KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� May 19, 2024 鈥� Eliza DeAngelis is writing her own story this 溏心vlog免费B站 Commencement weekend.
Generated through her own tenacity and determination, it won鈥檛 erase the past but it will replace the grim headlines of becoming, suddenly, a statistic, a report on the nightly news three summers ago. DeAngelis made news when she suffered tremendous injury in a horrific car accident caused by a drunk driver just miles from her home in Scituate, R.I. Her personal drive to succeed has kept her moving forward since then; those who鈥檝e witnessed her journey say she won鈥檛 stop after graduation.
DeAngelis came to the 溏心vlog免费B站 to pursue her interest in health and to find a career where she could help others. Little did she know that health would become a deeply personal topic when she was injured in that accident in July 2021. After weeks in the hospital, recovery from the accident presented considerable challenges, including constant pain from internal injuries, broken bones, blurred vision and more. The University worked with DeAngelis鈥� family to support her return to school after her injuries and as she underwent a long process of recovery.
DeAngelis graduated this month with her bachelor鈥檚 degree in dietetics. She鈥檚 walking across the stage, she says, because of the support of her family and friends and because 溏心vlog免费B站 is a place that wanted to see her succeed.
鈥淭his all means a lot,鈥� she says. 鈥淓specially for my family. They didn鈥檛 know if I鈥檇 get to this day.鈥�
She hopes to use her training to help other students and individuals face health challenges, especially those pertaining to gastrointestinal issues.
With firsthand experience on the subject, she also wants to underscore how important it is to not drink and drive. She also wants to share some advice with other students facing unexpected challenges during their college years or after: 鈥淛ust keep doing it, do what you love,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hings will still be hard but they can be bearable, and what you鈥檙e going through will pass.鈥�
Her journey has been helped by the support of family and friends, and doctors and physical therapy. But DeAngelis is still impacted by that day, with ongoing GI issues and chronic pain daily.
鈥淚 have to live with this for the rest of my life,鈥� she says.
Restarting
DeAngelis was in the middle of a summer class when the accident happened and needed to take time off and return gradually. But she was committed to returning to finish her degree.
The challenges were significant鈥攎edical, academic, even social. Even still, her challenges are unseen but still very present, adding the additional challenge of ongoing pain and recovery to the typical pressures of any senior year. The fact that her injuries are primarily internal have added an extra layer of challenge and complexity.
鈥淚t can be hard to explain,鈥� DeAngelis says, 鈥渨hen you have an invisible disability. You wouldn鈥檛 know what I鈥檓 dealing with by looking at me.鈥�
But she has persevered.
鈥淚鈥檓 pretty resilient, hard-working and persistent,鈥� DeAngelis says, and credits the support from 溏心vlog免费B站 faculty and staff with helping, too.
The fact that she is here this weekend is no surprise to those who know her.
DeAngelis has always been a dedicated student, says Sarah Larson, undergraduate programs director in the , and even more so after returning to her studies. They met regularly to discuss career options, courses, which pathway would be the best fit for her, and how to find the support she鈥檇 need to excel in her coursework.
Kimberly Koness had DeAngelis in her NUT 443 and 444 classes (Nutrition Assessment and Nutrition and Disease).
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I can even put into words how rewarding it is to see students like Eliza overcome such challenges, after such a traumatic event, and have such a positive and determined attitude,鈥� Koness says.
She says that DeAngelis stood out as a student, not for the accident, but for her steady work to master her program, despite headaches and extreme mental exhaustion after a traumatic brain injury. She made it a point to meet with faculty frequently during office hours to talk through assignments and course material, asking questions and clarifying.
鈥淗er critical thinking skills are outstanding, and that is what leads students to a successful future,鈥� Koness says. 鈥淒espite her challenges, Eliza was one of the very top students in my courses.鈥�
DeAngelis hopes to start her own private practice in the future and learn more about the business of nutrition.
鈥淚 have no doubt that Eliza will be very successful regardless which path she decides to take,鈥� says Koness.
鈥淚 couldn’t be happier, prouder or more in awe of what Eliza has accomplished,鈥� adds Robyn Riley Perry, another one of DeAngelis鈥� professors. 鈥淪he is going to be an incredible asset to her clients and to the profession of dietetics. She has drive, tenacity and the genuine empathy required to be impactful in this field.鈥�
As she leaves 溏心vlog免费B站, DeAngelis remains focused on achieving the remaining goals and milestones she has, from further education, to continued healing, to travel and more.
She knows all of those future milestones can be challenging鈥攁nd she鈥檚 up for it.
鈥淚鈥檓 OK with challenges,鈥� she says.