At UC Santa Barbara, she served as the Chair of the Student Commission on Racial Equity and a Research Assistant for the Communication & Empowerment Collaborative and UndocuAging Binational Research Lab, advocating for undocumented individuals with limited access to mental health resources. As an undocumented Latina, Shanink has a strong passion for advocating for immigrant and labor rights, which led her to intern with labor organizations to support undocumented workers and their unionizing efforts. She loves to travel, try new food, hike, and go to the beach.