KANSAS - The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is proud to introduce the "KCAC Alumni Spotlight" series. Every two weeks, the conference will aim to highlight an alumnus of one of our KCAC full member institutions. We hope in this series to highlight successes that KCAC alumni had not only on the field, court, etc., but also in the classroom and now in their chosen professional field.
KCAC ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT — AVILA UNIVERSITY
Alumnus: Dr. Shandon Boone
Degree Earned at Avila: Undergrad, Health and Professional Sciences, 2020
Career Alumnus Currently Holds: General Dentist in Shawnee, Kan.
How did your time at Avila help to prepare you for life after college/entering the workforce?
BOONE: “The strong science program got me interested in Avila. All of the mentors and counselors that I had made it really easy to make sure I had all of the prerequisites to get into dental school. I made it known that I wanted to go into dental school and all of my counselors and advisors helped me reach that goal. With Avila being in Kansas City, we already had a relationship with UMKC, so it made it very easy for me to get into dental school at UMKC.”
Were there any pre-professional experiences (internships/job shadows/etc.) during your college years that prepared you for entering your chosen field?
BOONE: “I took a research class at Avila that allowed me to have time during that class period to go out and shadow. I went to a pediatric dentist’s office, a general dentistry office and an orthodontist’s office to shadow and make sure dentistry is what I wanted to do. It was a great class that allowed me to go off-campus for a two-and-a-half-hour block to shadow and see what I’m getting in to.”
What lessons did you learn competing in collegiate athletics that helped prepare you for life after your playing days were over?
BOONE: “Playing basketball, I learned how to be a leader. I got a level of discipline playing basketball at Avila. Being accountable, showing up to weights, being prompt and making sure my grades were right. Those same principles apply to my life outside. Dental school was a very heavy workload, but I was able to gage how to manage my time, just like I did when I played basketball. Being a leader and playing sports allowed me to carry that over. I loved playing and wanted to make sure I gave my all to that sport. I also had to give my all to my classes in addition to basketball. It provided me with a great discipline.”
ABOUT THE KANSAS COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and sponsors 28 varsity sports. Founded in 1890, the KCAC is the second oldest intercollegiate athletic conference in the country. As the conference home to 14 member institutions, the KCAC emphasizes commitment, cooperation, high achievement, and working towards a common goal in the act of competition. To keep up with the latest conference news, follow the KCAC on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram using the handle @kcacsports.
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