Show Student receives speech device Kathryn Jones Globe Weekly News Meet a year old student who spends his time in a motorized wheelchair because of cerebral palsy types through a speech assist device that speaks for him and spends his days doing what he loves most pro most pro programming gramming and design design and and you will have met Britt Allen Allen a b business siness major at who recently lost the use of his speech-device speech has now been loaded up with a new one thanks to an article printed in The Salt Lake Tribune and the open hands of many The day the story appeared I got calls Robin Roberson said Roberson an assistant professor of marketing marketing marketing mar mar- management at was thrilled The support from the community was so moving We received dollars to a thousand dollars at a time from about 70 different people Student Continued on Page 11 Student Continued from front frontOn frontOn frontOn On the first day Roberson received a call from a woman whose husband was suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease and had lost his voice Another caller had a six- six year-old year boy with cerebral palsy She was on social security and wanted to know if 25 was enough to help A mere was needed need need- ed for the new device and the money had to get getto j to Allen before the International Career Development Conference on May 4 Allen who is the Delta Epsilon Chi DEX Vice President has previously won wona a second place award at the same conference in the State Web Site Event For some disabilities of any kind would be just the excuse they needed for checking out of such an event event even even college but Britt doesn't use his disabilities disabilities disabilities dis dis- dis- dis abilities as an excuse Roberson said His condition condition condition condi condi- tion has left him the use of only one finger ringer with which to type While this disability may have stopped some it simply presents another challenge challenge challenge chal chal- lenge for Britt He has an amazing fan club He has even raised the level of learning in the other stu stu- stu- stu dents Roberson speaks of some students not ot up to the challenge chal- chal lenge leng of homework of-homework until they see what Allen can do with his is When Allen Alle produces es his is homework on time and without without without with with- out fail the other students have no excuse Allen is a great conversationalist conversationalist conversationalist conversa conversa- Roberson added although she admits she wasn't wasn't wasn't was was- nt always aware of it Roberson was nervous about speaking to Allen until she watched Curtis a professor in marketing walked up to Allen one day and said So how do people talk to you on that thing His comment eased things up for Roberson from then onOnce onOnce onOnce on Once people get by the machine they realize hes he's just another kid Roberson said A technically savvy kid who Roberson cant can't help but mention received just what he needed to attend the 2005 International Career Development Conference this very month |