# Nonverbal journalism student finds his voice at University of Kentucky  
**Published:** 2026-05-05T01:15:44.000Z  
**Source:** [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/student-news/writing-his-way-forward)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/nonverbal-journalism-student-finds-his-voice-at-university-of-kentucky

[Brayden Scott, a first-generation college student with cerebral palsy from London, Kentucky](https://uknow.uky.edu/student-news/writing-his-way-forward), has demonstrated that disability does not define ability. [The University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media student](https://ci.uky.edu/jam) will graduate [from UK](https://www.uky.edu/) this week with a bachelor's degree in journalism, marking a significant achievement for a nonverbal communicator who navigates campus using a wheelchair.

Scott credits his success to a combination of personal determination and institutional support. [London is the county seat of Laurel County](https://22-1), a small community about 75 miles south of Lexington where Scott grew up. He initially hesitated about leaving home for college, but his early passion for writing, nurtured by high school teachers, ultimately guided his decision to pursue higher education.

"I had never been away from home, but I couldn't let the fear of what might happen let nothing happen," Scott said in a recent interview. His commitment to written communication became his signature strength, allowing him to excel as a copy editor at the Kentucky Kernel, the student-run news organization. Editor-in-chief Giana Gallo praised Scott's contributions, calling him "the MVP of the Kernel" and noting that "he joined the staff with a mission to become the best copy editor in our history, and in my mind, he has absolutely achieved that."

Assistant Professor Jen Smith, who taught Scott in his introductory journalism course, was struck by the clarity and power of his writing voice. "He's a student who has no verbal voice, but he has such a strong, clear writing voice," Smith said. Scott's response to receiving that feedback was characteristic of his direct, determined approach: "Writing is all I have."

The journalism faculty went beyond traditional classroom instruction to ensure Scott's success. Smith worked with colleagues Allyson DeVito and David Stephenson to make the program as accessible as possible. DeVito coordinated with the UK Disability Resource Center to secure specialized equipment compatible with Scott's wheelchair. Stephenson connected with Scott through a drone journalism class, discovering that Scott is an accomplished drone pilot as well.

Beyond academic support, Scott credits the community he found at UK for making him feel genuinely valued. "The whole journalism department made me feel at home," he said. "From the moment I took my Journalism 101 class with Jen Smith, I felt that I was where I belonged."

Scott noted that his experience at UK contrasted sharply with earlier periods in his life, when people often conflated his physical disability with intellectual limitations. "They don't recognize the fact that I'm not intellectually handicapped. They just see that I have a physical disability and make assumptions," he said. "My professors never saw my disability. They only saw my potential as a writer."

Looking ahead, Scott plans to pursue a career in motorsports journalism, combining his editorial skills with a lifelong family passion for automotive racing. His journey from a small Kentucky town to graduation this week demonstrates that strong journalism, like strong storytelling, depends on precision, accuracy and voice—regardless of how that voice is expressed.

## Sources

- [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/student-news/writing-his-way-forward)
- [University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information - School of Journalism and Media](https://ci.uky.edu/jam)
- [City of London, Kentucky official website](https://www.londonky.gov/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from University of Kentucky News, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://uknow.uky.edu/student-news/writing-his-way-forward.