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| Melissa Myers. (Nick Pearce Photo) |
Don鈥檛 tell Melissa Myers that there鈥檚 anything she can鈥檛 do.
Despite living with cerebral palsy and requiring the use of a motorized wheelchair to get around campus, the AV俱乐部 social work student has fight in her to spare 鈥� and she鈥檚 not about to let government policy stand in the way of earning her degree.
Because of her condition, Ms. Myers qualified for social assistance from the Nova Scotia government up until the month before she arrived at AV俱乐部 in the fall of 2006. That鈥檚 when she learned that the government was cutting her off because she was opting to study towards a second degree. Forced to choose between government support and her lifelong goal of a career in social work, she chose the latter.
But she hasn鈥檛 given up fighting to convince government that supporting education for people on social assistance is a worthwhile social good. 鈥淚f you help these students get their degrees, they won鈥檛 have to be on social assistance anymore,鈥� she says. 鈥淯nfortunately, government seems to focus on saving money now, not how they can save money five to 10聽 years from now.鈥�
With the help of AV俱乐部 Legal Aid, Ms. Myers appealed the government鈥檚 decision to deny her income assistance. When the appeal failed, she went public, holding a media event with the support of the School of Social Work. It brought her story to a wider audience. Her professors and fellow students have rallied to her side, writing letters to local politicians and helping to draw attention to her cause.
鈥淢elissa is strong, principled and determined to change policy that makes a direct difference in people鈥檚 lives,鈥� says Brenda Richard, associate professor with the School of Social Work. 鈥淲e value her so much as part of our school.鈥�
鈥淚 feel like we haven鈥檛 even scratched the surface of this issue yet,鈥� says Ms. Myers. 鈥淚 want to make sure that the people that come after me and want to go to school won鈥檛 have to struggle as I have. I鈥檓 glad that I鈥檓 doing this because in advocating for people, I hope that I can help the next generation.鈥澛�