Part-time faculty member makes dynamic entry

By Josiah Stewart
Critic Staff

Former LSC student becomes member of the faculty.

Lyndon State College welcomes John Shanks as one of 11 new part time faculty members.
John Shanks will be teaching one of the second half mini courses taught this semester on Olympic, and power lifting. Shanks is an exercise science major, and is also the president and founder of the Brazilian Jujitsu club at LSC.
“I’ve been studying Brazilian Jujitsu since my senior year of high school,” Shanks said.
Shanks is a blue belt in Brazilian Jujitsu under Roy Harris, and a green belt in Adaptive Combat Jujitsu.
The Brazilian Jujitsu club has been running since last spring, and is currently being held on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays starting at 6 pm in the racquetball court.
“I was asked to teach this second half mini course by Anthony Sgherza,” Shanks said.
“The class is going to focus on Olympic and power lifts, the power lifts being squats, bench presses, and dead lifts,” Shanks said. “The Olympic lifts will be the snatch, clean and jerk, among others.”
Shanks said that this is his first real instructing position at LSC and he is excited about getting started. The course is worth 1 credit, and 19 students are currently enrolled in it.
“I’m very excited about teaching.” Shanks said. “I was originally going to study computers, but they were too frustrating, and lifting is something that I enjoy doing.
Shanks has competed in power lifting competitions as well as Brazilian Jujitsu competitions in the past, and was adamant about the Brazilian Jujitsu competition that he will be attending on the 1st of November.
“The competition is something that we’re trying to get the Brazilian Jujitsu class into,” Shanks said.
Shanks, now age 22, entered a power lifting competition when he was 19 and won 1st place in the teen 220 lbs division. He also won second place in a men’s open 242 lbs division with a 435 lbs bench press.
Along with his other qualifications, Shanks is also an apprentice level grappling instructor under Roy Harris.
Shanks is enjoying his Brazilian Jujitsu instructor’s position, and can’t wait to be officially teaching the Olympic and power lifting course.
“I once heard that if you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life,” Shanks said.