Resiliency in the Face of Adversity: Student Overcomes the Odds to Earn a Degree in Astrophysics

Lake Land has been a great fit for me so far. The teachers are all very nice, and I feel like I can ask them anything.

Jadyn Ault’s senior year at Effingham High School was one she’ll never forget. Many students might feel that way about their senior year, as they conclude their high school journeys with college preparation, fond farewells and final memories. But for Jadyn, her last year of high school was a time of overcoming unthinkable adversity.

In September 2023, just a month after her senior year began, Jadyn was involved in a severe car accident in Effingham. From her backseat spot, Jadyn received the worst of the collision, suffering injuries to her ribs, hips and pelvis as well as a concussion. She spent five days in the hospital, endured three months in a body brace and attended months of physical therapy.

Jadyn’s recovery forced her to miss substantial portions of her senior year of high school. Falling behind was not an option for Jadyn, however, and she worked to ensure she would still graduate on time. She learned from home for months before finally returning to the classroom and working through a lingering concussion to complete her coursework. Her efforts paid off, and in May 2024, Jadyn officially overcame the odds to graduate on time and walked across the stage along with the rest of her senior class.

“Graduating was definitely a relief,” Jadyn said. “It was very close because of all the absent days, but I was just able to do it.”

Graduating from high school wasn’t the end of Jadyn’s educational plans, however, and she quickly enrolled at Lake Land College. Growing up, she had planned to travel to a larger university for her post-secondary studies, but as time passed, she found herself drawn to the local community of Lake Land as the stepping stone for her future.

As a student at Lake Land, Jadyn studies physics, and she plans to eventually transfer and pursue a career in astrophysics. Fascinated by the universe and related phenomena ever since she was a little girl, Jadyn knew there was no other career trajectory to consider.

“I know physics is a hard subject, but it’s all I’ve ever been interested in studying and it’s the only career I want,” Jadyn said. “So, I might as well try it out.”

Jadyn’s path to completing high school and beginning college was far from typical. The accident disrupted her life but never once derailed it, as she fought through countless obstacles and setbacks to accomplish her goals. Now at Lake Land, Jadyn has found a supportive educational community that she encourages all students to experience.

“Lake Land has been a great fit for me so far,” Jadyn said. “The teachers are all very nice, and I feel like I can ask them anything.”