Senior Spotlight: Shilei Bell-Lipsey Awarded for Dedication to Student Life

Among her many successes, Shilei Bell-Lipsey ’22 earned the George Robert Milliken Award granted to a graduating senior distinguished for unselfish devotion to student affairs. She is a Psychology and Sociology split major born and raised in Wisconsin. Directly following graduation, Bell-Lipsey will be presenting at NCORE before she begins the road to law school. We asked her to talk to us about her SMC experiences.

What clubs/orgs did you belong to at SMC?

What don't I belong to, LOL! I am the president of BSU, at least for a few more days here. In four years I've been in: BSU, SAS, ASL Club, Psych Club, EOB Exec Team, the Cummins Institute Committee, Gender Equity Committee, 50 Years of Women Planning Committee, Associated Students, and supported SCAAR.

Who Are Your Greatest Supporters⁠⁠?

My family, both biological and chosen. My mom, Madea, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, great aunts, great-great relatives, and more. Being from out of state I quickly found on-campus support with my chosen family, too, including my close friends, club members, colleagues, faculty, and staff members who always rooted me on. 

⁠What Is Your Favorite SMC Memory⁠⁠?

⁠⁠This is a hard one. My favorite SMC memory is probably this year’s Gonzaga game. Not only was it my senior year game, but we took time to honor and appreciate the Black basketball players that walked out 50 years ago to protest the firing of Odell Johnson. It was 50 years to the day, such an important game in an important season and such a historic, monumental event for our campus. It made me really happy that I pushed so hard for us to celebrate and recognize them at the game. It also made me incredibly happy to be able to meet the players afterwards, especially Al Strange, who'd been the BSU president in 1972. 

What's next⁠⁠ for you after Commencement?

After Commencement I'll be learning more about who I am outside of being a student and a leader on this campus. I'm applying for jobs all over and will be headed back to Texas for the time being. Law school is in my future. 

Tell us about a memory of SMC. 

In November of my first year (2018) End the Silence hosted a protest in Dante Quad. I didn't know what ETS was, what they were protesting, or many of the students involved; however, I saw a few familiar faces. That was the first time I photographed anything on campus. One of my favorite pictures from that day involves Sloane and Leo, two people I knew well at that point, looking at a newspaper cover that showed a young immigrant child crying and scared. Their faces show how clearly they were affected by the image. I also met Gerry Serrano that day. The first thing he asked me was "who are you with?" I froze because I was just a student taking pictures, but he thought I was with local media. A day and moment that sticks with me often as I advocate for change, prioritize often silenced voices, and capture our community. 

Saint Mary’s wishes Shilei Bell-Lipsey all the best and can’t wait to see what she does next.