Her path to graduation was unique. After starting college nearly 30 years ago, Amanda paused her studies to raise her family. When preparing to return to school, she lost her vision completely due to an eye disease that had affected her sight for over ten years.

“I became totally blind without blindness skills,” Amanda explained. She took control of her new reality, traveling to the Colorado Center for the Blind for eight months of training. There, she learned braille (盲文) and life skills from teachers who were also blind. During her training, Amanda found strength and community. “Blind people aren’t waiting helplessly — they’re living actively. I wanted that too,” she said. 

Empowered, she studied at Tennessee Tech in 2022, finally earning a degree in professional studies with a focus on organizational leadership. Now, Amanda plans to become a blindness rehabilitation (修复) teacher and is co-founding a blindness training center. Originally scheduled to open in 2024, the center’s launch has been delayed (推迟) until January 2026 due to money problems. Still, Amanda shows great determination.

“People often give up when others say ‘I’ll do it for you,’” she says. “But blindness doesn’t have to limit independence.”