The Slippery Rock University President's Commission for Disability Issues on Thursday recognized a student and faculty member for bettering the environment for individuals with disabilities.

The organization's annual Breaking Barriers conference was conducted virtually this year, but Jessica Hall-Wirth, co-chairwoman of the commission, said it is still an important platform to recognize people who are making an impact on accessibility at the university.

The conference is also meant to be educational about disability advocacy, and this year's keynote speaker was Calahan Young, a 2017 graduate of SRU and co-captain of the U.S. men's national goalball team.

Calahan is legally blind, and his vision gradually worsened over time, which he said made it difficult for him to accept as a disability. Once he reached acceptance, however, he said he was able to better advocate for individuals with disabilities by communicating with other people on how they too could be advocates.

“The biggest piece for me was accepting my disability,” Calahan said. “As soon as I started accepting and speaking up for what I need, that pushed me over the edge ... for spreading awareness of what I can do and what I need to succeed.”

The commission recognized staff member Deborah Hutchins and student Michaela Sykes, both for being advocates in reducing contextual barriers for individuals with disabilities at the university.

Hutchins, an associate professor of parks, conservation and recreational therapy, said she has worked at Slippery Rock for more than 30 years, and the progress made in accessibility on campus has come a long way in that time, but not all due to her.

“It's a lot of people working to make it a better place and a better place for all people,” Hutchins said.

Sykes, a senior recreational therapy major, president of the Recreational Therapy Club and student worker in the Office of Disability Services at SRU, is graduating in a few weeks, and said she is looking forward to continuing her advocacy afterwards.

“I hope to be able to continue breaking down barriers in my future job and in life in general,” Sykes said.

Hall-Wirth said the collaboration between different people is what makes communities more accessible for people with disabilities, which is why the commission recognizes different people.

“The PCDI is full of different voices on campus,” Hall-Wirth said. “What's really great about this event specifically is we usually have a keynote speaker who can really speak on these topics (and) who has lived it. When you put the connection between someone who has actually lived it, it gives a different lens than us just talking about it.”