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ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Oakland University Men’s Basketball program has announced the Laura Joseph Shannon Men’s Basketball Student Manager scholarship. In its inaugural year, the endowment was created to honor the mother of former Oakland University student manager Colin Shannon (now Director of Operations). Laura Shannon passed away from breast cancer after a 10-year battle in 2023. In the last year, a group of Laura’s friends and family, Oakland staff members, and former Oakland managers have donated to establish the endowment.
“My family and I started this scholarship in my mother’s name, because she was the biggest Oakland fan no one knew,” said Shannon. “Every time I would come home from a road trip, even if it was 2 a.m., she would be awake and want to discuss everything about the game. She was very thankful for the opportunity I had to be a student manager at Oakland, which allowed me chase my dreams and move into a full time position on the staff.”
The endowment will give a scholarship to senior men’s basketball managers who have been with the program for multiple years. In the first year of the endowment, three student managers received a $1,000 scholarship.
“I want to thank the Shannon family for establishing this scholarship and allowing me to save money while working towards my degree and dedicating myself to the team, becoming a student manager has been an amazing experience,” said head manager Jake Mullins. Manager Evan Blanchard says “Getting the opportunity to be a manager had been the greatest things to ever happen to me. I have made so many amazing friends through Oakland Basketball, and it has become a place that I feel like I belong to. On top of that, I have grown in my knowledge of basketball immensely and I am a better basketball coach because of it.”
“This scholarship is starting small, but I am so thankful to my mom’s friends and family who were so generous for the seed donations to start this endowment. My aunts, uncles, and cousins loved my mom very much and are truly honoring her by establishing this donation. Each year I hope this scholarship will grow as student managers who benefited from it give back to it each year, to help the next generation.”
The endowment is not only to reward student managers for their tireless, thankless work, but it also hopes to lower the barrier of cost to be a student manager.
“I’ve always loved basketball, but this role let me see the game from a new completely new perspective and taught me lessons that go far beyond the court,” said manager Jake Massucci. “More than anything, it’s the relationships I’ve built with the staff and players that I’ll carry with me into the next phase of my life.”
To make a donation to the Laura Joseph Shannon Endowment for Men’s Basketball Student Managers, click HERE, and select the specific fund, titled “Laura Joseph Shannon Endowment for Men’s Basketball Student Managers (61678)”.
How to Follow Oakland Men’s Basketball: For complete information on Oakland Men’s Basketball follow the team on X at @OaklandMBB and head coach Greg Kampe at @KampeOU. The team is also on Instagram and Facebook.