Amanda Loewen shares her amazing Wayne State story of support, strength and success

Amanda Loewen took a photo after her board presentation with SDS Director Cherise Frost; Interim President Richard Bierschbach; her dad Matt Loewen; Governor Sunny Reddy; Interim Provost Keith Whitfield; and her mom Julie Loewen.

DETRIOIT - On most mornings, before the sun fully rises over the Detroit River, Amanda Loewen is already on her way to campus.

The junior at Wayne State University lives in Belle River, Ontario, about 20 minutes east of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. From there, she and her father, Matt Loewen, make the daily international commute so she can attend lectures, meet with classmates and take part in campus life. It's a routine that requires planning, patience and stamina.

For Amanda, nothing about college is simple.

Amanda Loewen told those at the Board of Governors meeting that "I'm a very proud Warrior" as her mom, Julie Loewen, held the mircophone.

She has generalized dystonia and dystonic cerebral palsy, a neurological movement disorder that severely limits her mobility. On a campus of 24,000 students, getting from Old Main to M. Roy Wilson State Hall can be daunting. But Amanda moves through campus with determination, supported by a dynamic wheelchair, a tight-knit family and a university system she says has made all the difference.

"I'm a very proud Warrior," she wrote in a prepared speech delivered Thursday, Feb. 12., to the university's Board of Governors in the Student Center Building.

Amanda, a graduate of Vincent Massey Secondary School in Windsor, Ontario, is double majoring in sociology and anthropology. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and has earned a place on the dean's list every semester since arriving to Midtown.

Her academic path wasn't always clear. She once imagined a future in advertising and marketing. Numbers, however, never came easily. Writing did.

"When I first arrived at Wayne State, I didn't know what my future would hold," she wrote. "What I did know was that I had a strong support system behind me."

That support begins at home. Her father, an officer with the Canada Border Services Agency, drives her to and from campus each day. Her mother, Julie, is her steady advocate and, when needed, her voice.

At Thursday's presentation on Holistic Student Support, Amanda's mom read her speech aloud.

"Amanda has a muscle disorder called dystonia," Julie told the board. "So, when she's very excited and nervous, like she is today, it's very hard for her to project and get all the words out."

Using a specialized arm mounted to her wheelchair and an iPad she maneuvers with her nose or chin, Amanda writes independently. For the board presentation, she carefully crafted her message, outlining how Wayne State's Student Disability Services team has helped her succeed academically and socially.

"The deciding factor for both my parents and me in choosing Wayne State was our initial meeting with Student Disability Services," she wrote. "It was the first time in our university campus tours we had ever sat down with a disability services team to truly discuss how my needs could be met."

"I'm a very proud Warrior," Amanda Loewen wrote in a prepared speech delivered Thursday, Feb. 12., to the university's Board of Governors in the Student Center Building.

She described advisors who quickly adjust accommodations, an exam scribe who helps her demonstrate what she knows, and a testing center that preserves both accessibility and academic integrity. When she felt overwhelmed by end-of-semester assignments, one email to her advisor led to a coordinated plan with professors that kept her on track.

"That level of advocacy and support exemplifies what makes Wayne State special," she wrote.

Darryl Gardner, Wayne State's vice provost for student success, support, and engagement, says Amanda represents exactly what the university strives to cultivate.

"Amanda is among the brightest and best our institution has to offer," Gardner said. "She's ambitiously double majoring in sociology and anthropology and has maintained a 4.0 GPA. But what stands out even more than her academic record is her resilience and her engagement."

Gardner noted that nearly 3,100 Wayne State students are registered with Student Disability Services, about 13 percent of the student body. He believes Amanda's story illustrates why destigmatizing disability support is so important.

"She's thriving not just because of her own drive, but because she leaned into the resources available to her," he said. "Our goal is proactive, holistic support. Amanda shows what's possible when that support system works the way it should."

Amanda's involvement extends beyond the classroom. She is active in the Disability Justice Coalition, the Sociology Club and the Spine Crackers Book Club. Her twin brother, Matthew Jr., is also a junior at Wayne State and lives on campus, giving her another connection to university life.

Outside of school, Amanda's interests are wide-ranging. She loves music, horseback riding, traveling and spending time with friends. Her family's shared love of the outdoors led to an unexpected business venture during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the Loewens were unable to get delivery of a new wheelchair for Amanda or order parts to upgrade the one she had outgrown, they decided to take matters into their own hands. Along with Amanda's cousin, an occupational therapist, Amanda and her dad launched Motor City Motion, a family-based company focused on outdoor mobility solutions.

Wayne State Board of Governors Michael Busuito (left) and Bryan Barnhill speak with Julie Loewen, mother of student presenter Amanda Loewen, who shared her story at the board meeting.

What began as a necessity grew into a mission: to help others experience the same freedom of movement Amanda cherishes.

For Gardner, that entrepreneurial spirit is another sign of her impact.

"She doesn't just overcome obstacles," he said. "She turns them into opportunities that benefit other people. That's leadership."

Back at the Board of Governors meeting, after Julie finished reading the speech, there was a pause. Then applause.

Before moving on with the agenda, Governor Sunny Reddy leaned toward Amanda and said, "We just want you to know that we are so proud of you."

Amanda beamed.

Her path to and through Wayne State requires more effort than most people will ever see. It involves border crossings, careful scheduling, adaptive technology and a network of advocates.

But at its core, it is powered by something simpler: a belief that she belongs.

Wayne State, she told the board, has not only supported her academic success. It has empowered her to thrive.