This week’s campus celebrity is Shannon Lochead. I met Shannon at the Queen’s Women in Leadership Mentorship Brunch earlier this month and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to interview someone who is actively involved with a committee that has similar values to HerCampus.
Shannon is a fourth year Commerce student and she is specializing in marketing. Queen’s Women in Leadership is about creating a community that celebrates women’s success, women’s advancement, building relationships and helping people succeed. Shannon went to the Q.WIL conference in her 2nd year here at Queen’s and decided to get involved in her 3rd year. She was at first the charity coordinator but now she is the mentorship coordinator.
Being a part of the Q.WIL has changed how she valued mentorship because she was given the ability to connect students with professionals. Seeing how lower years could also receive guidance from upper years consolidated her belief that support is needed throughout all the stages.
When she was in high school, she had planned out the career path she wanted to head towards with regards to her interest in working for a company that would have a social impact. The competitive nature of the commerce program led Shannon to lose touch with these goals but the defining point of her university career, going on exchange to Denmark, reconnected her with these personal values. She was able to realize what she wanted to do in the long run as she was physically somewhere different and in unfamiliar situations and could reflect on what mattered to her as an individual.
With regards to the future, Shannon hopes to have a job that would give her a motivational drive, that would work on an initiative she cares about, with particular focus in strategy capacity and has that social impact that she is looking for.
If she could describe her Queen’s University experience in one word, it would be “community” because the importance of having relationships in different parts of life shaped her time in university; whether it be by meeting friends during frosh week, meeting people on your floor and choosing housemates.
Shannon identifies as an introverted person and sometimes it is hard for these individuals to gain a leadership role or to feel empowered. It takes more time to develop relationships with other people because most people will think you’re shy but it is important to note that having different types of leaders would allow them to relate in several ways. She has some great advice that I will definitely take to heart, such as looking at your own strengths and skills and targeting lacking qualities in order to take bold risks and push yourself to feel empowered and to gain more leadership qualities. For instance, Shannon wishes that in first year, she would have taken the initiative and asked someone for help and actively utilized resources around her.
Aside from giving awesome advice, Shannon enjoys exercising, eating food (especially dark chocolate), listening to indie music and reading. Her favourite book is The Glass Castle and she also recommends to take a look at a biographical novel called The Last Lecture, which I have since picked up and am excited to indulge in!
The Q.WIL Conference takes place in early November but there will be other events held throughout the year so stay tune. Thank you, Shannon for taking the time of your day to be featured this week.