Man Becomes First Graduate Of His College With dσwn sчndrσmє And Writes History
Dylan Kuehl, 38, of Olympia, Washington, had a simple dream: to graduate from university. But Kuehl was no ordinary student. He has dσwn sчndrσmє , a chromosomal condition that affects his cognitive and intellectual abilities. However, with persistence and motivation, Kuehl worked harder than ever and graduated from The Evergreen State College.
A fan of painting and dance, Kuehl now has a Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis on writing.
“When I started, people told me I wasn’t ready for college and that discouraged me. Instead of giving up, I built a team of people who did … who supported my goals and gave me the resources to succeed,” Kuehl said in a graduation video posted June 9, 2022. He was one of only three out of nearly 900 chosen to give a graduation speech.
He is the first individual with dσwn sчndrσmє to graduate from The Evergreen State College in its 51-year history.
In his speech, Kuehl was quick to praise those around him who had supported him on his journey, crediting family, friends, classmates and faculty members for motivating him to stay true to his path.
But even as he humbly acknowledged their help, Kuehl was also clear about one thing:
he earned what he got through “hard work and perseverance”, and no one could take that away from him.
“All our hard work, perseverance and never giving up has led us to this very moment,” Kuehl said.
He also thanked his college, saying that Evergreen is focused on diversity and that many more students like him have the right to be involved. Diversity and inclusion contribute to the development of a well-rounded community for all of them.
“Evergreen is based on acceptance where many more students like me can have the right to be included. Diversity and inclusion creates a well-structured community for all of us.”
There is no doubt that Kuehl’s journey will inspire those striving to achieve their dreams of academic excellence and that the path he has charted for himself can serve as a guide for those facing similar struggles. To help others believe that they can achieve what they set out to do, Kuehl leaves us with some pearls of wisdom.
