BY ANDREAS BUTLER    
DAYTONA TIMES    

Jermesa Lee won’t let blindness hold her back.

A senior in her final semester at Bethune-Cookman University, she plans to graduate in December and then go to graduate school at an Ivy League institution. After grad school, her goal is to get a job as a mental rehabilitation or marriage counselor.

Lee is a psychology major with a 3.8 grade point average. She is a member of Bethune-Cookman’s Inspirational Gospel Choir and the National Council of Negro Women.

From Jasper, a city in North Florida, Lee came to B-CU as a sophomore in the spring semester of 2008 after taking dual enrollment classes in high school through Florida Community College-Jacksonville. She also attended North Florida Community College n Madison.

Had sight

While growing up, the student was active despite her condition.

"I have not always been blind. I did have sight in one of my eyes. I have always been blind in my left eye. I had sight in my right eye with the aid of glasses," she told the Daytona Times.

"I was always involved in some type of activity. I was very active in church. I did some clubs and organizations growing up throughout school. I was also a cheerleader. I did all this with one eye for 16 years.’’

One day, Lee noticed that she was having trouble with her vision.

"My vision was blurry. I went in for a routine check up and they saw that a molecular hole was forming in my one good eye," Lee recalled.

Life-changing moment

She went in for a routine checkup in September 2007 and doctors decided to do surgery. After surgery, her sight did not return.

"I ended up having two injections of silicon oil in my eye to hold the retina in place. My sight did not return. They thought that the retina was inflamed but come to find out, it had failed," she stated.

Instead of being down or distraught, Lee was more worried about missing out on Homecoming weekend festivities.

"I was in high school back at Hamilton County High in Jasper. I was really upset because it was October and Homecoming. I planned on participating in the activities and doing some traveling. I was upset to miss the events," she noted.

Confident sight will return

Lee has faith that she will see again.

"Yes, it is possible. I am faithful by the grace of God that my sight will return," she said. "I won’t beat you upside the head with it, but I know that I am making it only by the grace of God. I have strong faith.’’

Learning to adapt

Being a blind college student, Lee has had to make adaptations to her surroundings.

"It was certainly a learning experience in the classroom and in life. I learned how to be blind. I had to learn how to make sure that accommodations were available, and I had to learn which ones were supposed to be available," responded Lee.

The biggest challenge in losing her sight was her recovery period.

"I am still learning how to be blind but thinking back, I think that the rehabilitation period was the toughest thing. After surgery, I had to be face down all the time. I had to be that way for eating, sleeping and everything," she said.

During the adjustment period, things went mostly well with regard to her friends and classmates in both high school and college.

"I got support the majority of the time. I was welcomed with open arms and there were people willing to help me," said Lee. "On the other hand, there were a few people who were doubtful of me."

Advocate for children

Nevertheless, Lee’s goal is to help others, especially children, who face challenging situations.

"I want to go to grad school, and I am researching them now. I am leaning toward an Ivy League school. I have already had the community college experience through dual enrollment and the HBCU experience here," she explained.

"Career wise, I would like to work counseling in mental rehabilitation or marriage counseling. In marriage, a lot of times, the kids don’t have a voice; they are not heard. It starts with the home. I would like to advocate for children. They are our future, they need a voice.’’