Shanxi Omoniyi / LJWorld.com

Staff

Shanxi Omoniyi (Copy Editor)

I started copy editing at the Lawrence Journal-World during my sophomore year (fall 2005) at KU. I chose to major in journalism because I've always loved to read and write. I also benefited from amazing mentors, including the late KU lecturer, Christy Bradford.

My interests include playing the accordion, debating and traveling around the world. I'm a fairly new citizen of the United States, having been born in New Zealand.

In case you're wondering about my first name, it is a mountainous province in China. I have a Eurasian background from my parents (a Singaporean mother and an Australian father) and am married to a Nigerian graduate student at KU (hence the African last name). All we have to do is adopt a child from South America and a penguin from Antarctica, and our family will have ties to all seven continents.

Recent stories

Various callings bring first-year faculty to KU: By Shanxi Omoniyi; August 20, 2009; For a man who’s big into energy, Chris Depcik is remarkably laid-back. Even at his most animated — discussing his program emphasizing internal combustion engines, energy and the environment, for example — he never loses his air of easy assurance.
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau reaches out to community to help attract visitors: By Shanxi Omoniyi; April 21, 2009; Like many others in Lawrence, Anne Buhler Dillon found she just couldn’t get away. Born and raised here, she attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., for her bachelor’s degree in communication but later returned to the Sunflower State as her life and professional career unfolded.
Living joy: Lawrence boasts four female, modern-day apostles from Catholic order: By Shanxi Omoniyi; December 27, 2008; Apostles — those stern, bearded guys following Jesus of Nazareth? That’s so first century.
Kenyan kinship: Lawrence resident makes connections during African trip: By Shanxi Omoniyi; June 30, 2008; Until two years ago, Kenya ranked about as high on my to-see list as Antarctica - it was possible, but I didn’t know why I’d go there. I had no connection to Africa. That’s unusual, considering my journeys through Europe, Australia and Asia along my way to U.S. citizenship. Africa, however, remained a foreign place until my junior year at Kansas University, setting the framework for my first adventure as a KU alumna.
ECO2’s open-space planning could help preserve Baldwin Woods: By Shanxi Omoniyi; April 26, 2008; Baldwin Woods is one of Mother Nature’s time capsules - it offers a glimpse of the Kansas forest landscape as it appeared before settlers entered Douglas County.
Benefit sweeps up money for hospice: By Shanxi Omoniyi; April 20, 2008; Familiar faces around Lawrence converged at the Lawrence Arts Center on Saturday for an evening of drinks, dessert and dancing - to help support a good cause.
Transit service a success: K-10 Connector system sets records in January, February; By Shanxi Omoniyi; February 18, 2008; Ridership on the shuttle service between Lawrence and Johnson County continues to climb. Johnson County Transit’s K-10 Connector bus system set new records during January and February, reflecting an increased interest in the area’s public transit.
Where is the money from?: By Shanxi Omoniyi; February 3, 2008; The Kansas University Endowment Association will give $1.9 million of the total $2.5 million for enhancing entrance scholarships, said Dale Seuferling, association president. That leaves KU to reallocate $600,000 from existing undergraduate scholarship funds across its departments and schools.
Initiative to expand freshmen scholarships: Luring more first-year students to campus is goal; By Shanxi Omoniyi; February 3, 2008; Kansas University will offer bigger scholarships to high-achieving prospective freshmen next fall in hopes of attracting more of them. The initiative, led by KU’s provost office, will pour $2.5 million into enhancing present entrance scholarships for incoming freshmen. “We’re not focused on adding new scholarships as much as we are just improving the overall package,” said Marlesa Roney, vice provost for student success.
Former home-schoolers transition to college, work: By Shanxi Omoniyi & Terry Rombeck; May 13, 2007; There are times, just for fun, that Isaac McPheeters plays the part of the stereotypical home-schooler with his Kansas University classmates.

Full story list

Recent photos

This is the entrance to Prairie Elf Christmas Trees. The company typically plants 1,000 seedlings a year.

Kathy Heeb, owner of Prairie Elf Christmas Trees, explains the process of determining a pine tree's age. Each tree has a growth ring, called a whorl. This tree has five whorls, which means that it is approximately five years old.

This warming hut is a place where customers of Prairie Elf Christmas Trees come after cutting down their trees. Hot cider and cookies are provided.

Kathy Heeb, owner of Prairie Elf Christmas Trees, and her dog, Rudy, finish up their tree cutting season.

Steve Richardson, Lawrence Arts Center employee, trims the stump of a Christmas tree. Prairie Elf Christmas Trees donated the tree to the center because it was too big for them to keep - about 300 pounds.

Full photo list