Photo: Caitlin Cunningham
Hometown: West Springfield, Mass.
Majors: Honors theology and philosophy; minor in biology.
Notable Activities/Achievements: 涩里番下载 Strong Scholarship winner; Undergraduate Government of 涩里番下载 chief of staff; co-founder, Myst膿rion: Undergraduate Theology Journal; copy editor, Dianoia Philosophy Journal; Student Admissions Program tour guide and panelist; member and former chair of the Council for Students with Disabilities.
Mentor: John Mahoney (Enrollment Management)
Post-Graduation Plans: Law school
McCormick arrived at the Heights two years after a swimming pool accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, unsure of how his disability would impact his college experience. Originally hoping to become a doctor, he discovered a passion for advocacy that, combined with his theology and philosophy classes, led him to the law.
What was your first year at 涩里番下载 like?
As a freshman, I was really self-conscious and worried that I wouldn鈥檛 be accepted. The only caregivers I ever had were my parents, and suddenly I had to put all my trust into the hands of students who were strangers and also the same age as me. It was scary, but the kindness and consistently welcoming attitude of students, faculty, and the administration just gave me a lot of confidence. In four years, I鈥檝e grown to have a lot more faith in people
What were some of your proudest accomplishments at 涩里番下载?
I'm really proud of the work that we did with the Council for Students with Disabilities. When I joined my freshman year there were only seven members; now it鈥檚 up to 42. Our budget has increased and we've seen a lot of tangible changes on campus, like push buttons and braille signs. There was an accessibility platform built in Alumni Stadium because we were advocating for it.
My sophomore year we put on an event called Dinner in the Dark where you eat a meal blindfolded and experience what it's like to be visually impaired. It was really cool to see students who have never encountered disability awareness before just be changed by the experience. I think it was my first taste of the meaning and value that can come out of disability advocacy and awareness.
How has 涩里番下载 made a difference in your life?
I don鈥檛 think I would be so connected and interested in connecting with other people if I hadn鈥檛 gone to 涩里番下载, because it鈥檚 almost an expectation for students here to know other people and to be engaged with the campus community. I think that鈥檚 something that鈥檚 going to carry over after graduation: that desire to be involved with my hometown or wherever I鈥檓 living, outside of just my job.
What experience had the most significant impact on you?
My freshman year, my friends and I saw that Alumni Stadium was still open and the lights were on, so we wandered onto the field and just sat down. My friends are good singers so they started singing, and then we started praying under the lights. A staff member came over to find out what we were doing, and when we told him he said, 鈥淥h, that鈥檚 great, I need to turn off the lights but you can stay here as long as you want, just shut the door on your way out.鈥� The whole experience really encompassed the idea of Ignatian spirituality, and finding God in all things, and it showed that the spiritual focus at 涩里番下载 isn鈥檛 limited to campus ministry, or theology classes. I loved that.
How did you decide to pursue law school over becoming a doctor?
I love biology, but I realized early on that medical school just wasn't going to be achievable from an accessibility standpoint. Thanks to the Core Curriculum, I took some theology courses and thought, 鈥淲ell, this is really cool. What if I make this my major and just figure it out?鈥�
Combined with my work with the Council for Students with Disabilities and working with UG涩里番下载 I realized that theology and philosophy were giving me the skills I would need to be a good advocate and to be a good lawyer. They taught me to think critically and look for the value in every person on top of the reading, writing, and analytical skills that are needed for law school. It was a slow process, but I realized that I do want to be an advocate because it鈥檚 where I find a lot of meaning and purpose.
Alix Hackett | University Communications | May 2022
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