A passion for helping others has led Shannon DePratter to participate in several service organizations while also completing her degree in biomedical engineering in just three years.
The Newberry, South Carolina, native is one of two winners of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award — the university’s highest student honor. She also is a member of the South Carolina Honors College.
DePratter’s on-campus service has focused on mentoring and leading younger students and making organizations more accessible and inclusive for all students.
“I aspire to leave a lasting legacy of inclusivity and support, ensuring that future students find inspiration and guidance in their academic journeys,” she says.
DePratter has served as a fellowship ambassador for the National Fellowship and Scholar Program, mentoring five students per semester through the national fellowship application process. She also has served as president of the Theta Tau professional engineering fraternity, focusing on increasing membership diversity throughout her time in the organization.
“My commitment to fostering community and inclusion is evident as I started the diversity, equity and inclusion committee within Theta Tau, making inclusivity foundational,” she says.
“I aspire to leave a lasting legacy of inclusivity and support, ensuring that future students find inspiration and guidance in their academic journeys.”
DePratter also served in organizations off campus, including the Final Victory Animal Shelter, where she aided in providing food for more than 100 animals, cleaning the shelter and walking dogs.
She has a range of undergraduate research experience, including working in Melissa Moss’ Alzheimer Disease Laboratory for which she received the McNair Junior Research Fellowship. She presented her findings at the 2022 Biomedical Engineering Summer Symposium and the 2022 USC Summer Symposium. She also received grants for researching links between traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s and presented those findings at Discover USC (2023) and a national conference in San Antonio.
“Like many freshmen, I grappled with uncertainty as I first stepped foot on campus,” DePratter says. “I immersed myself in various clubs, sought out new connections in dining halls and actively pursued every opportunity available to me. In this exploration, I discovered incredible organizations and evolved into a leading member.”