24-year-old Shianne McGilvray wears bright-colored plaid cardigans and bows in her hair as she attends NECC.
Her partner in crime is Ruby, her cat, whom she is planning on getting pictures with for the holidays while sporting a kitty Christmas sweater. She is in her last semester for an associate degree in Liberal Arts: Psychology Option. She’s even received an academic award for High Honors in her major.
“I am a member of PACE, Psi Beta and Phi Theta Kappa, and I am currently trying to be accepted into Psi Chi (four year college psychology honor society). I am a single, one-cat woman. I often try to paint, color or sketch. However, I need to make sure my cat, Ruby, is also getting affection — otherwise she’ll try to be an artist with me,” says McGilvray.
Isabelle Gagne is a psychology professor in the Behavioral Science department. McGilvray was in her Developmental Psychology 1: Childhood and Adolescence course last Spring. “(Shianne) joined Psi Beta Psychology Community College honors society, volunteered as a note taker in the course, and participated in college professional day as a panelist on the power of a positive mind set.”
“A group of Psi Beta members, which included two other students and myself spoke as a student panel about our early obstacles, successes and of course our wisdom to members of faculty and staff at NECC.
“Our presentation was called ‘Mystified.’ The core message was despite the odds against us whether it was gender identity, sexual orientation, abuse and all of the consequences of such odds, we are achieving our goals in college.
“I want to say by being on ‘Mystified,’ I grew stronger as an individual. I voiced about abuses I’ve faced, and that was both empowering and scary as it was the first time I publically spoke of things of that nature to a room full of professors and staff,” says McGilvray.
“The panel received a questions along the lines of, ‘How can we help other students develop a healthy mindset?’ Many of our answers were simply, ‘Be aware of those who may be struggling, and be available to talk to mentor those who are struggling,’(or)‘You can try to help students, but it won’t change unless the students want to change their mindset,’(and)‘students need to become more self-aware, and if they have the tools to change, they will because it is self-motivated.”
When she participated in the professional day they had a panel of Psi Beta students, three honor students and they discussed how they overcame the odds in their lives to be successful now.
“Shianne discussed her childhood and she said that she had no choice but do well because that brings meaning to her life. She wrote a PowerPoint with words representing what a positive mind-set is and with pictures of her as a child and now,” said Gagne.
Lenny Cavallaro, a member of the English department since 1998, says, “I didn’t really get much of an impression until her first paper. It was clear that she would prove an excellent student, and I was impressed by how well she addressed the editorial corrections I provided (for the draft) in her revision. She always responded well to criticism and was a pleasure to have in the classroom.”
Gagne thinks McGilvray is a “dedicated student, focused on learning and always striving to improve. She’s a quiet person but when you get to know her you realize that she has a lot to say about anything and everything. She is curious and always willing to help out others, and is passionate about animal therapy.”
“My passion for animal therapy stems from home. I have an ESA (Emotional Support Animal) named Ruby. She perks my mood up when I’m feeling blue with playful meows that demand my attention, but more than often laying over my assignments/keyboard. Animals can help everyone (who can be treated with animal therapy, which excludes animal abusers) to veterans, blind persons, people who have seizures, children, adults, also criminals.”
McGilvray still struggles like fellow college students. “Honestly, at times I can’t break things down and handle them in an academic setting— but I try and keep trying. I ask for help from professors if I can’t break things down and ask for their guidance on how I should handle it.
“Then when I understand it, I personalize it to my specific tastes (for example, I am doing a survey and I’ve had to ask how I should represent specific data.) I believe the hardest thing for me in classes (and life) is to ask for help, because I have had to depend on myself, but I also need to understand that I can ask for assistance. However, I procrastinate like the dickens, and that is not helpful,” says McGilvray.
“I am afraid I know her only as a student — and a very good one, at that.” says Cavallaro.
McGilvray’s philosophy in life includes quotes like: “I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection and ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approved their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death,’ from Leonardo da Vinci.”
Another is by Robert Fulghum. “I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.”
Brianna Beam, a 25-year-old Criminal Justice graduate, says, “We met in middle school and we were not friends at first because of a disagreement we had, and then met again in high school and quickly became best friends.”
“Brianna and I wiped the slate clean and became best friends,” says McGilvray. “It’s harder to see her because she is currently at UML. However, we’ve bonded deeply and both of us understand that life happens, and so when we do see another it’s like no time has passed.”
“I was admittedly nervous around her. I’m an extremely introverted person, especially with people I don’t know especially well,” says Christina Sirignano, a 24-year-old Liberal Arts Philosophy Option major.
“In the end, we bonded over books and our mutual love of Disney movies, especially ‘Beauty and the Beast.’”
McGilvray says that she and Sirignano had met briefly in high school, “Our friendship really took off, we’ve forged our friendship over music, books, movies, how to properly pronounce words like hibiscus. We, like Brianna and I, do not see each other often but, we try to make a day in a month that we get together. Our next adventure will be the Aquarium.
At first glance, McGilvray doesn’t seem to be one that lives with any type of disorder, but she digs through the trenches of living with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) and GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder).
“Most of my stresses and anxieties are often minor situations. I despise being late for work or a major appointment. I would rather get hit with a baseball bat than have small talk with someone I do not know,” McGilvray says.
When McGilvray first started working at the college bookstore, her biggest conflict was coping with others. She says, “There are coping strategies to make life easier. There are times where I simply can’t get out of bed, but I have to — I make goals for myself, and try to see the silver in the clouds.”
She had used the opportunity of her job to get to talking to people she didn’t know, essentially facing her anxieties.
“Shianne is one of the strongest people I know. Her life has been difficult, and she’s had to take on more responsibility because of it,” Sirignano says. “When I first met her, Shianne was working two jobs and attending college full-time. And yet somehow she still managed to graduate with honors.”
“She works hard and perseveres even when she is confronted with challenges, she doesn’t always see how much of an amazing person she is, and she lets things get to her when they shouldn’t.” says Beam.
“Shianne cares deeply about the people who are closest to her. She’s very protective of her loved ones and would do anything she could for them. However, with all that passion and love comes a short fuse. Like me, Shianne can get frustrated with others easily, but she never dwells on it. Once that spark ignites, it’s gone fairly quickly,” says Sirignano.
“I love her dearly, she is part of my family. She stands out because she is herself, has an awesome personality and accepts me for who I am. The way we act when we are together, we could be sisters.
“She has overcome more than most college students have to deal with, and she has made it through being better than she was when she started.” Beam says.
Sirignano says, “I think the reason why we’re still friends is because Shianne is so down to earth and easygoing. Even if we haven’t seen each other for well over a month, there’s never any awkwardness; it’s like that month-long hiatus never happened. She’s outspoken and funny, I’m quiet and sarcastic. She is an inspiration, an exceptional role model, and a great friend.”
“I don’t have a favorite role model in celebrity life; I can’t see what is beyond what is at their face value unless I specifically know the person, and that’s okay,” says McGilvray.
“I have other role models in my personal life, which include my aunts and grandmother, but also the people who are not related to me, such as my ninth grade history teacher, Amy, who I will spend time with her and her family on Christmas for the 3rd time. These role models, specifically Amy, have taught me to love my life, despite the obstacles I’ve been facing.”
“She’s the yin to my yang. Shianne is just one of those friends that I know I’ll always have,” Sirignano says.
McGilvray plans to take sign language courses at UMass Lowell.
“I want to learn American Sign Language to help individuals be able to communicate with me. My life plan is to help someone to find his/her voice, strength, meaning of life and help ease his/her burdens as a friend, teacher, therapist, etc. I plan on a personal level to keep progressing from what I once was, to what I am now, to what I will be,” she says.
