Shannon Register

Alumni Office, Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics

Learning to work with others and engage in meaningful discussions while in FACS

Major/year graduated

Housing and Consumer Economics, 1998

Current occupation/location

Distance Education Coordinator & Instructor, Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service, Houston, Texas 

What do you love about your current role?

Teaching students in the classroom.

How did your time at FACS help prepare you for your life or career?:

My time at UGA helped prepare me for both life and my career. I learned to work with others in groups and have meaningful discussions. Learning processes for how people interact and engage was meaningful because that is something I do every day with students and co-workers. Learning to network has been beneficial for me and I learned that during my time at FACS.

What is one memorable experience you had as a student in FACS?

One memorable experience I had as a student in FACS was a tour we did in Washington, D.C. that counted as school credit. I learned a lot about how the government works and the housing industry. Since that time I have made many trips back to D.C. to lobby on behalf of the Realtor Association, to lobby for changes in business and education policies. No matter what you do in life, you have to understand politics and get involved. Innovation is happening so fast that whole industries can go away in less than one year. Being involved can help protect your industry.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were a student?

I now know that it's okay not to have everything in life planned out. I was unsure of what I wanted to do when I graduated and it put a lot of stress on me. Looking back, I wish I had understood that every job was just there for more experience and more learning opportunities and would lead me to more doors opening to future opportunities. Use every experience, every boss, and every co-worker to learn something meaningful. Keep growing and continue to educate yourself because it is important to stay a lifelong learner.