BME Senior Emily Sullivan Receives Rutgers CACP Impact Award
Rutgers Committee to Advance our Common Purpose (CACP) is its longest-established university-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion group (DEI). In November, the group’s competitive Impact Awards – which recognize the tremendous impact made by individual students and student organizations to support DEI – were among those presented at a Rutgers Club event.
Senior Emily Sullivan, a biomedical engineering (BME) major, and Honors College student, received a 2024 Impact Award, for her work in improving disability access and inclusion at Rutgers.
Her committed advocacy for the disabled stems from her own – often frustrating – experiences following a traumatic brain injury in 2014, when she realized she needed to be a self-advocate. She ultimately realized she wanted to contribute to a field that directly impacts patients and their quality of life. “BME is at the heart of that, and everything we do, we do to improve patients’ lives,” she insists.
While she hopes to continue to positively impact patients by eventually going to medical school, after graduation, she will first pursue a Rutgers master’s degree in public health (MPH) as well as a graduate certificate in disability studies. She’s also interested in synthesizing her BME skills with her MPH at a patient-centric medical innovation company.
According to Sullivan, when it comes to self-advocacy, her biggest challenge is to ensure that her accommodations are respected. “Because of the nature of my disabilities, there are times when I’m debilitated by symptoms for days at a time – and if I don’t acknowledge my own limitations, and use my accommodations, I can end up worsening my condition,” she explains.
A dedicated proponent of disability visibility, she has helped and supported students facing similar struggles. “I often share my own experiences – both in-person and on social media. I believe that vulnerability in the face of adversity is strength and also know that others will be able to draw comfort from knowing they’re not alone,” she says.
A Critical Mission
Sullivan acknowledges that crucial work needs to be done to bring about full disability equity and access at Rutgers. “There needs to be radical acceptance of disabilities in higher education, and that is a huge hurdle that needs to be tackled from all directions.”
She has gained traction in reaching her ultimate goal of establishing a campus center community base for disabled Rutgers students, offering career services, access to therapists specializing in chronic illnesses, and disability- and sensory-friendly spaces. “Conversations are underway, although many logistics are yet to be figured out,” she reports. “I hope to continue to work on this through my last semester as an undergrad, and while I am here pursuing my MPH.”
A Promise to Give Back
Sullivan has been a member of the Milltown Rescue Squad since age 16, and an EMT since she was 19. While she initially joined the Rescue Squad to gain experience while giving back to her community, she is today the organization’s vice president.
“I fell in love with pre-hospital medicine – being able to make a difference on the worst day of your patient’s life is so impactful,” she says. “It’s especially meaningful to me because I have the unique perspective of being both a patient and a patient caregiver. I know what it’s like to be the one on the stretcher – and I want to give my patients as much empathy and support as I can.”
As an RA in the Livingston Apartments, she has engaged with the Open Arms Community, the neurodivergent and disabled residential community living in Livingston, by facilitating events and connecting residents with resources and support.
Sullivan insists that it is her responsibility to advocate for herself and other disabled students. “Change starts with small things,” she has written on LinkedIn. “And there is still a long way to go to get to where we deserve to be. But I am proud of the advocacy efforts thus far and the direction we are moving in.”
