Jackson Morris

Jackson Morris has spent his college career working to improve the lives of disabled students. When he first applied to Hopkins, Morris already knew that he wanted to work in the intersection between government and science. But his dream really came into focus when his classmates elected him as a freshman senator.

"I realized that I really, really liked representing people," said Morris, a 2024 recipient of a prestigious Truman Scholarship, given annually to extraordinary undergraduates from across the U.S. who are pursuing careers in public service. "I love being able to talk to someone and being able to say, 'I will make sure that your concerns are heard and that your voice doesn't go silenced.'"

As someone diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Morris understood how crucial university accommodations and support could be to helping students with disabilities succeed. Although he was excited to see progress being made at JHU, he knew that a lot more needed to be done, and on a much wider scale.

So Morris turned his attention toward the state. Since June 2022, he has worked with other disabled college students across Maryland to meet with policymakers and lobby for disability reforms.

Some of the group's recommendations are currently being investigated by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. It is, the group hopes, one of the first steps toward tangible change.

"Learning to be an effective advocate over the past two years—representing students, dissecting the U.S. legal code, and networking with administrators and legislators to achieve results—has solidified my desire to become a lawyer and disability advocate," Morris said.