Magnets: Band and Theatre

Picture
Shannon and Dan with their children Alex (l) and Lily
What do you get when you blend a flair for the dramatic, an expert clarinetist, scientific prowess, and engineering savvy? You get Shannon (Mayne) Hendricks, a night-shift pharmacist in Columbus with a beautiful family and a deep-rooted gratitude for her Stivers career.

Shannon’s pursuit of higher learning began in seventh grade at Stivers when a teacher nominated her for the Wright Stepp program, an intensive four-year summer learning institute at Wright State University that prepares students for careers in math, science, and engineering and offers a full scholarship upon completion. Shannon took advantage of the scholarship and in 2006 graduated magna cum laude with dual degrees - a bachelor of science in electrical engineering and a bachelor of science in chemistry. Shannon didn’t stop at two degrees – in 2010, she graduated cum laude as a Doctor of Pharmacy from The Ohio State University.

Currently Shannon resides in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband and children, Happily married for almost five years, Shannon and Dan met while working together at McDonald’s during high school, but did not start dating until years later. Dan has continued his career at McDonald’s and is now a restaurant manager. Shannon and Dan are the proud parents of two adorable kids, Alex (2) and Lily (9 months). Shannon says her children “are the light of my life!”

As a pharmacist for Cardinal Health, Shannon works the night shift seven days straight and then has seven days off. “Having a week off every other week is pretty awesome,” says Shannon. “I help nurses with any questions they have about the medications their patients are taking. I also review patients’ medications during their hospital stays to ensure that they are taking the correct medications at the correct doses without any risk of drug interactions.” Although Shannon works long hours in a high-intensity atmosphere, she says, “I love my job!”

When asked how Stivers helped prepare her for life after high school, Shannon said that it gave her a concept of the real world that many of her pharmacy school classmates were lacking. “Stivers gave me exposure to diversity that I have not been able to experience since. Cultural, racial, religious, sexual, educational, and artistic diversity, all in one building, coexisting as a big family.” Shannon says that these experiences have made her better equipped to assist patients from a variety of backgrounds because she sees them as equals. “These are skills my diverse Stivers family taught me.” Shannon also credits her success to influential mentors who guided her through her academic career – Mrs. Schaetzle and Mrs. Murdock for honing her English skills, and Mrs. Daniels and Mrs. Huff for developing her math skills. “I owe a great deal of thanks and gratitude to the many teachers who gave me their time and energy so willingly.”


 
Magnets: Choir, Creative Writing, Theatre, Visual Arts

Picture
I was delighted to catch up with my former classmate Tiffany (Buttner) Whitten recently. Shipping clerk by day and baker extraordinaire by night, Tiffany somehow finds time to work the door at a local music venue and write a foodie blog.

Talk about multitasking. On any given day, you could encounter Tiffany at her full-time job as a shipping clerk at Hauer Music in Downtown Dayton. You could run into her as she takes your cover charge for a show at Blind Bob’s in the Oregon District. You could order one of her gourmet cakes or other confectionary delights. Or, you could follow a baking tutorial posted on her blog. I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted just thinking about Tiffany’s typical day!

Tiffany and her husband, Brian, have lived in their Downtown Dayton loft with their Chihuahua and cat for about four years. Since graduating from Stivers, Tiffany has lived in Kentucky and Austin, Texas. Her arts background continues to influence her life on a daily basis: her full-time job is at a local music store, her part-time job is at a popular music venue, she uses her visual arts talent to make beautiful cakes that rival Food Network, and she employs her creative writing flair on her blog.

When asked how Stivers influenced her future, Tiffany said, “Stivers gave me a lot of hands on experience and knowledge I still use today. I've thankfully been able to peruse my art in the form of cake. I thank mostly ceramics class for that. It's interesting how similar sugar and clay can be!”

Tiffany’s blog showcases all her delectable delicacies and is a great way to get to know this gifted alum. Check it out at Gemcitytiffany.wordpress.com.