About Shana

Hey there! I’m Shana. I’m nearing the end of my undergraduate days, and I think it’s fair to say that I’ve had a not-so-typical college experience.

First off, there’s this whole volunteering around Springfield thing and my experiences as a UI-Springfield Resident Assistant and Service/Volunteer Coordinator:  Illinois Times (click to read article)


And then my travels to Kenya: UIS Office of Development, UIS News, Hunger Banquet

And the resulting non-profit my friends and I started: Jump for Joel, J4J in the News, Again, and Again!

I’m continually amazed by the recognition and encouragement I’ve received for volunteering and serving others. I’m just doing what God said - love Him and love people.  That’s it.  So, if there’s anyone who deserves the honors and awards I’ve been getting, it’s the One who showed us how to love: Jesus. And I don’t mean that in a cliche, that’s-what-Christians-always-say kind of way. I really mean it.  Jesus loved homeless people, orphans, college students, me and you, first.  I just followed his example.

I must stop here and give a MASSIVE thanks to Christian Student Fellowship for being the single-most influential and important community in my life.  In particular, Gretchen Magruder, my mentor and campus minister, has been instrumental in my growth in the past four years.  God has used her in countless ways to challenge and encourage my faith.  Thank you, G!

While my life might seem peachy and carefree from the outside, it has certainly taken several beatings the past two years.  One of my brothers, Daniel, was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome in June [08], and spent the following year in Barnes-Jewish Hopsital and St. Louis Rehabilitation Center. Though he was released in May [09], he still has a long way to go before he’s completely recovered. As of December 09, he still uses a wheelchair due to very limited movement below the knees. It’s been a very difficult 18 months for my family, and from time to time, I’ll blog about our/my struggles (AND our victories!). There’s also the collapse of my parents’ marriage, though I don’t often write about it. Maybe someday. It’s still too…complicated…(and too soon) to talk about it on this space.

Anywho, I write all this to give you a glimpse of my life.  Hopefully you’ll stick around this blog for a while and watch as I reveal more.  Just know this:  If it wasn’t for “the hope we profess,” the same hope that took me to Africa, led me to love the homeless in Springfield, and gives me peace in spite of Daniel’s illness and all our family problems, THIS hope, the hope found only in Jesus, I would have given up months ago. Years ago. Yesterday, even.

Hebrews 10: 23-24 (NIV): Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.