Mason Metzger, a senior at Indiana Wesleyan University, motivational speaker and accessibility advocate, is looking forward to graduating from college and learning how to drive. He is currently working on raising money to purchase a van that can be modified to use hand controls. Photo by Carrie Sheets.

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

WARSAW —  Mason Metzger of Warsaw is like most college seniors. He’s busy with finishing his course work and deciding what his next steps will be after graduation.

Metzger will graduate from Indiana Wesleyan University in April 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in communication with an emphasis in organizational leadership. “I really enjoy the leadership part of my program. That’s where my heart is,” he said during a phone interview.

Along with his studies, Metzger has been engaged in various accessibility projects during his time on campus. When he was 1-year-old, Metzger was diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy, a neurological condition resulting in muscle stiffness and impaired mobility. He is classified as a person with quadriplegia and requires assistance with activities related to daily life.

At IWU, Metzger has been engaged in various accessibility projects on campus. In January, he began serving on the Indiana Assistive Technology Act Project Advisory Council at Easter Seals Crossroads. The goal of the INDATA Project is to educate communities on the importance of assistive technology and other topics that impact individuals with disabilities throughout Indiana. Metzger’s role is to advocate for people with disabilities and teach others about assistive technology.

Since Metzger arrived on campus in fall 2018 through March 2020, he’s had nursing students provide his daily care. “That was really cool,” he said, explaining while the students gained practical experience they were also in his peer group and became his friends. “It developed some very strong friendships that I will carry with me forever,” he said.

He also worked with the university to have wheelchair accessible seating in IWU’s two dining rooms. His biggest accessibility project was working with school officials on modifying his dorm room. While the shower in his room met the Americans with Disability Act it was too small for his care giver to do hygiene care. So Metzger worked with the university’s accessibility and facility services personnel to make the necessary modifications.

“My goal in life is to make the world more accessible to everyone,” he said. He choose IWU because the campus had a superior level of accessibility with every building on campus being wheel chair accessible. Not only does every building have an access button, but so did his dorm room.

He especially liked the wellness center which also had machines that were wheelchair accessible. He enjoys working out and riding a specially designed bike when he has spare time.

College has been a crazy journey for Metzger, who like many college students had to contend with COVID impacting his classes. He’s had to adapt to telecommuting to campus via Zoom.

In addition to finishing his studies, Metzger is also working on writing a book and earning his driver’s license. His book, which he hopes to self-publish, has the working title “Specialized Challenges — A Journey Toward Contentment” and is based on the fact he doesn’t like the term “disabled.” “I’ve come to realize we all have specialized challenges and we can come along side each other and support one another,” he said.

He’s also busy working on raising money to purchase a van which will be modified so he can drive with hand controls. Metzger has been working with Vocational Rehabilitation Services to see whether he would be a good candidate for driving.

After going through a series of assessments, VRS determined he would be a good candidate to get his driver’s license. He plans on raising money for a van that can be converted to use hand controls and then start driving’s education sometime in the spring.

To learn more about Metzger visit his website at www.MasonMetzger.com