CORNELL PEOPLE
Sara Furguson '10 with Wiley, her 6-year-old bichon frisé. See full image
Graduating student wants to give others with disabilities a full opportunity to succeed
There's nothing like personal experience to learn what others might need. And, if that need isn't being fully met, count on Cornell students to find a way.
Take Sara Furguson '10, who at age 3 suffered a high-level spinal cord injury from a head-on automobile collision that paralyzed her from the neck down.
She came to Cornell's ILR School to major in industrial and labor relations because she wanted to subsequently pursue a law degree and become a defender of human and civil rights. She spent the spring semester interning full time at a law firm in Rochester, and is on track to graduate in December. Furguson hopes to eventually work in the public service sector fighting discrimination in employment for underrepresented groups, including those with disabilities.
"I do everything with my chin and mouth (driving my chair, computer, etc.). Regardless of having no arm [or leg] movement, I have learned to do just about everything, but in a different way," says Furguson, who also uses a ventilator and relies on family to help her with daily needs. "My mom is with me all the time, but my father, brother and sister often come in from Rochester to help."
Wiley, a 6-year-old bichon frisé, also is a companion often seen with Furguson. Wiley "is my best friend," she says. "He has been with me through some of the most challenging times of my life."
Furguson says Cornell has done a "fantastic job" in accommodating her needs, from scanning her books into her computer so that she can use a digital pen in her mouth to do her work to providing CU Lift, a shuttle service that helps her get around campus. Furguson says that Katherine "Kappy" Fahey, director of Student Disability Services, made sure she had the access she needed, and Susanne Bruyère, director of ILR's Employment and Disability Institute, has given her hope to continue pursuing her goals.
Furguson is already making a difference in people's lives. With the support of Gannett Health Services, the Public Service Center, Cornell Tradition and the Undergraduate Student Assembly, Furguson founded and is president of a student-based organization called Disabilities Service Team (DST), whose members volunteer to help those with temporary or long-term injuries or disabilities with daily tasks.
"As someone with a disability, I was able to pinpoint what types of services to offer and target the appropriate audiences," Furguson says. "Instead of excluding those with temporary disabilities, we expanded the program to include both permanent and temporary conditions.
"Even the most insignificant physical disability can make day-to-day activities challenging," she says. "Generally, we provide a helping hand to those who may need assistance with the activities that most of us take for granted. Our mission is to make the simple tasks less challenging so that students or faculty located in Ithaca can focus on more important things."
DST members help those who need the service by getting groceries, walking with someone to class or a job, and by picking up or returning library materials.
"The response from those interested in volunteering has been great," Furguson says. For example, a student who had broken her back this past semester asked for help carrying her backpack, which would necessitate having a volunteer help out four to six times each day for three weeks. Nearly 40 people volunteered to help with these needs.
The focus now is on getting the word out so that those who can use assistance know where to find it. Visit http://disabilitiesserviceteam.blogspot.com for more information about DST.
"I see this service as a way to give all students a fair opportunity to succeed at Cornell," she says. "The simplest tasks in daily life should never prevent one from living his or her life to the fullest."