Women Wednesday with Shelita Shaw
#womenwednesday
Across all Hope's social media platforms, this biweekly series will highlight inspiring women to know.
Hope Magazine is a team of thinkers, seekers and creatives who find inspiration in movement, exploration and sisterhood. We want to create meaningful relationships inspired by real women and their stories - all designed for the way you live today!
Meet Shelita M. Shaw, Assistant Professor at Moraine Valley Community College, Mental Health Trainer and SMS Consulting.
Shelita began her teaching career over 20 years ago, and matriculated her way from primary and secondary schools to the collegiate level. She embarked on this journey with the attitude that “education is a rare jewel in that it is one of the few careers where there is a daily exchange of knowledge and creativity.” With this exchange, Shelita tries to ensure students leave class with a larger concept of their own identity and persona. As an educator, it is supremely important to assist students with this progression into a successful college student and ultimately a cultured human being.
Now, Shelita focuses a large part of her curriculum on Mental Health Education, creating workshops and projects -- including anti-bully campaigns and incorporating mental health days into her lessons for students and teachers to take a break to ensure Classroom Wellness. As Sheilta has focused on Mental Health Education, she spent a couple years co-teaching Black Male Leadership at Cook County Department of Corrections. This served as an opportunity to pour into the often forgotten incarcerated population.
Admittedly, Shelita noticed a lack of input in mental health from Higher Ed educators. So she currently travels across the country speaking on Classroom Wellness and being the voice of teachers and their mental health. .
This journey has led Shelita to become a contributor in the American Psychology Associations, The Monitor, a guest commentator on WVON Radio, a guest artist and storyteller with Erasing the Distance, as well as a featured guest on multiple popular podcasts including “Dumb. Gay. Politics.” and “One Story At A Time”.
She earned her B.A. in English from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina and her M.A. in English from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, where she graduated magna cum laude.
Currently, Shelita teaches Composition and Literature courses at Moraine Valley Community College, where she was awarded tenure in spring of 2010, Innovator of the Year 2018, and Professor of the Year nominee 2018 and 2019.
Do you have a personal quote or life's motto you live by?
I came into this world as a light carrier. The essence of my light is imperative when helping others with mental health challenges. The key for me was to redefine my light as my superpower and be willing to share it as often as needed. I say simply: Watch for the yellow!
What inspires you?
It inspires me knowing the work I am doing now will help revamp classrooms all over the country back into a well place for learning, both for students and teachers. That makes my Mommy and Daddy proud; and that inspires me!
A fun fact about yourself:
I love burgers and balloons. They make me dance… wildly!
