Undaunted by disability, Baylor Law valedictorian inspires all who know her

You may not know Allison Dickson, but many at the Baylor Law School do. In 2007, Allison graduated No. 1 in her class from Baylor Law, despite a daily battle with Werdnig-Hoffman disease, a type of spinal muscle atrophy.

Allison’s parents learned their daughter had the disease when she was just 15 months old — and they were told she had less than a year to live. “It was not likely she would even survive, much less succeed in life,” noted Baylor law professor Gerald Powell at Allison’s graduation ceremony. “But she didn’t much seem daunted by what was before her.”

“Undaunted” exactly describes Allison. Before earning her J.D. from Baylor Law, she graduated magna cum laude from Southwestern University, was an active member of the Tri Delta sorority, earned induction into Phi Beta Kappa, and much, much more.

But above even all those achievements, Allison made an indelible mark on the people with whom she interacted every day. “I’ll never forget meeting the girl in a wheelchair who I thought I could help in life,” fellow grad Ethan Lange, JD ’08, says. “I was wrong. That girl — who couldn’t physically lift more than a few sheets of paper to turn the pages in her law books — somehow had the strength to carry me through some of the most challenging moments of my life.”

That’s why Ethan and others are working to create the Allison Dickson Baylor Law Scholarship. “Allison dreams of helping future Baylor lawyers and wants her legacy to be one of giving and paying it forward,” Ethan says. You can support their effort by contributing to Allison’s scholarship and by sharing Allison’s story with others.

Sic ’em, Allison!

[We learned of this story from a Bear who shared his Baylor pride. Do you know of an inspiring story, news item, or just a fun link that makes you proud of Baylor and the Baylor family? Let us know! Click here to submit your point of pride!]