Shannon first came into my life in 2006 at URI. Honors, Philosophy, Lippitt Hall. Irreverence, sarcasm, intelligence. Ironically, we were brought together by the philosopher’s lifestyle – a lifestyle in which the pursuit of knowledge and truth comes above building relationships. Yet we met.

There were more of us, too, in URI’s philosophy club, Philonymous. Each week about a dozen of us would meet at URI’s Multicultural Center, sit in a circle, and talk… until the building closed at midnight. We had our own world in that room. A world where we could share, workshop, and mercilessly ridicule ideas together as a friendly group.

Shannon had the pleasure and privilege of being essential in this selective group of thinkers. Shannon had the group’s respect. She deserved her seat in the room. And while Shannon’s death is felt like a shockwave across our group, her seat in our room remains present, and remains hers.

“The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.”

-Friedrich Nietzsche