"It is choice, not chance that defines our destiny."
When Jehremy Phillips graduated from high school in 2014, he was a trained life guard and set to study at UC Merced. Unfortunately, a traumatic car accident left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. He took a year off, uncertain if he could ever go to college. In the fall of 2015, he began taking 1 course a semester to see if he could build his stamina at sitting in a chair while at the same time wondering if a degree in Mathematics was even possible. Over the course of his sojourn, his physical capabilities improved. Math has been the constant that kept his focus. He applied determination to his studies and physical therapy. If he didn't understand a topic, he wasn't afraid to ask for help. He will graduate with a BS in Applied Mathematics with an emphasis in Economics. He hopes to complete a single subject teaching credential for high school Mathematics and his hobby will forever be playing Monopoly on the New York Stock Exchange.
