By David Campbell/ASU
For Amani Smith-McDaniel, starting college at Alabama State University represents a new chapter filled with opportunity, excitement and dreams for the future. Thanks to a partnership between ASU and members of the Montgomery community, she will also have the mobility support she needs to make that journey.
Smith-McDaniel, an incoming freshman from Cleveland, Ohio, recently received a motorized mobility scooter to help her navigate campus and get to class more easily. The gift came after ASU's 15th President, Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., learned about her needs and reached out to a community partner for assistance.
“We saw a student with a need and did what we could to assist her, working with community partners,” Ross said.
Ross contacted Michael Jackson with Ariel Home Medical, who helped secure the mobility scooter for Smith-McDaniel. The effort reflects the spirit of CommUniversity, an initiative introduced by Ross that strengthens the University’s connections with the surrounding community while creating opportunities to positively impact the lives of ASU students.
For Smith-McDaniel, the support means more than simply having another way to get around campus. As a recent amputee, having reliable mobility is an important part of her ability to participate fully in college life and focus on her education.
Smith-McDaniel plans to major in early childhood education with a minor in dance, combining her interest in working with children with her passion for movement and performance.
Through CommUniversity, ASU remains committed to building bridges between the University and the community it serves. In Smith-McDaniel’s case, that commitment became tangible through a simple but meaningful act: recognizing a student’s need and bringing people together to help meet it.
As Amani begins her journey as a Hornet, she does so knowing that her new university
community is already behind her.