“Back then, I couldn’t have told you I would be here,” says Shannon Schoultz. Sitting in her 12th-floor office at Shook, Hardy and Bacon L.L.P. in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, she reflects on her journey from a first-generation college student to a first-generation lawyer. There’s a common thread in many of her key milestones – community and the University of South Carolina.
Scholarships turned into learning opportunities. Study abroad experiences led to a future in global travel and international business law. Friendships became professional networks which became job opportunities and even led to an appearance in a Super Bowl ad. And so much more.
But it wouldn’t have happened without the hard work and initiative that she poured in.
“I remember my mom and I spending so much time applying for scholarships,” says Schoultz, who was a LIFE Scholarship recipient. “I’m a huge advocate for scholarships and encourage students to go after them and take advantage of every opportunity you can.”
One of those scholarships was the HRSM Alumni Society Fund Scholarship, which supports travel opportunities for HRSM students. It allowed Schoultz to travel out of the country for the first time in her life on a retail management study abroad course in London.
“I thought it sounded interesting, so I went for it,” says Schoultz. “The experience was monumental for me. It opened my eyes to how much there is to explore and led me to have an interest in international corporations and how they operate. It would not have happened without that scholarship.”
Today, Schoultz is a world traveler who has explored many countries including Belgium, England, Cuba, Scotland, France and more. She is now a successful corporate lawyer who represents both American and international business clients navigating global industries.
Schoultz knew she wanted to be a lawyer when she came to South Carolina. She started out majoring in political science, but when she realized you could have any undergraduate degree before law school, she switched to sport and entertainment management.
“Sport and entertainment management was more aligned with my personal interest, and it ended up coming in handy because I have a lot of entertainment and tech clients,” she says. “Learning about venue management, marketing, business management, labor issues, merger and acquisitions and how all that comes together really helps me do my job.”
After graduating with her undergraduate degree in sport and entertainment management, she went on to earn her law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington D.C.
While in D.C., she attended a Gamecock alumni social event where she learned about some networking opportunities for the legal industry.
“That Gamecock event ended up leading me to a tech and law event where I met the person I now work for. We kept in touch for about a year, and then a job opportunity opened up,” says Schoultz. “I never thought all the dots would connect.”
Schoultz is living the career she envisioned for herself and is excited for the next generation of students who are just getting started. For her, community, scholarships and expanding her comfort zone through travel were all part of the journey.
“I have always had a lot of people rooting for me and encouraging me to try things,” says Schoultz. “When it comes to travel opportunities, my advice is, go for it. There are a lot of scholarships out there – take advantage of them. There is no better time to travel abroad then when you are a student. It expands your comfort zone and sparks new interests and experiences. I cannot stress enough how much the Alumni Society Scholarship Fund was the key that started a lifetime of exploring.”