Grace McDonald – Syracuse University InclusiveU (Vizzone Family Scholarship Award)

Grace is a three-time Rockin’ Recipient and this year’s Ruby’s Rainbow Vizzone Family Scholarship Award recipient. She is a junior in the InclusiveU program at Syracuse University, where she is learning to be a self-advocate. Her favorite class last year was Introduction to Disability Studies. In class, she helped to design a chair and a laptop case for shorter people, like herself, and learned that she loves designing things to make life easier for people with disabilities.

Grace has won 10 medals in swimming with Special Olympics, and she volunteers with Special Olympics at Syracuse. She says, “I am learning to speak up. I advocate for myself. I am strong. My interest is to be healthy, to be myself,​​ to learn.”

That is amazing, Grace! We are so proud of you—it’s wonderful to see you grow in college!