Senior Circuit...Shelby BaylissShelby Bayliss was born and raised in Detroit, Mich. His family moved to Charleston, S.C. about 10 years ago, a migration that greatly increased his chances of coming to Wofford.
“I chose Wofford because of its excellent academic reputation, small class sizes, and because I fell in love with the place when I visited it,” he says.
Four years later, the love affair continues. Bayliss has been part of the Wofford Activities Council (WAC) for four years, Campus Union for three, Success Initiative for three, RPM for two, and Women’s History Month for one. Above all of that, he is Senior Class Vice President.
Academically, Bayliss shifted gears but is now running full throttle toward a degree.
“I am a history major and a religion minor, but it hasn't always been that way,” he says. “Like most Wofford freshmen, I came to Wofford thinking I was going to go the pre-med/pre-dental route. That changed once I realized I couldn't stand science classes. But when I took my first history course, I fell in love with the subject and the department. Same thing applies to the religion department.”
Bayliss’ best memories of the past four years revolve around events that range from the spectacular to the mundane. The picture you see is from his semester abroad in Melbourne, Australia last spring.
“Spring weekend my sophomore year was a great memory,” he says. “I was co-chair of WAC at the time, so I was part of the decision making and planning. Seeing all our hard work come to fruition was a great feeling. And late night chats with my room mates will always be great memories.”
The future is coming into focus for Bayliss as graduation nears.
“My first option is Teach for America,” he says. “I hear back from them March 10, but that is a very selective program. So my backup plan is Charlotte law.”