Episode One: Meet Shavonne

Good vibes only.

What was it really like for college students trying to navigate classes, jobs, and life during a pandemic? Illinois Public Media’s documentary series American Portrait | Central Illinois is back with Shavonne’s Year—a multipart social media series following Shavonne Cole through her junior year (Aug. 2020-May 2021) as a Media and Cinema Studies major in the College of Media at Illinois. Shavonne documents her life, living and working on campus while attending classes virtually.

We first “Meet Shavonne” at the beginning of her junior year. She tells us a little about herself, gives us a tour of her living space, and talks about how she's changed during the pandemic.