Social work major Shannon Griffiths came to UGA because she “wanted a school where I would learn outside of the classroom as much as I did inside of one,” and she has taken good advantage of all those opportunities.
Hometown:
Marietta, Ga.
High School:
Lassiter High School
Degree objective:
Bachelor of Social Work, minor in Spanish
Expected graduation:
Spring 2016
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
Every day spent at UGA makes me so grateful that I am a Dawg. All of the university highlights and achievements I can think of surround the people who made my experiences so wonderful. I am thankful for maintaining a 4.0 GPA every semester, but I am far more than thankful for the people who bought me coffee at Jittery Joe’s to wish me luck on a test, the people who walked back with me from the SLC at 3 a.m. after studying, and the classmates and teachers who made me excited to go to class. I have also been blessed to hold onto the Zell Miller Scholarship and Charter Scholarship, allowing me to study without the burden of worrying about student loans, but I would not be the student I am without the support of my parents.
My involvement at UGA began with becoming a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, where I felt at home right as I stepped into the house during recruitment. I also joined SGA Freshman Focus, and got involved in one of the most loving organizations on campus—UGA Miracle—where I joined the Family Relations committee and have been a family pal to the Harris family for the past two years. I volunteer on the social services team at Mercy Health Center, making me even more excited for my major of social work. This, and becoming an ESOL tutor at Cleveland Road Elementary, allows me to experience Athens beyond the on-campus bubble.
The best part of freshman year was that I took my faith into my own hands, found out what it means to find my identity in Jesus, and learned that living a life loving the Lord brings total freedom and joy! I steward this with my community at Grace-Athens. My intent is to bring love into everything that I do.
Although I will be completing my undergraduate degree next spring, a year early, I look forward to getting my M.S.W. (and possibly becoming a Double Dawg), and for everything else that lies ahead, like finishing my Spanish minor this summer at UGA’s campus in Costa Rica and interning at my senior year social work field placement.
Current Employment:
EITS information consultant at the Miller Learning Center
Family Ties to UGA:
I am the only Dawg, but I do have a little sister, so there’s hope!
I chose to attend UGA because…
Since my Hogwarts acceptance letter got lost in the mail, I decided to go to an in-state university. I wanted a school where I would learn outside of the classroom as much as I did inside of one. I knew attending UGA would allow me to become more involved in the community and allow me to give more of myself to volunteer organizations. Athens is an amazing town, especially for a social work major, and I am so glad volunteering has allowed me to explore it.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
… hang out in Bolton, snellebrate, spend time at the Alpha Chi Omega house and work out at Ramsey.
When I have free time, I like…
… to paint, attend Grace-Athens house church, work out, go on a walk at the Botanical Garden, thrift, try new restaurants, read good books, hang out with my high school mentee and my UGA Miracle child, and meet with friends for coffee.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
… spend my entire summer living at the beach with 50 college students on the same hotel hall, learning about, and experiencing, the supernatural love of Jesus!
My favorite place to study is…
Last year, it was old Bolton (may it rest in peace). Nowadays, I love the big windows in the SLC reading room.
My favorite professor is…
… David Meyers. He taught my first social work class and brought in many speakers from different areas of practice, allowing our class to learn about the profession directly from people in the field. Now, I have him for an upper elective where college students mentor a high school student experiencing foster care, which has been an extremely influential experience for me. Also, my adviser, Trelle Baker, is the most supportive faculty member I know.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
… Jesus (which is probably not surprising after the way I answered these other questions).
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
… host my own talk show or late night show—like Ellen or Jimmy Fallon—and get to give away tons of money, change lives, crack some jokes, make a fool of myself and have a platform to advocate for what I really care about! I’d also give flying a try.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to…
I would open centers of rest and renewal in India for women and children rescued from sex trafficking. Then, I would travel around the world, raising awareness and funding projects everywhere.
After graduation, I plan to…
… obtain my M.S.W., do missionary work to gain hands-on experience, research the population I invest in, put my education to good use, and start problem solving to bless people. It will be a great adventure.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
… UGA Miracle Dance Marathon. It is a magical 24 hours of not sleeping, raising money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and loving on our Miracle families. FTK!
