Many students join in causes to better their communities, but for one Bradley graduate student it went beyond simply helping others: she started her own service agency. Michelle Kosner started Paws Giving Independence, a guide dog service that places service dogs into the homes of disabled people free of charge. And despite long hours with the dogs, she also finds time to volunteer at the Easter Seals Children's Hospital. At school she is a Bradley Fellow who has been on the dean's list for the past 3 years.

She has accomplished all of these things while fighting rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Kosner was diagnosed with arthritis at the tender age of 3 and used her parents' motivation and her doctors' advice to keep active. She is an avid volleyball player and continues to participate with such organizations as Habitat for Humanity and the Kappa Delta Sorority.

Because of her community service and academic achievements, Kosner was recently recognized as one of the 2009 UCB Family RA Scholarship winners. Kosner will receive $10,000 to put toward her educational goals of earning a master's degree in physical therapy.

"What motivates me is a passion for what I am doing," says Kosner. "I want to show people that there aren't limitations or reasons why you can't accomplish what you want to do."