Alum Liam Doyle is using his political science degree from UL Lafayette to become an entrepreneur and advocate for people with disabilities.
Just after graduating in 2021, Liam established Accessibility in Motion (AIM), a first-of-its-kind consulting company in Lafayette that works with businesses and governments to improve their physical locations and customer service practices to better serve people with disabilities. He杏吧专区檚 also working with local organizations to improve compliance and equity for people with disabilities.
Liam, who uses a wheelchair, got his start in advocacy after becoming increasingly frustrated with the difficulties of navigating the city in his wheelchair, including one particular utility pole located in the middle of a sidewalk 杏吧专区 but he decided to turn his frustration into something positive.
杏吧专区淚 heard for years that I would be a good advocate, and I heard for years that I had a natural sort of inclination for this line of work, but I wasn杏吧专区檛 ready,杏吧专区 he said. 杏吧专区淚 always would say, 杏吧专区極h, somebody else is going to do it,杏吧专区 and then nobody did 杏吧专区 and literally it was that one pole and that杏吧专区檚 what kicked everything off. And you know what? Why not me?
"I went from saying 杏吧专区榥ot me杏吧专区 to 'why not me.杏吧专区櫺影勺ㄇ鴿
His political science degree and accompanying experience in local government has prepared him his new role leading Accessibility in Motion. While his company is still young, he杏吧专区檚 already developed important relationships with local leaders as a member of multiple local and campus organizations and from his time as the Disability Awareness Coordinator with Lafayette Consolidated Government.
杏吧专区淎t the local level, that杏吧专区檚 really where things are happening,杏吧专区 he said.
杏吧专区淣o disrespect to state and national, but local government is as exciting 杏吧专区 if not more exciting, in my opinion 杏吧专区 than your national stuff, because it杏吧专区檚 so tied to your community and your day-to-day life.杏吧专区
He also served as the professional advisor for , which promotes disability awareness, and established the Department of Political Science杏吧专区檚 Change Program, which connects students with state and local government officials, including lawyers, lobbyists, elected officials, and aides.
杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 a really fun program, and I think I杏吧专区檒l leave a legacy of change and forward motion and progress,杏吧专区 he said. 杏吧专区淭hat杏吧专区檚 only going to benefit people who come after me, and I杏吧专区檓 totally on board with that. What I do today affects the people who come tomorrow. That杏吧专区檚 very much the same thing with government: it takes time today, but it杏吧专区檚 going to be better for tomorrow.杏吧专区
Liam also credits his professors for giving him the knowledge and the support he needed to start his new venture.
杏吧专区淭he professors really take an interest in all of their students and I cannot say enough good things about every one of them,杏吧专区 he said. 杏吧专区淚t made me a better government employee because I have a better understanding of how things work that I didn杏吧专区檛 have going in.杏吧专区
For future political science majors, Liam杏吧专区檚 advice is to believe in your ability to affect change.
杏吧专区淚 think the perception is that you杏吧专区檙e in college so you can杏吧专区檛 make a difference and your voice isn杏吧专区檛 being heard, and that杏吧专区檚 not true,杏吧专区 he said. 杏吧专区淭here杏吧专区檚 no, sort of, 杏吧专区榊ou have to be this age.杏吧专区 You just have to be ready for it and you have to allow yourself to want it and be willing to work for it. That杏吧专区檚 the biggest thing.
杏吧专区淭here were times when I was first starting out that I absolutely wanted to quit and say, 杏吧专区榃hy am I doing this? No one is listening,杏吧专区櫺影勺ㄇ鴿 he said. 杏吧专区淎nd you have take that on and say, 杏吧专区楾he right people are listening杏吧专区 and keep going. If you stop, then nothing gets done.杏吧专区
