DMV Meet Morgan State Senator & Def Jam Campus Rep Lana Shellman

Morgan State Senior Lana Shellman Has Made Major Moves on Campus

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Morgan State senior Lana Shellman. She hails from Maryland and I had the amazing opportunity to interview her and catch some gems. Let’s get right into this Q&A!

So before we begin can you give us a quick background of who you are?

My name is Lana Shellman. I am from Prince George’s County. I am a senior at Morgan State University, majoring in Multimedia Journalism. I currently serve as one of the Senior Class Senators of the Student Government Association (SGA) for the 2019- 2020 academic school year and Def Jam’s on-campus rep for Morgan State University. I am also a member of Females United to Uplift, Reshape, & Educate (F.U.T.U.R.E) and The National Society of Leadership and Success.

What made you get involved in the SGA? What was your previous experience before attending Morgan State?

Prior to this year, I had zero experience with SGA. I decided to get involved with SGA because I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. I love solving problems and fixing things and I felt the best position for me was to be a senator. As a senator, you listen to the problems/concerns of the students and propose a plan to fix it.

When you ran for SGA class Senator how close was the race?

I did not run for the position. I was appointed to the position after interviewing for it.

What are the biggest challenges you face being the SGA senior class Senator? Have you faced any specific challenges since you’re a woman?

I do not believe I have faced any challenges as a senator. You would think trying to get everybody on the same page to approve a proposal would be hard but it really is not. Everybody I work with is wonderful and we get along very well. They are actually more women than there are men in the senate so being a woman doesn’t affect me at all.

What would say are your greatest accomplishments as a senior class senator?

My greatest accomplishments as a senior class senator would honestly be the way I have opened to people I never talked to before and learning how to work together to get the job done.

What strengths does a person need before joining the SGA? How much of a difference does the SGA actually make?

Before joining SGA I think people should research the role and understand what a senator does. I say that because as a senator there might be times you do not agree with your fellow members and you will have to figure out a way to come to a solution that works best for everyone. You have to remember there is no I in the word team.

Could you ever see yourself being a politician in the future?

I could possibly see myself becoming a politician. I love discussing politics with my family and friends and learning about the country/world. You never know what the future will hold.

In your IG bio, it states you’re a Def Jam campus rep. Can you tell us how that opportunity happened?

At the time I was a member of the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and another member reached out to our group message saying that he could not attend a meet and greet the following day with Ant and Erica (the reps from Def Jam and Route Runna Management) and asked if any of us could fill in for him.

I immediately took the opportunity and met with the reps the following day. They loved my energy and wanted to keep in touch as they kept coming. As I kept showing up and meeting with them they decided to make me one of the main reps and the rest was history.

What have you learned so far from being a Def Jam campus rep?

So far I have learned that work can be fun. I love setting up a meet and greets for upcoming artists, showing them around the campus, and just making them feel welcomed no matter who they are. Ant and Erica really opened my eyes to the fun yet demanding side of the workforce.

What would advice would you give for an incoming college freshman?

The advice I would give to incoming college freshmen is to never give up on your dreams, try your best in school, and never compare yourself to others. Your time will come and when it is your time shine bright. Never dim your light for anybody else and if you ever lose yourself just know it gets better with time!

Last but not least give us your social media and shoutouts for people!

My Instagram is lanalorraine_ and I would like to shoutout Morgan State University, my parents who I am thankful for everything they do for me, my family and friends!