There’s hardly anyone quite like Jill Moore.
Residential Life met with her on a rainy afternoon of the much dreaded monsoon season when everything looked dull and everyone seemed a tad bit sluggish. Jill welcomed us with a huge smile and we must admit, we were star-struck. Not in a wow-I-just-bumped-into-Taylor-Swift kind of star-struck, but still, Jill is a star in her own rights. She radiated light and exuded such great energy and enthusiasm that the interview experience left us in awe even until now. We sat down with Jill at Kuok Foundation House, where she’s currently residing in NUS, to understand more about her life journey as well as how she likes our sunny island and NUS so far!
Jill Moore, all the sunshine we need on this gloomy day | Picture courtesy of Jill Moore
At birth, Jill was diagnosed with Spina Bifida, the most common permanently-disabling birth defect in USA. It results when vertebrae surrounding the spinal cord do not form completely and can cause weakness or paralysis in the lower half of the body (read more about it here). It leads to a neuromuscular scoliosis and an 80-degree curvature in her spine. In 2006, she had posterior fusion surgery to help straighten her spine. Jill, however, was determined to not let this physical limitation define who she is.
In her 22 years, Jill has competed in hundreds of athletic competitions around the world, garnered dozens of awards, and consistently set national and state records. She competed in para-swimming at the 2010 World Junior Games in Olomouc, Czech Republic, and has played wheelchair basketball for her home country, USA at U20 (Under 20) level. She also named cheerleading and horseback-riding a few of her favorite sports. Most recently, she represented USA in Wheelchair Sports in the 2015 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar alongside other world-renowned athletes. She’s done it all (and more) in a wheelchair!
Jill during a match of one of her favorite sports, wheelchair basketball | Picture courtesy of Jill Moore
Jill, fierce and determined, during one of her swimming competitions | Picture courtesy of Jill Moore
Jill channeling her inner mermaid in one of her diving sessions with StayFocus, a social initiative to assist disabled individuals to get certified in scuba diving | Picture courtesy of Jill Moore
Jill all ready to go at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar | Picture courtesy of Jill Moore
Not only is Jill a world-class athlete, she’s also a scholar. Jill earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and currently on an exchange right here at NUS at School of Design and Environment (SDE). Check out the following video to get an idea of how a typical day in Jill’s life at NUS is like 😀
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs-hApH8FFg
What keeps you going strong despite certain challenges that you might face due to your physical limitations?
There was this one instance that was imprinted in my mind. When I was in high school, I joined the track team and I wasn’t allowed to compete on a regional level. Someone said I would be a liability and a safety hazard. So we had to go through a long process of appealing for a new law to be written to the state of North Carolina that would allow me to compete alongside others. Some of the coaches and parents, however, weren’t pleased because they were afraid I might put their athletes/children in danger due to the risk of them tripping and getting injured because of my wheels. I was affected by the negativity then but now that I think about it, I’m proud to have persevered and gone through that process as other athletes with disabilities are now able to compete in my state! So I guess my answer to your question would be firstly, my determination to prove those who doubt me wrong and secondly, the unwavering support from those who believe in me.
Are there any instances where you feel different from others and how do you overcome them?
Of course! It’s hard to avoid them. Something as simple as getting on the bus, for instance, when you realize you have to make everybody wait. It used to bother me so much. I hated that I was different and that I stood out like a sore thumb. But I think over time, I’ve come to terms with myself. If I weren’t different, I wouldn’t even be where I am today and have anywhere close to the opportunities I have had in my life. So eventually it boils down to embracing your own quirks and just owning them! You do you 😀
How do you juggle between so many commitments? Any tips on how to best manage your time?
I bring my study materials with me to sport events and fortunately, for my major, a lot of the tasks involve sketching and working on the computer so I don’t have to carry the whole library with me (laughs). Also, a lot of my friends are involved in the same sports as I am so we bond through the time spent together doing our favourite sports!
How do you like Singapore so far?
I love Singapore! It’s been a lot of fun and Singaporeans are really friendly, kind and helpful J Singapore is absolutely beautiful. The haze, however, kind of dampens my mood and kills the vibe a little bit though (laughs). I guess I came expecting an island-y city with sunshine all day every day and all things tropical. Yet Singapore turns out to be really modern and cosmopolitan, not that it’s a bad thing!
What about NUS?
NUS is awesome 😀 It’s a really reputable school for Industrial Design, my major. I must admit though that it takes a lot to get accustomed to as things are really different here compared to what I’m used to back in USA. One of the biggest “culture shocks” I encountered here is the competitive learning culture, with completely different atmosphere and work ethics altogether. I learnt a lot from my course mates with regards to how they approach the problems, how they best utilize the limited resources to best serve the target audience’s needs, etc. It was intense, but it was really eye-opening for me at the same time!
What made you choose Singapore for your exchange semester in the first place?
For my design program, I was given the choice of either NUS or another university in England. A lot of my seniors ended up choosing NUS and thought really highly of it. So naturally, I chose NUS.
Are there any major differences between US and Singapore that you need time getting used to?
First of all, the weather is really hot and it takes me some time to get used to not having an air-conditioner in my room… But all is fine now. The food is also worlds apart! Our version of Asian food and the actual Asian food here are nothing alike. Having said that, I tried quite a few Singaporean dishes and oh my, chilli crab and chicken rice are mind-blowingly good! Rambutan and Kuehs are pretty interesting too. I must say that durian is not my cup of tea as I just can’t get past its smell.
How do you feel about life here as a resident in Kuok Foundation House (KFH)?
It’s been wonderful. All the staffs here have done an amazing job taking care of me and my special needs. They went above and beyond to add a personal touch to my journey here.
Have there been any challenges in your daily life here?
The campus has a lot of hills so I guess it’s unavoidable that I and other students with physical limitations will face some challenges. I study at SDE and it’s impossible to push myself from KFH to SDE (especially if I’m carrying a lot of things) so a lot of the times, I rely on the internal buses. They’re often too crowded but for the most parts, it’s fine. The canteen closest to my school, Techno Edge, isn’t very accessible for me as I have to go through a massive hill to get there.
What do you think about the special needs support so far in NUS, i.e. what is good and what can be improved on?
It’s great! Agnes, my contact point at the Disability Support Office, is available to help me anytime. She’s amazing! People in general have been really helpful and supportive and they’re always willing to help me to get to places, do things and just make my life easier.
I guess one thing that could be improved on is the accessibility and availability of sports activities that those with physical limitations can engage in. For me, the running tracks are very hard to get to by myself so I usually work out at UTown gym. But I can see they’re working really hard to make that happen so I guess we can expect better things in the near future J
This is one of those times when we feel that pictures and words don’t do justice to our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Jill and be so inspired by who she is, what she has accomplished and what she aims to do (which we truly believe that to her, the sky is the limit). You just have to meet Jill to believe!
If you or any of your friends have any special needs, do not hesitate to contact the Disability Support Office at osayyya@nus.edu.sg to seek more information about the services and facilities that NUS provides for students with special needs. Furthermore, you can also reach out to NUS Enablers (https://www.facebook.com/NUS.Enablers), a group that champions for wheelchair accessibility in NUS. Or email us! We’re happy to link you up 😀
