Flowers, faxes and friends have been flowing into Susan Sygall’s life since being named one of this year’s 25 MacArthur Fellows last week.
“I haven’t really been thinking much about the award,” said Sygall, possibly the first person with a disability to receive the award. “I’ve been hearing from so many people. … It’s kind of one of those dreams come true.”
The Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation gave Sygall the honor and $500,000 over five years of “no strings attached” support for her work as executive director and founder of Mobility International USA, an organization that empowers people with disabilities to achieve more than they — and society — thought possible. Sygall herself was in a car accident when she was 17 that paralyzed her legs.
“I hope that beyond Mobility International, it will provide a platform for discussing disability issues on an international level,” Sygall said.
Sygall received an M.S. from the University in 1981, and shortly thereafter she founded MIUSA, which now has worked with more than 76 countries to train people with disabilities to become leaders in the world today.
“Our goal is that we like to work with grassroots people around the world,” she said. “It’s only when people with disabilities organize themselves and advocate for themselves that things really begin to change.”
Sygall’s commitment to excellence and her desire to make a difference must shine through as much to her co-workers as it has to the family of leaders she has created around the world.
“She’s a dynamic, thoughtful and charismatic person to work with,” said Susie Grimes, director of administration at MIUSA. “It’s a validation for her lifelong commitment to the human rights movement for people with disabilities.”
“Her commitment and her drive to make things happen are extraordinary,” said Rhonda Neuhaus, public relations coordinator at MIUSA. “She has a lot of ideas and creativity. Susan brings a lot of wonderful energy to the office.”
Although she has said that she has no definite plans for the money right now, it is quite obvious that MIUSA’s plate is more than full.
The national organization is currently working on a microcredit program to help women with disabilities in Africa. On July 27, it will host young women with disabilities from around the United States and China to teach them how they can get involved in leadership programs in their homes. And in August, MIUSA is helping to send young men and women with disabilities to Costa Rica for leadership training and an opportunity to meet locals who work with disabled people.
These programs already have funding; therefore, there is no immediate need for the money. And the “no strings attached” part of the grant really leaves Sygall’s options open for using the grant.
“It’s an opportunity to have the freedom to use it in whatever creative way you want,” Sygall said. “I want to take some time to reflect on how to use it.”
She did mention that at some point in the future she would like to write down her thoughts surrounding people with disabilities and produce a book, with which the grant could definitely help.
In the meantime, Sygall is enjoying all the support and accolades from her friends and family, but she is taking this opportunity to continue teaching leadership skills — this time to campus students.
“I would just really encourage people to take a lot of independent studies and really think of innovative projects that they want to do, especially projects they want to do that can make a difference for other people,” Sygall said. “People do things at the University that are reality based. … Take responsibility for what it is that you want to learn and what you want to do, and carry it out.”