. Back to you, Alex.

– Awesome job, Shawanna. You are a great ambassador for Nichols, enrolled in a high demand academic program and will no doubt encourage more high school students to follow their hearts to the college that’s right for them. Cheers to you and go, Bison.