Chandler Allen

When I was growing up school didn’t come easily to me. It seemed like my friends were always getting good grades and I was barely scraping by. Being a good athlete and a natural comedian helped me cover, but I knew I had a problem. When I was diagnosed with a learning disability my feelings of being different were confirmed. After high school I enrolled in a community college for a year and with hard work was able to transfer to RIT and join the lacrosse team.
 
Playing lacrosse took a toll on me physically and mentally and I was plagued by injuries. To make matters worse, halfway through my senior year my finances were almost depleted. I was faced with missing my last year of lacrosse and not graduating. It was extremely stressful, but just days before the semester started I found the financial support I needed. My coach advocated on my behalf and RIT allowed me to register before the funds arrived on campus. I was back on track.
 
I’ve learned that asking for help doesn’t make you any less of a person. There are so many people at RIT willing to help if you just reach out. My teammates and note takers acted as tutors and helped me stay organized. The athletic trainers helped me overcome my injuries, and my coach was always there for me. My path has been difficult but I’m succeeding as a student athlete and on course to graduate.