Ebony Shields

"Humility is not thinking that you're less than but thinking less of yourself"

Ebony Shields is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering at Virginia Tech. Hailing from Hampton, Virginia, she maintains a GPA of 3.4. Ebony is passionate about being part of a larger solution and enjoys collaborating with others to achieve common goals. She has four sisters who have been significant role models in her life, particularly her older sisters Ashley and Toya, who have supported and guided her like second mothers.

In her free time, Ebony enjoys working out and lifting at McComas, reading, hanging out with friends, and attending VTXA events. Her favorite cartoon character is SpongeBob SquarePants, whom she admires for being unapologetically himself. She has a strong affinity for 90's and 00's R&B music.

Originally dreaming of becoming a WNBA coach in middle school, Ebony's aspirations have evolved. Now, she aims to become a rehabilitation engineer, focusing on creating technologies and innovations to improve accessibility worldwide. She is involved with Galipatia and works on outreach initiatives to encourage more students from her background to pursue engineering. Additionally, Ebony volunteers for stadium cleanup with her ministry and serves as an intern for the Tech Access Initiative team with the United Spinal Association.

Ebony believes that recognizing our interconnectedness and working together as a collective is essential for progress. She strives to contribute to solutions that address global challenges and improve the lives of others.