UWG Stories
Sharon Nunnally
“Not only do the Achievers give mobility-challenged students visibility on campus, but it allows them to step into leadership roles and advocate for themselves,” said Nunnally.
Homecoming arrived a month earlier for Sharon Nunnally than the rest of the University of West Georgia. It was then, the UWG alum says, that she returned home to the University community to fulfill a dream.
“This is my dream job,” Nunnally said of her new position as assistant coordinator of Disability Services. “I’ve always wanted to serve people with disabilities and work with Dr. Ann Phillips, coordinator of Disability Services. This is what I’ve wanted to do since I was an intern here, and I was just waiting for an opportunity.”
After spending six years working as a counselor for vocational rehabilitation, she was notified of the new position at her alma mater. Starting in August, she began advising and counseling UWG students, and she is also the academic advisor for the Achievers, a group of mobility challenged students who increase disability awareness and promote accessibility around campus.
“Not only do the Achievers give mobility-challenged students visibility on campus, but it allows them to step into leadership roles and advocate for themselves,” said Nunnally.
Nunnally, who lives with cerebral palsy, was an original Achiever and knows the importance of awareness and accessibility firsthand.
“When Dr. Phillips started the Achievers in the 1990s, it was a really small group,” she recalled. “I worked with Dr. Sethna and the advisory board to get elevators and push buttons on doors.”
Nunnally says she chose to attend UWG for her bachelor’s, master’s and education specialist degrees due to its friendly atmosphere and accessibility and even turned down scholarships to other institutions. She says she believes other physically challenged students will feel the same way.
“Not only do we have the academic criteria they need, but the services and general layout of the campus are becoming more friendly to their needs,” she said.
The Achievers currently meet every other Monday, and students, staff, and faculty are welcome.
“I believe the more interest we get, the more impact we can make,” Nunnally concluded. “We just want to make West Georgia a better campus — for everybody.”
