Grant Impact Stories

Emily Shryock Expresses Gratitude for Kristofer Robinson Scholarship

The Kristofer Robinson Scholarship supports quadriplegic and paraplegic individuals in the state of Texas, and was established by Kristofer Robinson who was injured and later died as a result of a car accident on I-635 in 2000.

After becoming a paraplegic due to complications of neurological Lyme Disease, Emily Shryock refused to let her disability take away her zeal for life. She started playing rugby, which helped her gain a new sense of confidence and independence.  She moved to Austin, Texas when she was recruited by the Texas Stampede Wheelchair Rugby Team. She is the only woman on the team and only the second woman in the U.S. to ever make it to the national level in the sport.

Thank you letter from Emily Shryock:

I wanted to write and say how grateful I am to have been selected as a recipient of the Kristofer Robinson Scholarship.

I just finished my first semester toward my Masters of Science in Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin and I plan to graduate in 2014. Attending grad school has many challenges, but thanks to the scholarship, financial concerns relating to school will be one less obstacle in the path of my education. I am very thankful for the support that will continue throughout my graduate school experience. Having my MSSW will open the doors to many future opportunities and will allow me to be more effective in my work educating and advocating with and for people with disabilities. -Emily Shryock