Shanks’ voice rings with determination
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Marilyn Bugenhagen, director of Student
Involvement, said Adair is “conscientious” and
“tenacious” in what she does.“She has been using,
learning and growing in her leadership abilities
every day,” Bugenhagen said. “There is no doubt
she is getting the most out of her academic career.”
But her education doesn’t stop in the class
room.
“I am here to help students get involved,” said
Shanks, who is also the management team leader
for the 21st annual Big 12 Conference on Black
Student Government
The conference is a three-day forum for
addressing problems, concerns and ideas of black
students attending predominantly white colleges
and universities, she said.
Bugenhagen said Shanks was the perfect role
model for students who are attending the confer
ence.
Shanks said she does consider herself a leader,
“but only because I learned to follow in the foot
steps of leaders.”
The leaders in Shanks’ life are her family
members, she said.
In order to lead, “one must learn about the
issues and learn how to follow. Then one must
know how to use their voice.”
You need to speak up
Eleanor Shanks, Adair’s mother, said her
daughter has had a voice since she was 6 years old.
“By the time she was in kindergarten, Adair
knew she had to voice her opinions to get what she
wanted,” Eleanor said.
She said Adair is vocal in a “very dignified
way.”
In elementary and high school, Adair Shanks
wrote for her school newspaper and was in many
organizations and student government.
During her senior year in high school she ran
Chicago’s mayor’s office for a day. Along with
other students, Shanks told the city government
that its decision to move Soldier Field, the home of
the NFEs Chicago Bears, would not be in the best
interest of the community. Shanks felt honored to
have had the opportunity to “speak out about real
issues and deal with real people.”
“As a child I was told it was important to get
involved,” she said. “I was always taught to give
back to the community and thank the community
for everything it gave me.”
Shanks, along with Leslie Bell, a member of
Afrikan People’s Union, recently wrote letters to
Chancellor James Moeser requesting a multicul
tural interest floor in Abel Residence Hall and ren
ovations for UNLs Culture Center.
“It is important to have support groups for stu
dents from all backgrounds from the beginning,”
Shanks said. “Special interest floors accomplish
this.”
M -
By the time she was in kindergarten, Adair knew she
had to voice her opinions to get what she wanted.”
Eleanor Shanks
Adair Shanks’ mother
Because of Shanks’ and Bell’s efforts, a spe
cial interest floor will be implemented next year,
and the Culture Center received new computers,
Internet access, a fresh coat of paint and updated
books, journals and other research materials.
“It makes me feel proud that we, as students,
have the power to make change,” Shanks said.
“You cannot sit back and say nothing.
“If you want to see action, you need to speak
up.”
Building upon struggles
Speaking up, however, is sometimes easier
considered than done, Shanks said.
“I have struggled with many things in my life,”
Shanks said. “But from every struggle that I had to
endure, I have become a better person.”
Growing up with three older brothers, Shanks
often saw herself struggling to be more like them.
From her brothers, she learned to be an indi
vidual. She now looks back at her experiences and
says her brothers paved the way for her academic
career.
But when she was young, academics didn’t
come easy for Shanks.
She began attending school when she was 2Vi
but would not read until fifth grade. Worried that
something was wrong, Shanks’ mother met with
psychologists and was simply told, “When Adair’s
ready, she will (excel).”
And she eventually did.
Friends and family said Shanks really began to
“show her stuff” in high school.
Kimberly Shanks, Adair’s sister-in-law, said
Adair’s “stuff” was doing everything possible to
become involved in school and the community
“The girl has a strong heart,” Kimberly said.
‘She always had a positive influence on every
thing.”
But the death of Adair’s father, Otis Shanks,
during her senior year in high school posed anoth
er struggle for her,her sister-in-law said.
Kimberly said she noticed a change in Adair
after her father died.
“Her outlook on life changed - she understood
that life doesn’t last forever and you must get as
much out of your life as possible,” Kimberly said.
‘Adair looked at her father’s death as a means to
keep on growing.”
Continuing her education is what her father
would have wanted her to do, Adair Shanks said.
Her father’s death inspired her to attend graduate
school and continue teaching people to voice then
opinions.
“My father’s death was extremely difficult,
and I have changed because of it,” Adair said.
Pushing to learn
In addition to her father, Shanks said her
mother, aunts and brothers also served as mentors
in her life.
“I hold my family very close to my heart,” she
said. “If it wasn’t for all of their support and guid
ance, I wouldn’t be who I am today — an educated
and diverse individual.”
She said her mother and father taught her three
things while growing up: to believe in education,
to strive for the best and to get involved.
Adrian Beverly, Shanks’ high school princi
pal, said that when Shanks was involved in some
thing, she truly was involved.
“When Adair saw something that wasn’t right,
she did everything she could to make it right,”
Beverly said.
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vators.
“He always knew how to push me the extra
mile,” she said.
Beverly said he didn’t do the pushing: “Adair
encouraged herself to become who she is today.”
Spirituality of success
Growing up in a community where all the
families on the block were each other’s family,
Shanks strongly believes in community faith.
“Spirituality is important to stay balanced,”
she said. “It is a great feeling to have to know that
you can turn to others for help and in a time of
need.”
Eleanor Shanks said Adair was brought up
knowing she should help others as much as she
could.
“Adair will leave an impact on society,”
Eleanor said. “She wants so much for people that
she will always be remembered in the hearts of
those who she has helped.”
Adair Shanks plans to graduate in August with
a master’s degree in journalism. She said her goal
is to have a career in journalism but would be
happy anywhere life leads her.
“I can be a follower too,” she said. “As long as
I am helping others, especially youth, I do not care
where life decides to lead me.”
---- I
Union Board
pushes for
more hours
UNION from page 1
make it possible,” he said.
Union Board members also agreed
to appeal the general reductions CFA
made for the unions.
“CFA did not make it clear to what
exactly they were cutting when they
reduced the union budget by $19,960,
Swanson said. “I would like to know
what they planned on reducing from
the Nebraska Union budget”
Swanson said CFA’s general reduc
tions prevented the resource center
from expanding its services.
Maaske questioned how students
are going to use the resource center’s
services if they are not offered.
“To me and (Student Involvement
Director) Marilyn Bugenhagen, it is a
shame to think Student Involvement
has built a new resource center for the
community and will not be able to
expand our services to die community,”
bwanson said.
In addition to Student Involvement
funding, Swanson said he will appeal
having tobacco sales at Nebraska and
East Union information desks.
Union Board members, however,
do not support Swanson and the univer
sity’s efforts to remove tobacco sales.
The Committee for Fees Allocation
will meet Thursday at $ pirn, in th£
Nebraska Union.
In other Union Board business:
■ Swanson will be going to the NU
Board of Regents meeting Feb. 28
requesting an additional $800,000 to
cover the added cost to renovate the
Nebraska Union. Swanson said the peti
tion is requesting the use of funds from
a surplus bond that the university holds.
The additional funding request will
not increase the additional $20 student
fee already being implemented next
fall, he said.
■ Three restaurants have expressed
interest and have bid on the food court
space occupied by Burger King in the
Nebraska Union: Runza, McDonald’s
and Burger King. Swanson said other
restaurants still have time to make
inquiries. The bids will be revealed at
the University Service’s Purchasing
Office, 1700 Y Street, Feb. 27 at 2:30
p.m. .
“X”
Savings
on Mens
and Womens a
Suits **4
Slacks
. • *'■ —--— - ^
—-I-:-fr-i
Clarification
i. (
;
The position of Nebraskans
Against the Death Penalty was
incorrectly portrayed in an edi
torial in Wednesday’s newspa
per. The organization’s testimo
ny was neutral regarding
LB 1308, a bill that would
change the state’s method of
execution from electrocution to
lethal injection.
1 — i
I
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