Ain't Nothing Like A Howard Girl: Shenise McKnight-Wigfall

The Discussion Room

Shenise McKnight-Wigall is a Howard University Class of 2012 Alumna, leaving out her dreams despite the hurdles life laid in her path. She opens up about the health scare that caused her to miss out on the May 2012 commencement ceremony, the advantages of coming to campus with a job as a Freshman, and the healing powers of motherhood.

She shares her ankylosing spondylitis diagnosis, and how it led to her making healthier food choices for herself and her family. How in the face of stress she's learning to still be ambitious while finding a balance for health and wellness.

"Shenise McKnight Always Represents the People" was the basis behind her first business endeavor S.M.A.R.T. People PR firm. We get to learn how the combination of leveraging her job in local politics and her opportunities as volunteer, of the Howard University Homecoming Committee, helped develop the relationships to make that business possible.

She mentioned how the experience of being a Homecoming volunteer helped her see the event as more than a celebration, but as a vehicle to make the connections to the people she would like to represent at her PR firm. That one year of volunteering, led her to spearheading the Celebrity Basketball game the following year and being chair of the whole mutli-million dollar production her senior year, raising record-breaking funds at that time.

It wasn't her first time producing a big budget event in the city. Her resume positioned her as the best candidate for the job. She had already put together the Inaugural concert for the DC Children's Education Fund.

Her work with the city, on campus and with her PR firm was so impressive, her mom had to convince her on more than one occasion to stay in school and get the degree to fall back on if ever any of her employers were no longer in position to employ her. I just want to say, Momma's discernment is on point!

This phenomenal Howard Woman, was ambitious early on! She announced at 7years old that she was going to attend Howard University, put the poster up and never took it down, despite offers from Stanford and UCLA being on the table. She currently works at Google, a company that when looking back at her Senior Project indications of where she saw herself 10, 15 or 20 years later, she knew she would be.

Tune in for all the gems she dropped about her experience and extending opportunities to others.

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