Shannon Nicole Sakosits was an Integrated Marketing Communications major in the Roy H. Park School of Communications and member of the class of 2017. A Dean’s List student who grew up in Woodcliff Lake, N.J., Shannon was a bright, witty writer with aspirations of moving to New York City to work in marketing after graduation.
A curious mind and an adventurous spirit, Shannon took every possible opportunity to learn. She frequently attended music festivals, loved to explore art museums, and was an avid reader and writer. She was passionate about traveling, having made her first trip abroad to London in 2014 with her mother. She relished the opportunity to explore a new city and learn about a different culture, and had hoped to study abroad in Spain.
Shannon had a warm heart – she was always smiling and laughing – and wanted to bring love, light, and happiness to friends and strangers alike. Shannon passed away in Ithaca, and is remembered by her loving parents, Kathleen McCoy Sakosits and Brian Sakosits; her two brothers, Ryan and Michael; and her boyfriend Spiros “Nick” Segalas-Shaw.
In memory of Shannon, friends and family planted a tree next to the Park School. It is an oak tree, which can grow to be 100 feet tall. They specifically chose an oak because it is native to Ithaca and known for its longevity.