Visually Impaired Student Enjoying The Ride At KSU

Press release from Kennesaw State University:

Nov 25, 2020

Visually impaired student enjoying the ride at KSU

KENNESAW, Ga.
(Nov 25, 2020) — Kennesaw State University student Lucas Rice dropped by the Outdoor Adventures office on campus one day to inquire about working there, and he wound up with much
more than just his current job. Rice, who was born blind, became part of a community
that has made his time at KSU unforgettable.

Rice said he loves his job, which primarily involves helping to promote the recreational
and educational programs that Outdoor Adventures offers to the KSU community. Better
yet, he has developed several friendships and frequently takes tandem bicycle rides
with a fellow student or with Ed Baltes, the assistant director of Outdoor Adventures.

“At Outdoor Adventures, I’m part of the group,” said Rice, a senior from Perry, Ga.,
majoring in media and entertainment. “It’s like a home away from home. It’s family.”

Lucas Rice, left, and Ed Baltes

Rice enjoys an active lifestyle – which includes going on hikes and being a blue belt
in jujitsu – so he naturally was drawn to Outdoor Adventures. In turn, the opportunity
to connect with Rice resonated with Baltes, who is actively involved in KSU’s Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth.

“Lucas is definitely somebody that my heart reached out for,” Baltes said. “Lucas
is so excited to get into these things. All we need to do is figure out a way, and
I know he’s always in.”

Baltes gave Rice a marketing role that was a good fit for his outgoing personality
and his aspiration to pursue a career in a communications field. Rice often can be
found manning an information tent on campus, telling students about the different
activities they can enjoy through Outdoor Adventures.

Rice is just as likely to be riding around campus and local bike trails on a bright
yellow tandem bicycle, typically with Baltes as the pilot rider. The two have developed
a close bond, and Baltes choked up as he talked about Rice's exemplifying the inclusive
environment that Kennesaw State strives to provide for its students.

“Lucas’s experience is the road map, I think, for others to follow,” Baltes said.
“He is one of those guys that people gravitate toward. Having Lucas on our team has
been very valuable in giving other students some perspective and getting people to
think about not just their lives, but the lives of others around them.”

Rice said that he enjoys getting exercise and being out in the fresh air during his
bike rides with his friends. More than anything, though, he values the camaraderie.

“I’ve never had an issue with inclusion. The way I look at it is, you have to include
yourself,” he said. “If people do find me inspirational, that’s great. For me, life
is just life, and you just have to live to the best of your abilities.”

The tandem bicycle Rice rides is a 1970s model Schwinn Deluxe Twinn that once had
been the very first rental bike that Kennesaw State students could check out, but
had been retired after many years of use. The bicycle was serving simply as a display
piece, hanging in the Outdoor Adventures bike shop, but then was given new life.

“Once Lucas came into the picture, I took the bike off the wall and fixed it up, and
we’ve been riding it ever since,” Baltes said. “That enabled us to get Lucas out on
rides, and other students have joined in to be the pilot rider.”

Along with teaming up on their frequent bike rides, Rice and Baltes also gave a presentation
together at a Georgia Recreational Sports Association conference that KSU hosted last
year. In a roundtable discussion, they shared what Baltes described as “our calling
to create inclusive environments for everyone.”

Everything Rice has enjoyed at KSU – the friendships, the many bike rides, his job
with Outdoor Adventures and his classes toward his degree in the School of Communication and Media – assure him that he made the right decision by transferring to Kennesaw State prior
to his junior year.

“I’m thankful I’ve had this experience of being part of Kennesaw State,” Rice said.
“I’ve met great people and experienced lots of different things, so I wouldn’t change
anything.”

– Paul Floeckher

Photos by David Caselli

Related Stories

• Doctoral student aims to leverage data analytics degree to advance U.S. Army

• Competition offers hands-on experience for grant-writing students

First-generation students thriving at Kennesaw State

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.

This press release was produced by Kennesaw State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.