Inspirational Owls

Even though I have a condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), in my mind, I never labeled or visualized myself as someone who had a disability. I have used a power wheelchair since the age of four years old, yet I always felt like I was just a typical kid like all my peers. Despite my physical limitations, I had a strong desire to be a good student. I always had a love for sports, and because I was never able to play competitively, I made academics my own personal sport. Because of limited function in my arms and hands, in elementary school, I was introduced to assistive technology to help me independently complete my school work. I never really enjoyed being the only student in the class with a laptop, but now I realize that my laptop, glide-pad mouse, on-screen keyboard, and numerous other programs had a significant role in my academic success.

 In 2015, I graduated from West Boca Raton Community High School in the top 15% of my class with a 4.1 GPA. My high school academic success led to me receiving a full college scholarship. I was ecstatic and nervous when I got accepted into FAU. I always had a history of being a good student, but I did not know what to expect as a college student. Shortly after being accepted, I received an invitation to join the University Honors Program. While I was honored to receive the invitation, I questioned whether I belonged in this rigorous program. However, after receiving additional information and learning about the benefits of the program, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself by enrolling into the program.

 Throughout my four memorable years as a business management major at FAU, I worked diligently to maintain a 4.0 GPA. I also graduated as the 2017 Valedictorian of the University Honors Program, served as an Elite Owl Leadership and Service Ambassador, served as the Executive Vice President for The National Society Of Collegiate Scholars, and became a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, The National Society of Leadership and Success, and Phi Kappa Phi. I committed myself to accomplish these ambitious goals to demonstrate that people with disabilities and people without disabilities can achieve anything with hard work and true commitment to a vision. Everyone faces visible and nonvisible obstacles in his or her lives, and what people accomplish in spite of the challenges they face shows who they truly are as individuals.

 I am forever grateful for Student Accessibility Services, professors, faculty, and family and friends who supported my academic endeavors. I plan on graduating in August 2019 with my bachelor’s degree in business administration (BBA). In 2020, I hope to continue my education by pursuing a master’s degree in business administration (MBA). 

February 2019

Booker T. Washington once penned these words: "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome." These words ring true for this month's Inspirational Owl.

My name is Alexis, and growing up, I was extremely active in the arts. I participated in everything from music and theater production, to film and graphics. However, at the age of twenty, I suffered a severe traumatic brain injury after being hit by a car while crossing the street on a romantic date.  Not waking up from a coma in a day or two, or even a couple of weeks… but several months later left a very difficult road to recovery ahead of me. Just to name a few difficulties, I had to learn to walk, use my hands, eat, drink thin liquids and talk. To some, giving up may seem like the only option. If you were to ask a patient, educator or family member of a neurological disorder, to list the top five things you find as the most testing or difficult, “wondering” always makes the list.

I give thanks to God every day because in my case, many uncertainties have been accomplished through consistency and dedication.  For example, when I was told about the accident, I was not able to walk or even hold my head up on my own. However, after I was sent to The Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia for the second time, I realized the difference between a brain injury and paralysis. The difference being the ability to have feeling in your lower extremities (brain injury) or not (paralysis). I was able to feel my legs but was not able to walk. I lacked the strength that was needed to take a step on my own. As a result of my injury, I was sent to the gym every day to regain my strength. No matter how I looked or what others thought, I went to the gym.

Once I started walking again, I had a new goal: to learn and understand. After approval from my physical therapist and neurologist, I was able to register for a class or two at Palm Beach State College. I took the same strategy that I used for walking to learn. Luckily, my tuition payments gave me access to tutors, and the necessary equipment and laboratories needed to succeed.  I took advantage of the resources and went to get tutored every day! No matter how I looked walking in or what others thought about me walking in every day, I still went!

In the spring of 2018, I graduated from Palm Beach State College with a degree in Communications. From there, I decided to continue to further my education at Florida Atlantic University I can honestly say that I have not regretted making this decision a single day. The faculty of the Student Accessibility Services, and the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters truly care about the success of their students. My family, mentors, employer, and amazing teachers are always offering their time to ensure that I understand different kinds of concepts, and how to apply them to certain situations. My advice would be to never, ever give up on your life!

November 2018

Audrey Hepburn, a British actress once said, “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’”. This can indelibly be Jennifer’s mantra “I’m possible” after being told many times that attending college was not possible for her.

I struggled at first throughout grade school with my disabilities. Being told at a young age that I was different than the other kids in my class regarding achieving the same goals, made it hard for me to accept myself. My reading was not on the same level as the other kids in my class, and my comprehension skills were weaker for my age group.  Reading at a lower level in turned affected my spelling ability. In elementary school, I had an Individual Education Program (IEP), and this became a fixture in my academic profile throughout school until high school. I would leave class early and go to another class to get hands on learning from another teacher. I felt stupid and thought I was not able to excel like everyone else in my class. My friends would always inquired of me, where I was going, and I was too embarrassed to talk about it. The older I got, the easier it was for me to accept who I was.  Everyone is different in their own unique way. People learn at different speeds and people excel at different rates. This is what makes people beautiful in their own way. In high school, I did not planned on furthering my education, because I was not sure that I was cutout for college. I was not academically on the same level as other students at my grade level. Therefore, making the choice to get my Associates of Arts (AA) degree wasn’t easy. It took me a little longer to complete my AA, but once I finished, I realized that I was capable of continuing my education. For the first time, I enjoyed learning and I had a goal that I wanted to achieve.

I am not the greatest at test taking; multiple choice questions have always given me test anxiety, and I do much better on fill in the blank questions. The extra time that is offered to me when taking an exam, helps me stay focused and not give up. I have learned to take tests from back to front [or bottom to top], which helps a lot. Even if I failed do well on an exam, I know that I would have tried my hardest.  Applying myself is all that matters and never giving up is very important. After finishing my AA in Criminal Justice at a junior college in Marianna, Florida, I enrolled at Palm Beach State College (PBSC) as a Biology major and later transferred to Florida Atlantic University (FAU). I started FAU in 2016, and I am now a junior and will be graduating in the spring 2019 with a BA in General Science and two certificates, one in Environmental Science and GIS Mapping. I am currently a fulltime student, but most of my college years, I attended as part-time—focusing on one or two classes per semester. I believe that certificates are a great way to explore more options in learning about things that captures the interest. The certificate can then be used, if criteria is met, to fulfill any electives requirements. My GIS Mapping certificate also opened many opportunities for employment as well.

Recently, I started volunteering at a local state park this past year and was offered a part-time position within five months of volunteering. Through this experience, I discovered the importance of volunteering. Volunteering will provide a foot-in-the-door, and it is the best networking opportunity for future success.  My end goal is to stay in the Park Service for a couple years, then apply to Florida Fish and Wildlife. It is completely natural to change one’s goal as long as it is achieve in the end.

Finding an interest makes the work seem easy and the struggle worth it. As I look back on my journey and the path traveled, I would have never guessed that I would be completing my Bachelor. The feeling of accomplishment makes all the struggles, all the sleepless nights, all the coffee worth it. Everyone has his or her own space and it is never too late to start and to finish something.

June 2018