alumni news Continued from page 41 From his position as court advocate, it was an easy segue into law school. But once at Penn, Shoals didn’t settle for being just another student. He took law school by storm, as he did at Whitman, where he immersed himself in such extracurricular “When you graduate, it’s hard to see how activities as theatre and student govern- ment, while also volunteering at Green African American studies or gender studies, Park Elementary School in Walla Walla. At Penn, he served as editor-in-chief of the philosophy or politics degrees will help your university of Pennsylvania Journal of In- career. But it works out, because Whitman ternationallaw. Continuing his commitment to public gives you the confidence, curiosity and service, Shoals also served as Community Service Chair for Penn’s Blacklaw Stu- intellectual wherewithal to excel.” dents Association and initiated Project Peace, a pro bono venture where BlSA members worked in Philadelphia class- rooms with fifth- and sixth-graders on developing conflict resolution and peer ask important questions, work in teams, mediation skills. and be cooperative and collegial.” “It was rewarding to mentor students Shoals also credits his liberal arts edu- in West Philadelphia,” Shoals said. “In law cation for imbuing him with the requisite school you sometimes can get tunnel vi- skills to survive the cutthroat music indus- sion.you know where the library is. And try by teaching him to thrive in diverse it’s easy to stay on campus and learn the environments, communicate with older, cerebral issues of law, but you also need to more weathered musicians and make a remember that lawyers, whether you are compelling case as to why bands should working for a big firm or not, are public hire him. He also used his Whitman writ- servants.” ing skills to apply for a grant, the money It’s this selfless ethic that drove Shoals singer of the band Train. Monahan, the lead from which allowed him to produce hisPat with performs Shoals to return to Whitman in May where he album. participated in the 2012-2013 Garrett “liberal arts education is dynamic. Scholarship selection process, demon- figure out how to travel from point A, a And we live in a dynamic world,” Shoals strating the type of engagement that liberal arts education, to point B, a re- said. “This is why I decided to become a makes Whitman’s alumni body so strong. warding career. class representative for Whitman’s Annual “As a Garrett scholar, I had the oppor- “When you graduate, it’s hard to see Fund. tunity to go to Newyork as a senior and how African American studies or gender “Giving back to Whitman is a top prior- work with successful Whitman alumni. studies, philosophy or politics degrees will ity to me. I want to help expand the This made me believe I had what it took to help your career. But it works out, because Whitman network and our imprint on the be successful. So I decided to help inter- Whitman gives you the confidence, curi- world.” view potential Garrett Scholars in order to osity and intellectual wherewithal to give back to Whitman,” Shoals said. excel,” Shoals said. A former musician turned lawyer, “law firms are looking for graduates On the Web Shoals is perfectly stationed to serve as a with liberal arts backgrounds because Drew shoals’ latest band is Duo Denim. Go to role model for Whitman students trying to firms know liberal arts students can write, duodenim.bandcamp.com to have a listen. reunions Fallreunionweekend semester in the west spring reunionweekend 50th reunionweekend Fallreunionweekend september 28-30, 2012 reunion april 25-28, 2013 may 16-19, 2013 september 27-29, 2013 ■ Class of 1987 october 6-8, 2012 ■ Class of 1973 ■ Class of 1963 ■ Class of 1988 ■ Classes of 1991, 1992 ■ For all semester in the ■ Classes of 1977, 1978 ■ Classes of 1997, 1998 and 1993 West alumni and their and 1979 and 1999 ■ Class of 2002 partners ■ Class of 2003 ■ Whitman in China Celebration 42 Whitman Magazine
Whitman Magazine July 2012
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