Shannon Meairs: The Brain Behind The Scholar

Pepperdine Article: By Jaclyn Tully

Pepperdine alumna Shannon Meairs has joined that elite group of men and women who know what it?s like to pitch a network television show and see it actually come to fruition.

When ABC?s The Scholar premiered on June 6, Meairs had the rare pleasure of seeing a very large dream materialize on a very large stage.

Her premise for the show dealt with something the 2000 Seaver graduate knew well ? the secrets of getting into a choice college and figuring out how to pay for it.

Going through the application process at Pepperdine, Shannon faced the financial challenges that most students face, but her indomitable spirit kept her looking for ways to attend the college of her choice. Her hard work paid off as she earned a Pepperdine grant and various other scholarships and student loans to enable her to attend school.

Once at Pepperdine, Meairs immersed herself in campus life. She joined Pi Beta Phi, worked with the Student Alumni Organization (SAO), participated in the Heidelberg program, and was a head counselor for New Student Orientation.

Working with SAO, Meairs even delivered birthday cakes and care packages to students. She served as SAO president her junior and senior year. Her experience developed an affinity in her for both current and prospective students of Pepperdine which drove her to apply for a full-time job in the Pepperdine Admission office after graduation.

She found it gratifying to be involved in a pivotal point in a young person?s life as they prepared for higher education. ?I put my heart and my life into the admissions process. To me it wasn?t just a job, it was a calling.