Rogersville, Mo., native and Southeast Missouri State University alumna Kelly Shaner is currently interning with Missouri Main Street Connection in Branson, Mo.
The organization coordinates downtown revitalization in the context of historic preservation throughout the state of Missouri with a focus on economic development and community building. Kelly works with towns and cities near Branson that are beginning and continuing revitalization.
“This internship has allowed me to make many connections throughout the state of Missouri with several Main Street communities, and I am hoping it will help me find employment in the Branson and Springfield area,” she said.
Kelly received her degree in historic preservation and focused on downtown revitalization through her classes and an academic distinction project. She said she has many good memories of her college experience, and a lot of them are from her classes with Dr. Steven Hoffman, professor of history, who got her hooked on her passion through his enthusiastic teaching and mentoring.
“His classes, chalk-full of reading though they were, were always very interesting and entertaining, especially on days when various building materials crept into his lesson plan for us to diagnose. These lessons gave what we were learning about a very tangible feel,” she said.
Kelly said she also treasures the time she spent as officer of the Jane Stephens Honors Program, which organizes and hosts trivia nights, game nights and other events to bring students together. She reminisced specifically about the times she and the other members pioneered the Murder Mystery Dinner and Masquerade Ball. She also fondly remembers singing with the University Choir, Southeast’s premiere choral ensemble.
“By diversifying my activities while at Southeast and taking on different leadership roles, I realize that I was taking steps that would help make me a motivated and passionate person in all of my pursuits. These roles have also prepared me to deal with any situation life outside of campus can set at my feet. This is especially true when it comes to multi-tasking, as I spent a lot of time juggling classes as well as my extra-curricular activities while still keeping an exceptional GPA,” she said.
Kelly makes time for hobbies in her busy schedule. When she is in Cape Girardeau, she enjoys jogging and walking around the Cape Girardeau riverfront and stopping at coffee shops and restaurants to relax, study and hang out. Two of her favorite spots downtown are Buckner Brewing and Bella Italia. She also writes novels, which she hopes to soon publish. While in Branson, she is working on improving her tennis skills.
“Since I am close to home again, I have reconnected with my tennis instructor from high school who is busily helping me shake the dust off my serve and backhand,” she said.
Her favorite destination outside of Missouri is St. Augustine, Fla. She traveled there as a high school student, and she said this location inspired her passion for historic preservation.
“The ambiance of the architecture in the historic districts is amazing. There is a lot of history and culture in this town,” she said.
She plans to visit St. Augustine again on her honeymoon next year. Eventually she intends to visit Europe as well.
Kelly advises future Southeast students to venture from their residence hall rooms.
“Get involved with some kind of student activity while you are at Southeast. Be active in whatever you choose and strive to make it better. Also, make connections with people in your classes who are in your area of study. These are likely to become some of your closest friends, and they will help you in and outside of the classroom to either get that one concept you can’t quite understand or to blow off steam after a big week of essays or exams,” she said.