Emily Lund overcomes cerebral palsy

Emily Lund graduated from the University of Montana this past week with an academic resume that spans six pages and contains no fillers of any kind. The 22 year old undergraduate's resume details a collegiate career filled with research projects, volunteer work, internships, teaching and research assistant positions, thesis papers, scholarly publications, scholarships, honors and grant awards. A member of the Delta Gamma sorority, Lund would appear to be another hard working college student, often carrying 21 credits per semester and even petitioning counselors to allow her to carry 25 credits.

Lund is far from the average college student however. She graduated with majors in psychology and social work and a minor in biology with many of her research projects focusing on those with disabilities, particularly people afflicted with sensory and physical disabilities. What makes Lund amazing is the fact that she has overcome a disability of her own to build up an impressive academic resume. Lund was born with cerebral palsy Symptoms that affects the movement of her arms and legs and also slows her speech.

Lund's achievements began in high school where she became fluent in Japanese. Along the way she has met several roadblocks and never once allowed them to deter her from her path. Lund was not able to enroll in the Japanese program at the University of Montana as her disability prevented her from proficiently writing the Japanese language, a requirement for the courses. She then set her sights on becoming a pharmacist before learning she would not be able to meet all the physical requirements of the job, but remained undeterred. Lund refuses to take no for an answer, tackling challenges head on. Despite her physical disabilities, Lund has learned the martial art of aikido and also enjoys skiing and horseback riding.

Despite setbacks to her career ambitions, Lund appears to have found the right path to follow. She has already been accepted into the Texas A&M doctoral psychology program and hopes to become a psychologist, splitting her time between practicing and research. Lund has always downplayed her disabilities. She does not view herself as a hero or role model to others with disabilities. Lund has stated she has "always wanted to show people I could do anything, and I set out to do anything. I hope to influence others whether I have a disability or not. I hope to influence all people."