California native and Morningside sophomore, Josh Ibarra comes from the city of Santa Ana, California and graduated from Valley High School before attending Morningside. When meeting Josh, you will see a Hispanic boy with silver/white hair who wears trendy stylish clothes. The occasional thick framed glasses or shades, when the weather permits, adorn his face and gives him that “hip” affect. This style of Josh’s has even earned him the nickname, “Hollywood” among Morningside faculty. Many who have the honor of getting to know Josh would say he is outgoing, loud, funny, driven, and a really great person.
“He’s an awesome person. He’s always knows how to make me laugh when I’m feeling down and for that I consider him like a brother to me,” shares Gladys Mayo, another native of California and one of Josh’s closest friends.
Josh sounds like any other interesting being but what makes him truly amazing is that he has lived the majority of his life in a wheelchair and walker. At birth, Josh was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta or “Brittle Bones” and for the next twenty years he has had to deal with constant doctor appointments, surgeries, and needing assistance. Being in a wheelchair or walker, day and night, has been a struggle for Josh but he doesn’t let his disability stop him from experiencing life and taking opportunities whenever they are presented to him.
“Life is too short to be just sitting in my room. I prefer going out and experiencing things and if I get hurt, then I get hurt,” Ibarra says.
In fact, Josh’s latest opportunity for experiencing life and broadening his education further is the chance to study abroad in a Spanish country for the whole summer. He has applied for the chance to study in either Barcelona, Spain or Cordoba, Argentina.
“I really want to go to those countries because I want to perfect my Spanish some more so that it can help me later in my Business career or even my Political Science,” Ibarra explains.
Traveling around the world and immersing himself into it is not an easy feat to do but Josh does everything he wants despite the limitations of his disability. He has proven time and time again that he can be like anyone else. He played on the water polo team in high school, has taught himself to drive, goes out with friends to the beach and amusement parks, and even makes the choice to study outside the country like any other college student.
“Josh is very confident in exceeding in anything he does. He is not afraid to ask for assistance when he feels like he needs it but he’s also not afraid to give assistance to other around as well,” says Josh’s Student Success advisor Andre McWell. “I think his presence in the study abroad program would make everyone around him appreciate the opportunities they have and understand that Josh is much more than his wheelchair.”
Josh is continuing to be the inspirational person that he is and is currently preparing to go back home for the holidays while waiting for his acceptance letter into the study abroad summer program.