HAMDEN, Conn. — Quinnipiac University’s School of Health Sciences held its spring commencement ceremony Saturday afternoon. Walking across the stage is a life milestone, one Nicole Cyr didn’t want to miss.
Cyr sustained an injury when she was younger which at first seemed relatively benign, but over time, she developed neurologic impairments impacting her strength and coordination, that in 2017 left her in a wheelchair making it difficult to continue in-person undergraduate studies at another university.
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She took online courses and for months worked to regain her mobility to make the walk across the stage. Saturday afternoon she did just that.
“It felt very good walking across the stage. A lot of hard work and training went into that and I'm so glad to have been able to walk across the stage to receive my diploma,” said Cyr.
Cyr graduated Saturday with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science Studies with Honors degree, graduating summa cum laude. She hopes to make a career in giving back to other patients.
“My hope is to be able to further advance patient care and make patient care more centered, as well as be an advocate for patients,” said Cyr.
Nicole says her personal journey is best summed up by the message on her cap that reads ‘Nevertheless, she persisted.’
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“It felt like the right saying, because to all this medically and through my education I've had persevere through many obstacles to be able to get to where I am today,” said Cyr.
She says achieving both her goals by graduating and walking the stage couldn’t have been done without the support of her family and medical team.
“I want to thank the Hospital for Special Care, for their support and dedication to my case, and for all the treatment and care providers that have helped me to get to this point today was my training to be able to walk across the stage,” said Cyr.
According to an article from Quinnipiac University, “In addition to her academic accolades, Cyr is President-elect of Quinnipiac’s student chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), a presidential member of The National Society for Leadership Success, and a member of the Graduate Student Council.
Cyr has also contributed to the university’s commitment to accessibility and equity for students.
In 2023, she became an inaugural member of Quinnipiac University’s Accessibility Council, for which she contributes feedback to administration on campus accessibility.
Two months ago, Cyr was accepted as one of only 25 students to participate in the inaugural Ehlers-Danlos Society ECHO Healthcare Student Program. The society supports healthcare professionals in improving their abilities to provide enhanced care for people with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes, hypermobility spectrum disorders, and associated symptoms and conditions.
She also plans to speak and serve as a rare disease ambassador at the upcoming 10th Annual Rare Disease Symposium hosted by Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine and Connecticut Children’s Research Institute this October.”
Cyr has already enrolled in classes to complete her Masters in Organizational Leadership and Healthcare Management.
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Jake Garcia is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. He can be reached at jgarcia@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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