黑洞社区

Fighting for equality has always been important to Kimberly Grimes, even before she began attending 黑洞社区 in 2004. So representing the Office of Student Advocate on campus comes naturally to her.

Grimes, a native of Mulvane, Kan., graduated this December 2008 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in criminal justice. Now, through the School of Community Affairs, she is a graduate student working toward her master鈥檚 degree in criminal justice.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always been my aspiration to go to school, but I never thought that I would get the opportunity,鈥� said Grimes.

A nontraditional student, Grimes has moderate-to-severe hearing loss. Her level two disability impairment has in no way hindered her academic success.

Through the use of hearing aids, mic adapters and, in some cases, a sign language interpreter, she has had and continues to have a successful college experience.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have the confidence that I could get into a college environment,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was afraid that I wouldn鈥檛 be able to hear and therefore learn.鈥�

After four years of working at Boeing as a material processer, Grimes was laid off in August 1999. She credits her layoff and the educational benefits that Boeing offered as the catalyst that propelled her down the college path.

Prior to Boeing, Grimes worked in retail and restaurant management. She worked for a Pizza Hut franchise in Andover, Kan., from 1987 to 1993, part of which time she was the manager.

When the Andover tornado hit in 1991, Grimes was manager on duty.

鈥淚鈥檓 thankful that that restaurant had a basement,鈥� said Grimes.

At the time, there were only two Pizza Huts in the state of Kansas with basements and Andover鈥檚 location was one of them.

There were no major injuries or deaths at the restaurant, but directly across the street from where she worked, 13 people died.

This event made a lasting impact upon Grimes. Although time has passed, 鈥淓very time I tell the story, it all just comes flooding back,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was my Greensburg.鈥�

Now Grimes has had an impact on 黑洞社区.

The McNair Scholar has served as Student Advocate since 2007.

She served the Student Government Association, the Non-Traditional Student Association, the Rhatigan Student Center and the Disability Support Services Center.

In addition to earning numerous scholarships, academic and leadership awards, Grimes can be credited for perpetuating a change in the foreign language requirements in the Liberal Arts and Science school.

As a result of a resolution written by Grimes while serving on the academics committee of SGA, the LAS exception committee will now accept applications for course work in American Sign Language as meeting foreign language requirements, without a hearing.

This makes it possible for a certain amount of American Sign Language course work to meet the university鈥檚 foreign language requirement.

In her current position as Student Advocate, Grimes said, 鈥淚 am involved in campus life in the most extreme way.鈥�

An agent for inquiry for students and faculty members, Grimes advocates for the best solution of conflict in a neutral setting.

Matters relating to university policies, procedures, academic appeals, traffic tickets, the student code of conduct, to even more serious charges of misconduct, can be resolved with her assistance.

鈥淪ometimes when we feel that we鈥檝e been wronged or treated unfairly we tend to be passionate, and when we are passionate about a position we don鈥檛 always come across as being professional,鈥� she said.

Her services help students with conflicts avoid burning bridges.

If all of this weren鈥檛 enough, Grimes will tell you that the most challenging and rewarding part of her undergraduate experience was being a part of the McNair Scholarship Program. Through the program, Grimes completed two years of academic research and two publications.

Upon obtaining her master鈥檚 degree, Grimes鈥� educational and professional interests and possibilities are too numerous to count.

When she is not blazing trails or overcoming barriers on campus, Grimes enjoys spending time with her 7-year-old daughter, Lilly, and her husband, Robert.

She credits her family鈥檚 support for her educational success and admits that it wasn鈥檛 always easy on her family.

鈥淲hen you go to school, your family goes to school with you,鈥� she said.

Her role as Student Advocate ends in July and Grimes looks forward to spending the first summer in four years with her family, since she will be off from both work and school.

鈥淢y daughter already has a list of things we are going to do next summer.鈥�

For any one who wants to complete their college degree, Grimes recommends going to a graduation commencement ceremony.

"You have to envision yourself graduating and walking across that stage.鈥�