Update: 2016 Rockin’ Recipient Madison Essig Will Be a 2022 GMU Graduate!!!
March 3rd, 2018
Guys…this is some exciting news! Remember Madison from our trip to George Mason University last year to visit with some of our recipients in the LIFE Program? Madison was the first person with Down syndrome to graduate with a regular diploma within the DC school system…and did so with a 3.7 GPA.
Madison recently applied to GMU for admission to the class of 2022, just like all of the other applicants (including submitting her SAT score). I am so excited to report that Madison was ACCEPTED and will be a GMU student this fall!!! She will be leaving the LIFE postsecondary program at the end of this semester.
She will take four courses a semester and seek to meet all of the requirements for a bachelor’s degree, same as any college student but will have access to the Office of Disability Services. She does not yet know what her major will be.
I had a long chat with her mom about all of this and she said something that stuck with me: “If I had listened to all the test scores and things people said she would NOT do, Madison simply would not be where she is today.” She also said that swallowing her fear and worry has been one of the hardest things to do, but it’s something that must be done in order to let go.
Since being in the LIFE Program Madison has petitioned to join a sorority (which she now is a Gamma Phi Beta) and most recently petitioned to change the student body constitution so she could sit on the Senate and vote as a LIFE Student. Guess what? SHE DID IT. The full student senate also voted 25-0 for her to join the student committee. Because of her efforts, LIFE Students that follow her will now be able to vote in student body elections, run for office or join a sorority.
WOW! Just WOW Madison!! We are SO PROUD of you!! Keep on rockin’ it!!
#rockinrecipientsrule #theluckyfew#rubysrainbow #downsyndromerocks#downsyndromeawareness
