Most students hope that their future careers will allow them to make an impact on the world. But for mechanical engineering student Madison Adams, the time to make an impact is now.
Adams, who works at Limbitless Solutions, recently spoke with delegates from the United Nations about inequalities in sports. She and Limbitless co-founder Albert Manero attended the second “Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on the Role of Sport in Addressing Inequalities in Times of Crisis and Recovery,” which was hosted virtually by the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Inclusive Social Development.
The goal of the dialogue was to explore how sports can be used to empower and include disadvantaged groups. Stakeholders from a variety of sectors were included in the event, and the results of the discussions will be used to shape the content and recommendations of the Secretary General Report on Sport for Development and Peace, which will be presented to the U.N. General Assembly in September.
Adams said that this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to advocate for others on a global stage was life changing.
“Participating in the U.N. discussion was an eye-opening experience,” she said. “I heard from people such as the first female marathon runner in Afghanistan, Paralympians, professors and coaches throughout the world who all believe in the impact that athletics brings to a community.”
The Power of Sports
Adams knows first-hand the impact that sports can have on someone. She’s a member of the UCF women’s rowing team, and was named to the 2019-20 American Athletic Conference All-American Team during her freshman year. The Davie, Florida native also played basketball in high school and was named a Broward County Athletic Association All-Star in addition to receiving BCAA scholar athlete honors as a senior. She said that her experience in athletics helped her become the person she is today.
“I grew up in an area where sports were used as a catalyst to create opportunities and empower groups throughout the community,” she said. “For me, sports helped me become more vocal, confident, and independent. This has helped shape me into an advocate for inclusion in sports because I want to give back to the community that created many opportunities for me.”
Inclusion is Limbitless
Now Adams is giving back through her work at Limbitless Solutions. She initially joined the organization as an intern, but currently serves as a mechanical engineering senior assistant.
“At Limbitless, Madison is one of our lead student engineers specializing in bionic arm assembly and troubleshooting,” Manero said. “She is also conducting simulation to understand how design changes may lead to better robustness for our bionic kids’ prosthetics. We are very proud of her professional and technical development along with her passion for the community. ”
Adams said her major has allowed her to build the foundational skills and knowledge necessary for a career in engineering while figuring out her post-graduation plans. As of now, she expects to graduate in 2023 and intends to enroll in UCF’s graduate program in healthcare systems engineering.
“I chose UCF because it was a strong research university with the capabilities of me being able to find my niche to learn and find my passion,” Adams said. “Many of the professors here have impactful research that benefit the community which is something I believe in.”
- Written by Marisa Ramiccio