Caroline Smith is a junior biology major and a chemistry and bioinformatics minor from Folsom, Calif. who holds a deep passion for science and the Linfield community. Smith, however, wasn’t always a Wildcat. She originally attended Folsom Lake Community College before a fateful visit to Linfield’s campus to see her best friend. While here, Smith sat in on Calculus 2, Intro to Media Writing and attended Creative Club. While sitting in, Smith noticed something.
“I really liked how the small school made everyone feel more connected, and how learning in class felt very personal,” said Smith.
The very next semester, Smith would transfer to Linfield in earnest, eager to be fully immersed in the same atmosphere she found so appealing.
More than just a student, Smith has taken an interest in a wide breadth of activities, but her most recent endeavor has been getting the Linfield Disability/Accessibility club up and running.
“I’ve been navigating college with physical disabilities and neurodivergence; and while our Linfield Support Services (LSS) program has been incredible, I wanted a way to connect with other disabled students and talk about our experiences,” Smith said.
The club meets on Friday once a month in Graf Hall 126 and includes games and study resources and is open to all.
Smith herself is disabled, having hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and endometriosis. She describes their symptoms broadly as “dynamic,” but she continued with more details.
“On the whole, these conditions cause severe pain in my joints, abdomen and chest, as well as GI dysfunction, fainting, fatigue, etc,” Smith said.
“[I wanted to] offer a safe space for all disabled students,” she said. “Being disabled can be difficult and isolating, and I want the club to be a community of disabled students so that we can break through some of that isolation and get connected.”
Outside of getting the club started, Smith is a highly active student on campus, and considers Linfield’s size and people a contribution to her involvement.
“Being in this smaller environment has definitely helped me grow into my identity and realize my aspirations. I feel like in an environment where everyone is more connected you learn a lot about yourself as you talk with others,” Smith said.
“I’ve always known I love science, but working as a tutor and researcher has helped me realize that I love discovery and helping others love science, and has shaped my goal of becoming a biology professor and researcher, ” Smith said.
While her time at Linfield has been good thus far, her conditions offer unique challenges in navigating college on the whole, and her relationship to her disabilities as well.
“I am proud to exist in the world as a disabled person and that I persevere, yet I mourn my able body and the life I thought I could lead before I became disabled,” Smith said.
Prior to her diagnosis, Smith used to be heavily involved in lacrosse back home.
“I had to learn how to manage my symptoms in a way that was the least disruptive to my learning and the least damaging to other systems of my body. This is ongoing, but I’ve made significant progress,” Smith said.
While she has made progress in dealing with her disabilities and being more in tune with her body, that doesn’t mean challenges have ceased.
“Even on days where the pain is not severe I am severely fatigued, and college is a very energy intensive struggle. I spend the majority of time that I’m not in class or working asleep and still have very low energy overall,” Smith said.
There’s no catch-all for the steps disabled people should be taking in order to alleviate their struggles, but Smith offers practical advice for fellow Wildcats.
“I would highly recommend making a meeting with LSS to help you navigate classes, housing and dining as needed. I’ve always found them very helpful. I would also encourage any minority students to find a community where they feel safe and heard, it’s huge to have that connection,” Smith said.
Although Smith uses LSS and is positive on the assistance they provide, she had suggestions on how Linfield could serve its disabled students even more than they already do.
“I think a dedicated platform for queer, disabled or otherwise minority group students to voice their concerns, needs or suggestions would be awesome,” Smith said. “Sometimes it is difficult to get in contact with the right people to pass your message along, so an intentional platform would make it much easier to get our voices heard.”
As a biology major, she imparted her favorite biology fact.
“All modern living organisms have the exact same four building blocks of DNA; they have them in varied amounts and orders, but the ‘recipe’ to make every organism is spelled out with the same four letters,” Smith said. “We have the same letters in our DNA as a bacterium or a tree does.”
Whether a business or nursing major, involved highly or not all, the Linfield community like DNA is the using the same building block as each-other to create unique and different futures. No matter where you come from or how long you’ve been a part of Linfield, we’re all Wildcats.
