On Monday, March 21 GSU student Shanita Shine died in Baton Rouge. Funeral services for the 22-year old were held on Saturday, March 26 at the Title I Center in DeRidder, Louisiana.
Shine was born on February 11, 1983. In May 2001, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from DeRidder High School. While in high school, she was involved in the National Honor Society, BETA, Interact, FBLA, Spanish Club. Also, she was a member of the yearbook staff and BeauCare.
In August 2001, Shanita begin classes at GSU. She was a devoted member to many organizations throughout the campus. Her activities included: Alpha Lambda Delta, Gamma Beta Phi, NABA, Student Mentor, Big Brother and Sisters, and the Alpha Theta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Also, Shine was the recipient of numerous awards. She received the Bonne Amies Scholarship, Earl G. Graves Scholarship, Who’s Who Among American College Students, Golden Key International Honor Society, and the Anne J. Morrow Memorial Scholarship.
Many people have been touched by this young lady. Alexis Woods, a senior at GSU, was one of Shine’s best friends. Woods and Shine became friends in junior high school. Woods remember Shine as “a person like no other.”
“The friendship that we had will always go unmatched,” Woods said.
Shine leaves many people to cherish her memories. Floyd and Rosa Cole are her parents. The relationship that Shine and her mother shared a very special bond. Mrs. Cole remembers Shanita as a “very loving daughter.”
“Shanita and I would talk three and four times a day. If I didn’t call her, she was calling me,” Mrs. Cole stated.
Shine was a senior majoring in accounting and would have graduated this semester with honors.