Published on May 3, 2021

Shakira Cross is a junior from Columbia, Missouri, studying Secondary Language Arts Education and minoring in English. She is dedicated to her work as a student, community member, and future educator. Shakira is a Dorsey Scholar and has spent her junior year conducting undergraduate research on the role of language and identity in the teaching profession under the guidance of Dr. Pilar Mendoza and Dr. Laurie Kingsley. Along with her time as an undergraduate researcher, she has enjoyed her involvement in various College of Education organizations, such as being an ambassador and recruitment and retention undergraduate student staffer. Shakira finds herself in spaces outside of the College of Education where learning and expanding cultural competencies thrive here at MU. To name a few, she has been a writer for the Odyssey, site leader for Mizzou Alternative Breaks, and a student staffer for one of the social justice centers. She is also a resident advisor for Residential Life. Shakira is a member of LSV, an honorary secret society dedicated to promoting and improving the status of women on campus. As Cross continues to embark on her teaching journey, she has found a space to be creative through her podcast, “The Cross Roads Podcast: Self Identity and Self Discovery”. Ultimately, her goal in life is to pursue liberation for herself and others around her.