My Higher Education Journey As a Disabled Woman

There is a misconception that people with disabilities do not go to college and, if they do, they do not end up graduating; I am here to tell you that is false. I am a prime example that you can do whatever you put your mind to, no matter what anyone thinks. From the very beginning of being in school, I had an IEP, an individualized education plan. By the time I got to high school, and we were planning my future, people on my team told me that I would not go to college.

Some even thought I might not receive a traditional diploma when graduating high school and I not only have a physical disability, but I also have multiple learning disabilities that have made school more challenging for me. Now years later, I get to tell people that I made it through my bachelor’s, and I graduated in December, from Florida Gulf Coast University. Immediately after graduating, I started my journey to receive my master’s in Journalism and Design.

Not only am I a graduate student now and have gotten all A”s this past semester, but I will be a graduate assistant starting in the fall. A graduate assistant is something that I could have never imagined because school has always been hard for me. Sometimes I did not really feel like I was even smart enough. It just may take me a little bit longer to process things, but it does not make me any less smart. The fact I was chosen to be a graduate assistant is an accomplishment. It has been by no means smooth sailing to get to where I am now.

I started taking college classes in high school, went to community college for a year, and in my junior year of college, the pandemic hit, and I was forced to go to school online. Little did I know that two years later, I would willingly receive my master’s online. I honestly believe all the bumps I hit on the road in my higher education journey positively impacted me. I think that doing school online has been a blessing in disguise because a lot of the accommodations I would need in in-person school I do not need due to the structure of my program.

To be honest I did not always want to go on to graduate school. Even a few years ago I thought that I would just stop after I received my bachelor’s degree. But when I found the program that I am in now I truly fell in love with it. It combines my two favorite things design and journalism. When I thought about career paths, I always thought about what a good career for me would be given my limitations and interests. Writing in computer-aided design is something that I can do without help from others as well as something that I am passionate about.

If I were to tell young Olivia something, I would tell her, do not to let other people’s assumptions of her as a disabled person get away from her pursuing her dreams to succeed. You may need a little extra help, such as additional time for scribes’ digital formats of books. Ask for them and advocate for yourself. It will help you succeed. Go through times where you are discouraged, stressed, and even want to drop out, in the end the hard work pays off. I could not have done any of this without the incredible support system of my family and friends. .

Until next time,

Liv