The opportunity to better himself through higher education has brought light to Aaron Ross’ world. Born legally blind, Ross began working toward a degree at Western Nevada College (WNC) more than a decade ago to pursue a profession that left an impression on him as a child.

Through perseverance and the assistance of WNC’s Disability Support Services office, Ross’ dream of graduating with an Associate of Arts degree will come true on Monday during WNC’s Commencement Ceremony at Marv Teixeira Pavilion. Ross will be among Western’s 500 graduates celebrated Monday in Carson City and Thursday in Fallon.

“It will mean the greatest achievement in my life,” the Carson City resident said. “I’ll talk about it for years to come. I’ll have my cap and gown that I can show off to everybody.”

Aaron was born with Retinopathy of Prematurity, a disease causing detachment of the retinae in each of his eyes. Doctors tried to reattach them, but the surgery was unsuccessful, leaving Aaron completely blind.

Fortunately, there has been plenty of support from Aaron’s parents, Rick and Jacqi. By the time he entered the first grade, Aaron also received the support of Carol Ewing, also blind, who helped him become familiar with Braille. With the help of his dedicated support network, Aaron went on to graduate from Carson Valley Middle School and Douglas High School before deciding to pursue his dream of earning an associate degree at WNC.

Luckily for Aaron, Susan Trist started working at WNC at nearly the same time that Aaron enrolled at the college. The program director for Disability Support Services has been instrumental in facilitating Aaron’s educational needs inside and outside the classroom.

“One of the greatest challenges for our department was the timely delivery of accessible materials for Aaron,” Trist said. “As soon as he would register for the next semester, we would be in contact with his instructor to determine what textbooks would be used for that particular course. Braille conversion is a time-consuming process — the sooner we deliver materials to the vendor, the better, to allow them time to convert the content and ensure timely delivery of materials.”

In addition to Braille textbooks, DSS provided textbooks and materials in audio and course materials in electronic Word/PDF documents.

Aaron has preferred classes in person instead of online “because of the benefits of verbal interactions with instructors and classmates,” according to Trist. He also used a tape recorder to record lectures and his Pac Mate device to record information. Trist said that Aaron has a screen-reading program called JAWS on his home computer to provide text to speech access. He can also convert text to speech on his iPhone.

There are times, however, when Aaron needs more assistance in the classroom.

“For his science courses, we provided a classroom aide to verbally describe content that was presented visually,” Trist said. “For example, in Dr. Winnie Kortemeier’s Geology and Geography classes, the aide would describe maps, charts, colors, rocks, minerals, or graphs, etc. Hope Braille, a full-service braille production company in Reno, would create content from the textbooks — maps, charts, and pictures labeled with Braille — so that he could ‘see’ (feel) the images.”

Support from DSS has extended outside the classroom, as well. DSS staff met his Uber rides or bus driver in the parking lot to help him make it to class safely. Staff members have also delivered his accessible textbooks to his own apartment or to his workplace.

“Despite his multiple challenges, Aaron has continued to take classes at WNC in order to complete an AA degree,” Trist said.

DSS’s devotion — in particular Trist’s — to his higher education goal isn’t lost on Aaron.

“She’s meant a lot to me,” he said. “She’s provided me with everything I’ve needed to complete my classes. If I could recommend her to anyone with a disability, I’d recommend her in a heartbeat. Whatever needs to be done, she can get it done.”

Aaron’s commitment to his employer — Western Nevada Supply — has limited his semester course load to one or two classes. He works six hours a day answering phones. “I’ve made friends and developed lifelong friendships over the years,” Aaron said about his 16-year employment at Western Nevada Supply.

Ultimately, his persistence and the support of others have made his dream come true. His advice to others who have ceased or interrupted their pursuit of a college degree is to keep working at it. “Don’t stop. Money can be a certain reason to stop or drop out, but keep working at whatever you want to do and hopefully you’ll get a good-paying job. Without a degree, some jobs you can’t achieve.”

The day Aaron has long awaited is almost here before he begins his next goal of

becoming a paraprofessional (teacher’s aide). His accomplishment is sure to make both of his parents emotional on Monday.

“You can’t put words to it,” said Rick, who Aaron has entrusted to guide him across the commencement stage on Monday. “My wife will be crying and so will I. Whatever he has done over past years while working is nothing short of incredible. What he does in a day to get by and improve himself, I can’t do in a month. He’s a pretty special person, and we’re lucky to be his parents.”

To learn more about Disability and Support Services at WNC, contact Trist at 775-445-4459 or susan.trist@wnc.edu. 

About Western Nevada College: Western Nevada College (WNC) is an innovative community college committed to providing accessible and quality higher education. With campuses in Carson City, Fallon and Douglas County, WNC offers diverse academic programs, personalized attention from dedicated faculty, and comprehensive support services for students with disabilities. WNC fosters a vibrant campus community and prepares students for success in their chosen careers or further educational pursuits. Visit wnc.edu for more information.