There is quite the variety of people in the garden of Shippensburg University. Among the flowers is Jack Myers, a junior biology major in the secondary education certification track. 

Myers is from York, Pennsylvania, and attended Eastern York High School prior to Shippensburg in 2020. 

“I loved it there,” said Myers. Growing up in a smaller town allowed Myers to be far enough to have a quiet home and close enough that there is always something to do. 

In high school, Myers played volleyball for four years. 

“Well, it would have been four years,” Myers said. “Men’s volleyball is a spring sport, so my senior season was cut short.” Like all other 2020 high school graduates, the COVID pandemic ended everything earlier than planned. Still, Myers joked that he still got his varsity letter, so that basically makes up for only getting three full seasons of play. 

Outside of volleyball, Myers was a member of the Recycling Club at his high school, as well as the student section. He recalled some of his favorite memories include his friends and him at different sporting events. 

“Our teams weren’t always the best, but that didn’t mean we were any quieter at their games,” laughed Myers. 

In the classroom, Myers mentioned having a particularly great experience with his biology teacher, Daphne Leeder. 

“She tried to make biology as interesting as possible,” said Myers, “[Leeder] made an impact on my career goal.” 

Before having her as a teacher, Myers said he planned to become a marine biologist. After seeing how big an influence a teacher can have on students, Myers changed his plans. When he graduates, Myers plans to put just as much care into his classroom as Leeder put into hers. 

Myers is a member of the Wood Honors College, and he was a member of Honors LLC as a freshman and sophomore. Because he arrived at Shippensburg in 2020, Myers stated his LLC experience was how he built friendships early on. 

“We weren’t allowed to go into other halls or have visitors,” recalled Myers. “The people in the hall were who I became closest with.” Meeting every week with the same people offered much needed time to interact with others during a time when classes were online. 

This semester, Myers became the resident assistant (RA) of the Honors Living Learning Community (LLC) in Harley Hall. He said the job seemed like a great experience as a future educator. In being an RA, Myers is learning how to handle “awkward conversations” and dealing with people who “are doing things they shouldn’t be doing.” 

It also gives Myers the opportunity to practice public speaking and event planning. As the Honors LLC RA, Jack is planning the have the members learn to engage in the campus community. He is planning a variety of events including a scavenger hunt, team building games and guest speakers for his residents to engage with. 

Myers also wants his residents to embrace diversity and experience other cultures, he and is planning his events around these goals. 

Shippensburg University is a growing place for everyone. Some people come in knowing exactly what they want, and others are here to explore. Jack Myers is a testament to how well this community allows for you to follow the path best for you, and that the right amount of sunlight and water is all it takes to grow.  

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