It is with pride and joy I present to you the next member of Team Do Good, the mighty Shevin McCullough. Shevin and I have been boys ever since we first linked up at Franciscan University of Steubenville back in the bitter winter lol of January 2000 and now both reside in considerably warmer and seemingly winterless (form a heart shape with hands) Tampa years later. Shevin is an awesome, funny, and inspirational person that is doing BIG thangs haha and I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate him here via Tampa Bless and Team Do Good. His willingness to participate in this feature and to provide feedback is highly appreciated. Censored Munky Crew stand up! And now, without further ado...
Name: Shevin McCullough
Place of birth: Steubenville, OH
Currently reside: Tampa, FL
Heritage: Irish
Family: I’m the youngest of 4. Two older brothers, Shawn and Shay, and an older sister, Shannon. My parents wanted to name me “Kevin,” yet Kevin didn’t start with an “Sh,” so they selected “Shevin.”
My wife’s name is Shirley. We are not related. I’ve been married since 2016. We have one son so far; Michael Felly McCullough. Michael is 6 months old and practically the size of a baby horse.
Alma Mater: Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Franciscan University of Steubenville 2003.
Occupation: Co-Founder of Cross Boss Media. Co-writer and lead personality of Studio 3:16, which is a Christian children’s show, currently in the Beta phase. I left the company I planned on retiring from after a plane ride for a business trip in July 2018. I felt God wanted me to be the personality for a Christian children’s show. I knew very little about media, building a company from scratch, or being an evangelist; yet my heart was (is) on fire. Rob Reynolds and I started Cross Boss Media in Sept of 2018. Thankfully, Rob has plenty of experience building businesses from scratch due to his real estate background and was a teacher for a number of years, so I have a strong person to lean on when questions arise.
*Update: Studio 3:16 Show debuts September 8, 2021 via studio316.com which launches the same day. Watch. Pay it Forward. Share! Thank you.
Activities you organized or participate in related to helping others and uplifting humanity? I realize this is an uncomfortable question to answer because it feels self-promotional, yet it's important to share so to inspire others:
I’ve been a Eucharistic Minister (EM) since 2013, volunteering at hospitals, assisted living facilities, and with homebound parishioners. This is the act of charity I have been the most consistent with... I also believe that doing this single act of charity on a consistent basis transformed my faith. I was bringing Jesus to Jesus. Matthew 25:31-46
At different points of my life over the last handful of years, I have volunteered as a Catechist and EM at St. Lawrence Church, volunteered at St. Joseph’s Children’s hospital, fed the homeless, hungry and working poor via Trinity Cafe, fed the homeless in Tampa just by walking around and handing out food and drinks, and participated in the 3-year TMIY (That Man Is You! https://paradisusdei.org/that-man-is-you/) program at Christ the King church.
The Tampa Bless 12
1) Favorite pastime or hobby? Why? Please explain.
Listening to soul music. My favorite instrument is the voice, and the harmonies in soul music are exceptional. I used to really enjoy digging through various artists’ catalogs to find their released music that never became popular. Being a producer, practically any sound I hear, I can imagine hearing music behind it. To this day, what I enjoy the most is mixing people singing into the beats I make... I can’t get enough of it. We released the Shevin Michael “It’s Time” EP in January of this year. It was a very rewarding process for me and the team. Go to any streaming platform (iTunes, Spotify, etc.) to listen to it!
I also enjoy listening to/telling funny stories. I feel like real-time storytelling is a dying art.
2) Favorite sport, team, or player? If not into sports, your favorite musician or album? Or answer one of each if you’d like or any combo. Please explain why for any one or more of the questions you answered.
My two favorite teams are the Pittsburgh Steelers and Notre Dame. I didn’t have a choice to cheer for any other team growing up. That fearful cheering has somehow transitioned into a die-hard passion? And embarrassingly, the older I have gotten, the less I follow football (I don’t have cable, maybe that’s a part of it?). Both teams are currently undefeated, and that does pump me up, yet I’ve only watched about 1 total quarter of football considering the 17 games the Steelers and Notre Dame have played collectively so far. I know, that’s kinda cloudy. Favorite musician/group? Toss up between the Four Tops or Stevie Wonder.
3) Favorite movie? Why? Please explain.
FREEEEEEDOOOOOOOOM!
4) Favorite place (country, city, town, etc…) you have visited and why?
Cartagena, Colombia. Why? The cuisine, the architecture, the history, the colors, the music... plus, my wife is from there and I want my wife to read and like this write-up. It really is gorgeous there... I also thoroughly enjoyed and sometimes miss living in Pittsburgh, PA because my brothers, sister, their families, and my mom all live within a 1.5-hour radius from each other. Awesome city.
5) Last meal? You could have anything, what is it? Why? Please explain.
Probably my mom’s creamed turkey over biscuits, paired with a side of BBQ ribs from DeeJays in Weirton, WV, coupled with a medium-rare steak from Bern's Steakhouse and topped off with onion rings from anywhere. Lots of them. Big fan of onion rings. I would also probably chase this down with a Butterfinger Think-N-Crunchy from Bo’s Ice Cream here in Tampa.
6) Three activities or routines you would highly recommend? Please explain your reasoning for each.
1. Daily Mass. You can receive the Eucharist daily!!! Go receive Jesus!
2. Daily Holy Hour. You can talk to God daily! Go talk and LISTEN to Him speak to you in the silence! Do you feel an hour is too much? Well, start with praying the Rosary, which takes 10-15 minutes. Start there. Just make it a daily goal to pray the Rosary. Connect the Rosary habit to another habit that already currently exists. You WILL be able to do this! Mother Teresa had a daily Holy Hour. When her popularity began to skyrocket and her schedule would get overbooked, always remember what she did... she prayed for 2 hours on those particular days. Devout! True role model!
3. Do something active (walking, biking, swimming, etc.). By the way, I’m a real hypocrite on this point, because I haven’t worked out in close to a month. Truth be told, I walked/ran about 5 miles this past weekend. Couldn’t believe I did a full 5 miles. Then, everything started hurting, so I had a couple of rootbeer floats and that only helped temporarily, and then I felt guilty on top of everything hurting.
7) A) Personality trait you highly value? Why? Please explain. B) The personality trait you highly dislike? Why? Please explain.
A. If traits like integrity and honesty are implied regarding this question, then I would have to go with having a sense of humor. Perhaps I’m shallow, yet when I come across someone with a real, dynamic sense of humor it instantly increases their likeability.
B. When people don’t take ownership. Wow. No bueno. Here’s a good social experiment for you... did you ever notice what happens when you ask someone WHY their previous relationship didn’t work out? How often have you EVER heard the person say... ”You know, it was actually MY fault the relationship didn’t work out. I didn’t give her my best…, etc.” Yeah right! It’s always “the other person’s fault!” Not taking ownership thrives outside of personal relationships too! I wish I could say I’ve never been guilty of this!! In fact, if this article/write-up doesn’t have a positive impact on people, well, it’s not MY fault. It’s my mom’s fault. If it’s not my mom’s fault, then it’s CoVid’s fault.
8) Favorite thinker (author, philosopher, theologian, etc…)? Why? Please explain. And what is your favorite piece of advice, quote, or text from them or in general? Why? Please explain.
Wow, so many, Dale Carnegie, Og Mandino, St. Paul, C.S. Lewis, the Gospels... there really are so many... so my favorite Bible verse is James 2:17. “Faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead.” I guess this Bible verse creates a lot of division between Protestants and Catholics, yet I guess I just understand it a little differently. I look at works simply being a part of your faith. These are not two different silos. For example, if I told my wife I love her, and then the weekend comes and I am not loyal to her, well, then do I really love her? Do I just love Jesus by telling him I do? Look at the 10 Commandments. Do not steal. Do not kill. Honor your mother and father… These are actions, not lip service. Another quote I will share with you (similar to the Bible verse) was a fortune cookie that immediately froze into my brain when I read it. It said, “The simplest answer is to act.” I have cherished that piece of advice (in addition to the General Tso’s I finished minutes prior to reading this quote) for quite a while, especially when I think about doing something and fear hits me... it’s like muscle memory how quickly I go back to those words...
9) Biggest influence in your life or a top one, and what was it about them that really stood out?
My mother. She taught me the importance of empathy, listening, asking good questions, and being charitable. If she had $10 left to her name, she would give it to someone she didn’t know in a heartbeat without thinking twice about it. I know this is a cliche statement, yet I’m serious too. I’ve witnessed it. Then, she would say something like, “The good Lord knows...” or she’d say something like, “If the person is asking for it, then they must need it more than me.” Some may think she’s being naive, yet I think it’s good ole generosity. Most importantly, she taught me about Jesus growing up. Even though I didn’t join the Catholic Church until I was 28, my mom was very intentional with letting me know that Jesus was (is) God and that He died for my sins. It must’ve been the way she talked about Jesus because it was something that immediately made sense to me.
10) If there is one thing you could change in the world, what would it be?
End of Christian persecution. Even though John 15:20 lets us know this isn’t really an option, “If they persecuted me, then they will also persecute you.” Mmm, you know, with that being mentioned, I just wish more people of influence were vocal about their Christianity, and that more people used their God-given talents to glorify God. In addition, I think it would be entertaining that every time someone lied a loud horn noise, like a foghorn, would come out of their mouth. How funny and awesome would that be? Just don’t watch the news, because your TV would explode.
11) Where did your desire to help others and uplift humanity come from? Please explain.
That’s another very difficult question Mr. Tampa Bless! Mmm... well, I helped take care of my paralyzed grandmother for roughly 12 years, and I’m pretty sure that situation had something to do with it. And actually, a lot of family members came together to help her out. She was tough too. At the age of 71, she had a stroke that paralyzed the right side of her body (and she was right-handed). She had to retrain herself to eat, walk (as best as she could), cook, etc. She lived another 14 years after her stroke. Yeah man, that desire to help had to come from this experience...
12) What are you working on now and how can people get involved?
Pray for Cross Boss Media and for our pilot episode of Studio 3:16. A lot is on the line. Our mission at CBM: To provide children a genuinely entertaining secure place to encounter Christ in a way that inspires action. We feel confident this product will achieve this mission and give children (and parents) something nourishing, entertaining, and hopeful to watch. The competition for our kids’ hearts and minds is fierce, and we want to deliver something that combats all the poison that is readily available, while also showing how the Bible applies to us in our everyday lives. Follow me on IG @shevin_michael and go to mycrossboss.com and sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the news and events happening at CBM and Studio 3:16!
Editor's Note: Quick link to Studio 3:16's profile on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0BouSUb0icIzfCm0A31tUL?si=fE9Qc7oVR1OFyjoLgZ0mlA. I also wanted to mention that Cross Boss Media mycrossboss.com and Studio 3:16 will not magically continue to exist. They are dependent upon your support. Please support the people and projects that you believe in and want to see so that they can continue; whether it be financially, socially (share, follow, subscribe, and spread the word), or both. You already know I'm all in! Let's go!
*Update: Studio 3:16 Show debuts September 8, 2021 via studio316.com which launches the same day. Watch. Pay it Forward. Share! Thank you.
Thank you so much for your time Shevin and for all that you do. The place we live in is that much better because of you. I hope that this feature has served to inspire you, as well as successfully celebrate those that help others and uplift humanity.
If you like, please subscribe below to the Tampa Bless blog and be on the lookout for the next featured member of Team Do Good as well as check out the Tampa Bless store for the latest offerings. Let's go! May God bless y'all and thank you for your support. Much love and appreciation.