2021 Heumann-Armstrong Award Semi-finalists

In addition to the six winners, we would like to highlight six semi-finalists for their outstanding work for disabled students in education. Our six semi-finalists will each receive a $100 gift card.

Jordyn Zimmerman, Boston College

*A white woman smiling for a photo. She has brown, curly hair past her shoulders and is wearing a dark, green shirt with ruffles on the sleeves.*

More about Jordyn:

Jordyn Zimmerman is a graduate student of education at Boston College studying Curriculum and Instruction: Special Education. Before graduate school, she completed her bachelor’s degree in Education Policy at Ohio University, where she founded the seventh inclusive collegiate cheer team in the nation under Generation Spirit (formerly The Sparkle Effect). As a nonspeaking autistic student who was denied access to effective augmentative communication until she was 18 years old, Jordyn has personal experience challenging the educational status quo. An avid advocate, Jordyn is on the Board of Directors for CommunicationFIRST and is passionate about ensuring every student is able to access effective communication and exercise their right to a truly inclusive education. Jordyn’s website is www.JordynZimmerman.com and she can be followed on Twitter at @Jordynbzim.

Colby Spangler, University of Alabama

Picture of Colby smiling in white shirt showing off his Alabama Garden Gnome at front door of his new apartment

More about Colby:

My name is Colby Spangler. I live in an apartment with roommates I chose and I am in college at the University of Alabama and I’m majoring in Wildlife Management. I want to help preserve habitats, rescue, rehabilitate and release injured animals. I am honored to receive this recognition and I hope my advocacy with Supported Decision Making helps other people with disabilities be seen as the capable champions they are. Cerebral Palsy is something that happened to me at birth but it does not define my potential. I want to live life helping other people like me and injured animals live their best life and be free.

Alexandra “Zandy” Wong, Johns Hopkins University

A headshot of Zandy Wong, a cis-gender Asian woman with short black hair. She is wearing a blue shirt with a collar and is smiling. She is in front of a beach with yellow sand and blue water.

More about Zandy:

Alexandra “Zandy” Wong (she/her/hers) is a second-year undergraduate student at Johns Hopkins University where she studies neuroscience. She is passionate about creating a world where accessibility is universal and having a disability is celebrated. Outside of class, she conducts auditory neuroscience research within the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She is an internationally recognized speaker, sharing her story of growing up with hearing loss on the TEDx stage, industry panels, and podcasts to encourage acceptance of people with disabilities. She is also the founder of the NextGen Accessibility Initiative where she partners with Gen Z education-focused organizations to make their digital content fully accessible for over 61,000 youth in 119 countries. She also assists with assistive technology policy efforts as a policy fellow for the Hearing Loss Association of America.

Ashley Petersen, Villanova University

Ashley Petersen, a young cis-gender white woman with long blonde hair, wears a black top and plaid jacket with a gold necklace and earrings. She is smiling at the camera.

More about Ashley:

My name is Ashley Petersen, and I am a 3^rd year Chemistry major at Villanova University. I am an Organic Chemistry Researcher, and Disability and Gender Equity Advocate. Furthermore, I am a Senator in Student Government and the Executive Vice President and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator of the Panhellenic Executive Board at Villanova University. 4 years ago, I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease and 2 years ago I began using my wheelchair. At first, this diagnosis caused me uneasiness, but I have gained valuable insight into my identity of invisible disability and have learned about the challenges others with disabilities face in my community. Despite the adversity I face daily, I have utilized my experience with Lyme Disease to further my advocacy work in this area.

Shruti Rajkumar, Emerson College

A picture of Shruti Rajkumar, a brown woman with long black and curly hair, sitting on a dark green bench in the Boston Public Garden. She is wearing a bright red knit sweater, pink and orange eyeshadow, and black winged eyeliner.

More about Shruti:

Shruti Rajkumar is a first-generation Indian American and disabled woman of color, and is currently a senior journalism student at Emerson College. Over the past few years, she has advocated for disability and racial equity at Emerson alongside her peers. She was a co-organizer of the ESOC Week Of Action, a campaign that included a list of demands to address and dismantle racism on-campus, and The Access Advocacy Project, an initiative that included action items for improving accessibility and disability equity at Emerson. She currently serves as the President of Access: Student Disability Union, the Accessibility Senator for Protesting Oppression With Educational Reform (POWER), and the Dean’s Fellow for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In September, she will be attending the APIDC’S Youth Leadership Institute in order to further develop and strengthen her intersectional approach to advocacy and leadership.

Monica Mesecar, University of Notre Dame

A white woman with light brown hair and green eyes. She is wearing a headband, black dress, and gold necklace with a bar pendant. She is looking directly at the camera and smiling with teeth.

More about Monica:

Monica Mesecar graduated from the University of Notre Dame in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavior, as well as a minor in Compassionate Care in Medicine. Apart from being a strong student, Monica served her campus community in many ways including working as a: writer/editor for the yearbook, teacher’s assistant, psychology tutor, neuroscience program social media manager, member of the neuroscience program’s Senior Leadership Committee, and several roles within her residence hall. Most notably, she was the founder and president of the student club “Access-ABLE”—a group made up of students with disabilities and allies that seeks to promote advocacy, spread disability awareness, and build community at Notre Dame. Monica’s interest in advocacy was initially inspired by her experiences with ableism during her elementary education. Yet, she did not realize how harmful these experiences were until later in life. In light of these realizations, Monica was motivated to try to make a difference where she could, which is what led to the beginning her advocacy journey during her college career.

Moreover, reflecting on these experiences are what inspired her to apply for this award. Beyond advocacy, Monica has strong interests in neuroscience, scientific research, medicine, and healthcare. Currently, she is pursuing post-baccalaureate neuroscience research at the University of Michigan and plans to apply to MD-PhD programs in the future. This dual-degree path would allow her to become a physician while also pursuing a doctorate in neuroscience. Eventually, she hopes to become a neurologist or psychiatrist, conduct neuroscience research, teach the next generation of students, and advocate for the inclusion of people with disabilities—especially in both STEM-fields and medicine. In pursuit of these goals, she has already engaged in multiple research opportunities, including the University of Delaware’s specific program for students with disabilities in STEM (SELI-REU program), as well as her current program (UM PREP), which also encourages students with disabilities to apply. In addition to research, Monica has also participated in the American Association of People with Disabilities’ (AAPD) Summer Internship Program as well as the DisabilityIN Next Generation Leaders program (both during Summer 2021).

Twitter: @mmesecar99

Instagram: @monicas__musings