Donor Stories - Shannon Davis '19

Women’s Lacrosse Student-Athletes THRIVE with Scholarship Support

GENEROUS DONORS CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS

On the field and in the classroom, the student-athletes of the Millersville University women’s lacrosse team have been celebrating outstanding achievements. Scholarship support plays an important role in helping the team triumph in competition and experience academic excellence. Through newly established scholarship awards, generous alumni and friends are nurturing the future success of the team and student-athletes. As Millersville University Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Cindy Wilson explains, “The newly created scholarships greatly improve the lives of student-athletes on our team and also provide opportunities for student success. This athletic aid provides the chance for a more affordable education and provides a greater overall experience at Millersville.”

The recent success of the women’s lacrosse program reflects the beneficial investment that scholarship support makes for current student-athletes. Wilson states, “Our program continues to grow and move forward, which we are proud of. During the 2019 season, we earned a spot in the PSAC Playoffs for the first time since 2016, and we were off to a great start in 2020. Off the field, our student-athletes continue to work hard and show success in the classroom. Our team GPA for the spring 2020 semester was 3.47, which we are very proud of.”

Within the women’s lacrosse program, there is a close-knit bond among the student-athletes, their families, friends and the community. One of the new scholarships, the Cindy Lee Dalrymple Memorial Women’s Lacrosse Scholarship, was established by Doug Dalrymple, a loyal fan, supporter and community leader, in memory of his late wife, Cindy. Another recently established scholarship, the Shannon E. Davis ’19 Women’s Lacrosse Scholarship, was created by the family of alumna Shannon Davis ’19, who helped lead the Marauders to the PSAC Tournament in 2019. Through this generosity, the women’s lacrosse program has the potential to build upon their recent accomplishments and achieve success in competition as a team. “Scholarship support helps our team to grow in the level of play and competitiveness. We want to win a PSAC Championship and compete in the NCAA tournament, and scholarship support is a key piece that will allow us to get to the next level,” says Wilson. 

SHANNON E. DAVIS ’19 WOMEN’S LACROSSE SCHOLARSHIp

Through five years as a student-athlete with the Millersville University Women’s Lacrosse program, Shannon Davis ’19 excelled athletically and academically, with a major in biology and minors in chemistry and athletic coaching. In her participation with the team and in her position as goalkeeper, her experience was rewarding and transformative. She explains, “I enjoyed facing the challenges of athletics with a group of people who became a second family to me. … The variety of personalities on the team also helped to better me as a person; I believe being part of the team made me a better candidate for graduate school, and I will carry those lessons with me for the rest of my life.” Originally from Crofton, Maryland, Davis is currently a candidate for a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, located on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts.

As Davis’s coach, Wilson proudly recognizes the contribution that Davis has made in promoting teamwork and exemplifying student success. “Shannon was a very successful student-athlete. She earned a starting role on the field and was a great student in the classroom. She has continued to stay connected with our program, and she inspires those students who follow her to do their best, compete and pursue their dreams.” To help future student-athletes receive the opportunity to train, compete and study at Millersville University, Mary-Beth and John Davis, Shannon’s parents, were inspired to establish a scholarship in honor of their daughter with the Shannon E. Davis ’19 Women’s Lacrosse Scholarship. The scholarship award will benefit a student-athlete on the women’s lacrosse team with first preference to a team member majoring in science, technology, engineering or math. Regarding the family’s motivation to create the scholarship, Mary-Beth says, “We just wanted to give back to Millersville University and to the lacrosse program. Shannon learned a lot at Millersville and enjoyed her time there. We hope to see the women’s lacrosse program at Millersville University to continue to thrive and be able to attract top student-athletes.”

Davis is grateful for her experience at Millersville University and aspires to provide the same opportunities to others. She says, “Millersville gave me the opportunity to achieve my dreams while also giving me a second home. I think giving back – even in a small way – helps show my gratitude. I hope that the scholarship helps inspire future student-athletes to aim for the stars and achieve their dreams. Competing in athletics while pursuing a STEM degree is far from easy, but it is well worth it. The lacrosse team was a family to me, and I hope it can be a family for someone else as well.”

This story was originally featured in the Fall 2020 edition of the Millersville University "Imagine" Magazine.