From London Town to Motown, Wayne State’s Shanice Weekes finds her academic calling

DETROIT - The first time Shanice Weekes flew alone, it was across the Atlantic to begin her college path at Wayne State University.

Leaving London behind, she arrived in Detroit unsure of what to expect. But any nerves quickly faded when fellow tennis player and then-team captain Sabrina Laynes greeted her at Detroit Metro Airport, offering a warm welcome that set the tone for her student-athlete experience.

Weekes came to Wayne State in 2022 to play tennis for the Warriors and major in biology, drawn by the opportunity to compete at a high level while earning a degree.

Over the next three years, she became a leader on the team, serving as captain while excelling in the classroom. She earned a 3.92 GPA and was inducted into Wayne State's inaugural 2024-25 Chi Alpha Sigma Athlete Honor Society class, which recognizes student-athletes who succeed both academically and athletically.

Shanice Weekes compiled a 50-15 record in 65 singles matches and a 47-22 mark in 69 doubles contests over her three-year career, ranking 19th in program history in singles wins and tied for 14th with a .769 winning percentage.

Earlier this year, Weekes made the difficult decision to step away from competition to focus on graduate school, closing an important chapter.

"Tennis brought me here and gave me an incredible opportunity," Weekes said. "Now I'm excited to focus on what comes next."

That next step wasn't always clear.

By her third semester, Weekes began to feel her academic interests shifting. Rather than continue down a science pathway that no longer inspired her, she explored new possibilities and returned to a longtime interest: languages.

She began sitting in on Italian classes taught by Professor Silvia Giorgini, whose welcoming approach helped make the transition feel possible.

"The professors were so generous with their time," Weekes said. "They created an environment where I felt comfortable exploring something new."

Weekes soon changed her major to Italian, combining her interests in language, culture and history. She will graduate with a bachelor of arts from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, earning honors in world languages, literatures and cultures (Italian), completing University Honors as a co-major, and minoring in African American studies.

A chance encounter during a lunchtime campus event further shaped her path. There, she met Dr. Elena Past, interim dean of the Irvin D. Reid Honors College and a professor of Italian, who became her primary mentor.

With Past's guidance, Weekes began conducting research in her sophomore year. Her first project examined how Italians' relationship with race has evolved over time, exploring identity and the concept of whiteness.

Support from Wayne State's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, led by Dr. Lauren Bonilla, helped bring that work to life.

Shanice Weekes has enjoyed her time at Wayne State and is looking forward to making her graduate school decision by the April 15 deadline.

"That funding was incredibly helpful," Weekes said. "It allowed me to fully engage in my research and gain experience presenting it."

Her work expanded beyond the classroom through Wayne State's Wayne in Abruzzo study abroad program in Italy, where she conducted interviews with local residents in June 2024.

Now completing her senior thesis, Weekes is studying the Mediterranean Sea as a cultural and political border between Italy and Africa, examining migration, identity and how different groups experience that space.

Her accomplishments have led to admission into several top graduate programs, including the University of Texas, Ohio State University, the University of California-Berkeley and Columbia University. She has also been accepted to Oxford University.

Weekes plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Italian studies with the goal of becoming a college professor, continuing the kind of mentorship that helped shape her own experience.

"I've really fallen in love with research and academic life," she said. "I'd love to teach at the university level and continue doing this work."

She credits Wayne State's supportive environment for helping her find that career path.

"The professors here are incredibly accessible," Weekes said. "They genuinely want students to succeed and explore their interests."

Her family will travel from London to celebrate her graduation this May. Her younger brother, Marcus - a freshman tennis player at Howard University - is following a similar path as a student-athlete.

As Weekes looks ahead, she reflects on how far she has come since that first solo flight.

"I came here to play tennis," she said. "But Wayne State helped me discover a whole new future."