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Shardae Cann

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Bio

My name is Shardae. I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Washington with a BA in Law, Societies, and Justice. I am starting law school this fall semester. I am a first-generation college student and I am a single parent of two children.

Education

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Bachelor's degree program
2021 - 2023
  • Majors:
    • Social Sciences, Other

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Law
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Law Practice

    • Dream career goals:

      Public services

      • Volunteering

        King County Bar Association, Neighborhood legal clinic — Clinic assistant, intake and referral
        2020 – 2023

      Future Interests

      Advocacy

      Volunteering

      Rebecca Hunter Memorial Scholarship
      I am a single parent of a thirteen-year-old volleyball player and an eleven-year-old artist and swimmer on the autism spectrum. I became a single parent when I left an abusive situation almost a decade ago. I make it a priority to engage my kids in activities and their community and try new things. The example I am setting for my children is that they can do anything they dream of as long as they are willing to put in the work to make it happen. I have made what I felt was out of my reach reality and my vision for my children is that they will never think anything is out of their reach. Raising kids as a single parent I thought I would never have the time and energy to go to college. I needed to work during the day and I needed to be at home with my kids in the evening. When schools went virtual during the COVID shutdowns, I had the opportunity to continue my education while keeping a full-time job working as a receptionist. I read at my desk and did homework during lunch breaks. I worked full-time during my entire community college career, even during the summer. I started with paralegal classes at Highline Community College. I enjoyed learning about the law and became eager to learn more, especially how the law can be a tool to fight injustice. I shifted from the paralegal track to work toward an associate’s degree, transferred to the University of Washington, and applied to law school. I graduated undergrad with a 3.94 GPA. My kids witnessed the time I spent studying and told me they were proud of me when I showed them my grades. I also make it a point to help them with their homework, I want them to succeed similarly. I remember when my son struggled to read, I was determined to put in the work to help him. I researched our options for lesson material and got the book Teach My Child To Read in 200 Days. As we worked his mind would wander mid-sentence. He wasn't going off task; he was taking a mental break. I let him work through it and then redirected him. We worked well beyond 200 days. We used the book so much that the cover fell off, and the pages became wrinkled. Today, he has moved on to more complex readings. I continue to read with him and help him with homework daily. I have developed radical empathy for individuals with disabilities and other families going through daily struggles to survive social differences. I am a first-generation college student and will be the first person in my family to attend law school. I will be starting law school at the same time my daughter starts high school. This scholarship will mean less debt for my family at a critical time when I will be working to put my daughter through college.