Presented to a senior student who has been active in student activities, has received university recognition in a varsity sport, and/or has been elected to an office in a recognized student activity. One of the two recipients of the Class of ’67 Award is Shania Benjamin (she/her pronouns).
Shania, a native of Queens, N.Y., came to UVM intent on laying the groundwork for a career in counseling. During her UVM journey she expanded her aspirations to assist underrepresented identities including Black, Indigenous, people of color, low-income community members and deaf people.
She graduates with a degree in psychological science from the College of Arts and Sciences and a minor in American Sign Language.
Shania’s coursework fostered a passion for clinical research, especially through Professor Elizabeth Pinel’s I-sharing lab. “We recently collaborated on a research paper entitled ‘I-sharing across the aisle: Can shared subjective experience bridge the political divide?’ where we analyze I-sharing or having a shared experience with another person, and its effects on differences in political ideology,” Shania wrote. They are close to publishing their findings and are working on a similar study that looks at mediating effects of I-sharing and race.
A natural leader and community builder, Shania worked for the UVM Program Board and served as a resident advisor. She provided space for marginalized voices by showcasing identity groups on campus and creating activities that are inclusive to all members.
Shania was an active participant in Women of Color Coalition, serving on the executive board and as president. She cites her biggest accomplishment as organizing the annual Natural Hair and Body Care Expo. The event provided a forum for businesses owned by women of color to educate students, staff and faculty on maintaining and loving their natural hair by sampling products.
Her leadership at UVM has been recognized by numerous awards including the 2019 Rising Leadership award, a 2021 APLE award, the Ram Vincent-Bryan Community Builders Award and the Heinz L. Ansbacher Award. Shania also served as a Mosaic Center of Students of Color Ambassador and as recruitment chair of the 2020 Tower Society.
Shania is intent on continuing clinical research while pursuing a career in individual and group counseling tailored to family/marriage, individual and group counseling, and concentrating on underrepresented, low-income groups and deaf individuals.