SHANNON HUDSON

Social Responsibility

I feel it is important to contribute to the community.  Making a difference benefits everyone!   
Our community needs us and we need our community.  In addition to volunteering, I believe our social responsibilities include being environmentally conscious.

The University of Arkansas's women's tennis tam earned the distinctive honor of winning the Lee Spencer Cup in two consecutive years while I was part of the team.

Our team demonstrated the strongest committment to life skill initiatives, academic success, and athletic excellence among all athletic teams at the University.

Our team was awarded points based on our involvement with Development Programs, Leadership, Service Learning Projects, Athletic Excellence, Academic Excellence, and Hogs for Hogs.

My freshman year was the first year the Women's Tennis Team had won this award.

Per Razorback Communications,  "(Coach) Hegarty is quick to point out the driving forces behind the team winning the Spencer Cup was sophomore Shannon Hudson and junior Flavia Araujo. Hudson was named a 2013-14 selection to the SEC Community Service Team."

During the school year, I participated in events that included Sweat Hogs – a program promoting staying active for grade school students, volunteering at the food pantry, and Hogs for Hog.

Celebrating on the field with the football team when they took the Golden Boot rivalry for the first time in 2010 was fun.  However, supporting fellow athletes in defeat is equally important.  Part of my goals as a college athlete was to support others on and off the court.

When the ALS Bucket Challenge soaked the world, I was part of it.  I did my part to promote awareness of the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.  My grandmother died of multiple scleross, another disease without a cure.  We all need to take an active part in fighting illnesses like these.

As a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) organization, I was a liaison to the university administration to provide insight to the student-athlete experience and to provide input about the rules or regulations.  I was nominated as a representative by my coach and was honored to represent my sport.

Why not have fun while helping others?  By participating in events like the Color Vibe 5K, I help support local charities that benefit my community.

I am consciously aware of my environmental footprint and actively try to minimize my impact on the environment. Eco-friendly decision making and behaviors are conscious choices that I make, but they are not always the easy choices. 

The following are ways that I help make improve the earth’s long-term sustainability.

• Bike ride
• Car pool
• Recycle
• Organic food
• Buy locally grown produce when possible
• Conserve water
• Eat less red meat