{"id":3755,"date":"2016-06-02T13:13:00","date_gmt":"2016-06-02T13:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755"},"modified":"2016-06-03T20:36:27","modified_gmt":"2016-06-03T20:36:27","slug":"smiling-through","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755","title":{"rendered":"Smiling through"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"anna\"<\/a>
Anna and Carla Wilson<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I saw Anna a couple of times, maybe three, in the corner of the parking lot behind Lowder Hall as I walked into work on the concourse between the business building and my Shelby Center office. It was not her wheelchair that caught my attention. It was her smile \u2014 it framed her face very naturally, in a relaxed way that didn\u2019t suggest she was posing for a camera. I always walked on.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t sure what to say, and I didn\u2019t know who she was.<\/p>\n

As it turns out, Anna Wilson is a sophomore in industrial and systems engineering, and a very ordinary student. This doesn\u2019t mean she is an ordinary person \u2014 she surpasses that quite easily \u2014 but it does mean her everyday life on campus is not so different from anybody else\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Anna likes it all. Zip lining. Scuba diving. Being adventurous \u2014 which is how she describes her family. She will not, by her own admission, try new foods, however. And she is different.<\/p>\n

A native of Clanton, Alabama, in a family with two older brothers and mom and dad, she was accidentally shot by one of her siblings with a pistol that her father had been using on pests in the chicken coop.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccidents happen,\u201d she says. \u201cMy dad placed the gun on top of a bookcase, and one of my brothers climbed up to get it. It discharged coming out of the holster. It all happened in about 10 minutes.\u201d
\nThe bullet went through her skull, barely missing her eye, but lodged in the C2 and C3 vertebrae, leaving her a quadriplegic.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been a long and difficult journey, but I am not scared to talk about the accident, or to talk about guns. I still like to accompany my dad when he goes hunting,\u201d she says. \u201cI also like riding horses and four-wheelers . . . mom and dad never let me give up. If they went, I went.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, her mother, Carla, is what Anna calls \u201cpart of the team,\u201d and has been so since third grade. She bathes her, feeds her, changes her clothes and pushes her to class in an unmotorized wheelchair. She has a motorized version at home, which she describes as \u201chuge\u201d and somewhat unwieldy around campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cAuburn is fairly friendly for wheelchairs,\u201d she says, more so than the other two campuses she visited in Alabama when she was shopping for colleges. \u201cWe also have a good bus system with wheelchair access, and a disability office that cares.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also speaks of Auburn\u2019s friendly, small-town character. She proudly points out that she has changed her mother\u2019s football preferences.<\/p>\n

\u201cI looked in Huntsville and Birmingham. They had what I wanted in science and math, but were not as friendly as Auburn \u2014 the Auburn spirit is real.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anna began her journey here in mechanical engineering, but has switched to industrial and systems, which she says is better suited for her. She just added a business minor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI liked everything about mechanical except for the physics,\u201d she says with a laugh. \u201cBut with ISE I believe I have a better fit for a career in a wider variety of areas \u2014 for example, the ability to work in a hospital rather than a manufacturing environment. I also feel it has more of an engineering to business fit, and I am also enrolled in the Business-Engineering-Technology minor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her school day is not so different from others, she says.\"DSC_0348\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI get up at 9:30 for my first class, which is at 1 o\u2019clock this semester,\u201d she explains, \u201cnot like 8 o\u2019clock last semester \u2014 ugh! I am not much of a breakfast person, so I drink one of those booster drinks instead, and we get on our way. Most of the day is class and schoolwork.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mom, Carla, sometimes takes notes for her, and sometimes a university notetaker does. She is assigned a proctor for her tests, which usually works out fine.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only trouble I have had was when I was taking calculus and my test proctor had no knowledge of it. Because of that we had trouble getting the equations and diagrams right on the paper,\u201d she explains. \u201cSo what I ended up doing was using a paint program and SmartNav, which is a hands-free cursor control program. It worked fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DSC_0168\"<\/a>It\u2019s that kind of work-around that gives Anna her can-do attitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt may take me a little more time, or a little more effort, but I will get there eventually,\u201d she says. \u201cI can do it. I have my moments \u2014 my poor, pitiful me moments \u2014 but I climb out of that. There are people out there that have it worse off than me, I know.
\n\u201cI may not be able to move normally,\u201d she says, shaking her head. \u201cBut what is normal?\u201d<\/p>\n

She adds, \u201cI look to the future, to do different things in life, to show people what I can do. To show the people who said I don\u2019t need to bother trying to get to events, or go to college. That I didn\u2019t need to do this, and I didn\u2019t need to do that. Maybe just sit in my wheelchair.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not me,\u201d she smiles. \u201cI like to think that I\u2019m determined . . . but maybe mom would say strong willed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anna belongs to Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, and loves her time in it. \u201cI rushed last summer, and they were very accommodating. We attend events together \u2014 my first ever Braves game \u2014 and we do so well together. These are some of my best friends!\u201d
\nShe adds that Theta\u2019s number one goal is scholarship, to succeed academically and make good grades. She also points to the group\u2019s philanthropy, CASA, (Court-Appointed Special Advocate), which advocates for foster child care in the courts.<\/p>\n

She is also used to working in groups within the ISE curriculum, which she notes is a team-oriented environment, where \u201cwe\u2019re smart in different areas, so we really work well together because of that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to talk, so I feel that I do well in work groups . . . I have to stand on my own, and feel like I do. We do a lot of group work in the library, and I have also been involved in the second round of the Tiger Tank competition that is part of the Business-Engineering-Technology program. There\u2019s so much prep work involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anna adds that her goal is to find a job where she can help others, in large part \u201cbecause so many have helped me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looks to an internship or co-op assignment next spring, and perhaps to starting her own organization when she graduates \u2014 one that reflects her love of children, and animals.<\/p>\n

First comes the balance of her education in the College of Engineering, and then it will be time to look. She will bring with her a gift.<\/p>\n

That gift is, by her own admission, written across her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I have a smile that lifts people. I\u2019m just not sure I know why.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I saw Anna a couple of times, maybe three, in the corner of the parking lot behind Lowder Hall as I walked into work on the concourse between the business building and my Shelby Center office. It was not her wheelchair that caught my attention. It was her smile \u2014 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nSmiling through » Auburn Engineer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Smiling through » Auburn Engineer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I saw Anna a couple of times, maybe three, in the corner of the parking lot behind Lowder Hall as I walked into work on the concourse between the business building and my Shelby Center office. It was not her wheelchair that caught my attention. It was her smile \u2014 […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Auburn Engineer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-06-02T13:13:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2016-06-03T20:36:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/files\/2016\/06\/anna.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jim Killian\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jim Killian\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755\",\"name\":\"Smiling through » Auburn Engineer\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-06-02T13:13:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2016-06-03T20:36:27+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#\/schema\/person\/eef77c3333e900e4ada00c2f39b42fef\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Smiling through\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/\",\"name\":\"Auburn Engineer\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#\/schema\/person\/eef77c3333e900e4ada00c2f39b42fef\",\"name\":\"Jim Killian\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fb6625ed86887be0a5610fbac1f5a42e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fb6625ed86887be0a5610fbac1f5a42e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jim Killian\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?author=10\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Smiling through » Auburn Engineer","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Smiling through » Auburn Engineer","og_description":"I saw Anna a couple of times, maybe three, in the corner of the parking lot behind Lowder Hall as I walked into work on the concourse between the business building and my Shelby Center office. It was not her wheelchair that caught my attention. It was her smile \u2014 […]","og_url":"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755","og_site_name":"Auburn Engineer","article_published_time":"2016-06-02T13:13:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2016-06-03T20:36:27+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/files\/2016\/06\/anna.jpg"}],"author":"Jim Killian","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jim Killian","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755","url":"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755","name":"Smiling through » Auburn Engineer","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#website"},"datePublished":"2016-06-02T13:13:00+00:00","dateModified":"2016-06-03T20:36:27+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#\/schema\/person\/eef77c3333e900e4ada00c2f39b42fef"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=3755#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Smiling through"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/","name":"Auburn Engineer","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#\/schema\/person\/eef77c3333e900e4ada00c2f39b42fef","name":"Jim Killian","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fb6625ed86887be0a5610fbac1f5a42e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fb6625ed86887be0a5610fbac1f5a42e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Jim Killian"},"url":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?author=10"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3755"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3755"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3755\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3985,"href":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3755\/revisions\/3985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}