Co-editor Aliah Ward discovers what motivates Consuelo Shank during a Saturday workshop at Kalamazoo Public Library.
CO-EDITOR’S NOTE By Aliah Ward
The Explorers gathered in the Teen Room of the Kalamazoo Public Library to interview Consuelo Shank. As the cameras began to roll and students took notes, they gazed at her warm, welcoming smile as she shared her life and career. Shank, a PNC Bank Client and Community Relations director said it is important to “Keep it movin’” in life. With a passion for collaboration and community, Shank partners with non-profit organizations like the Merze Tate Explorers, to fund their endeavors. While she loves her career, she said, it was not something she considered as a child. Shank first remembered wanting to become a cosmetologist. It was her job as a teller at a PNC bank that changed her path. Today, after 21 years with PNC, she continues to enjoy having a job that allows her to give back to the community she grew up in. Once she decided to pursue a career in the banking industry, she enrolled at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. After college, she continued to rise through the ranks at PNC, got married, and started a family. Although work and family keep her busy, she takes time to relax and enjoy life. She has traveled to a variety of places, such as Thailand and the Dominican Republic, and continues
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makeup artistry as a hobby. Shank says that networking is a key part of success in her field. She has worked on many projects with various groups in the past, but one of her favorite non-profit organizations to work with is the Merze Tate Explorers! Shank says the hardest part of her job is the limited funding that does not allow her to give to all who apply. Shank is a vibrant, intelligent, and sophisticated woman who has worked very hard to accomplish her dreams. She is a wonderful role model to young girls, encouraging them to stay in school and get an education to achieve their goals.
Consuelo Shank receives cool Explorer swag after her interview. Back from left: Brittany Wright, Layla Coleman; front from left, Zydiora Jones, Shank, and Nariyah Reynolds.
