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UNC freshman with dwarfism navigates campus life

There’s a Logan way to do that.

Freshman Logan Gin sees his life as normal — he just has to find creative ways to do some things that others typically don’t think twice about.

At 3’11” — or, as he likes to say, 4 feet on a good day — Gin lives with the challenge of dwarfism. Eight surgeries have enabled him to walk independently, and he uses a motorized scooter to get around campus.

“All my life, I’ve just been doing the Logan way of doing things — doing what anyone else would in a different way,” Gin said. “Ninety-nine percent of my college experience is going to be the same.”

A first-generation college student, Gin chose UNC over Ohio State University, which is only 10 minutes from his Columbus home.

“It was a tough decision, but I told myself it’s an opportunity,” he said.

Gin was overwhelmed when he arrived on campus. The long uphill hike from South Campus, which freshmen often complain about, would have been a different type of challenge for Gin. He said he feels lucky to have landed a room in Connor Residence Hall on North Campus — where his roommate is 6’4”.

“All his stuff’s up high, and all my stuff’s down low. We work it out,” Gin laughed.

At UNC, Gin is co-chairman of Advocates for Carolina, which raises awareness for students with disabilities, and is involved with the humanitarian relief group Global Brigades.

But his real passion is in sports, which he has always loved to watch, coach and manage.

Gin was a manager and statistician for his high school’s track and soccer teams, which brought him closer to his older brother Evan.

“He was always out there playing, and I was always giving him the critical eye from a coach’s perspective,” Logan Gin said. “He’s been there for me since I was born.”

Evan Gin, who is now a senior at the University of Toledo in Ohio, said life hasn’t been easy for Logan.

“He had to sit out on a couple of things,” Evan Gin said. “There was a time in his life when he got kind of down.”

Evan Gin said he admires his brother’s courage and work ethic.

“It shows throughout his schoolwork,” he said. “He’s really smart, always trying to get A’s.”

Though Logan Gin has never been able to play sports with his peers, his dream is to work in the field through sports medicine.

“My orthopedic surgeon is actually a little person himself. He’s someone I can really look up to,” Logan Gin said. “Even though I don’t actually look up to him.”

While he works toward that goal, Logan Gin is navigating the everyday difficulties of college life with his signature determination and creativity.

He said logistics — from the setup of CCI printers to lecture hall layouts — tend to be his biggest challenge.

“There are little things you could complain about all day,” he said. “Things aren’t thought through all the way.”

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UNC offers a P2P shuttle service that disability students can call for rides across campus, but Gin said it’s too unreliable to use regularly.

“It could be here in 10 minutes, or it could be here in 15 to 20 minutes,” he said. “I have had to wait upwards of 20 or 25 minutes. You’re kind of playing a game.”

Gin said he thinks the system could be improved with a mobile app that tracks how far away the shuttle is, in order to predict its arrival.

Director of Accessibility Resources and Service Tiffany Bailey said she hears concerns about the system two or three times a semester, and then she relays the feedback to the Department of Public Safety.

Evan Gin said there is simply no solution to some problems Logan faces, like reaching items too high on a shelf.

“It’s not possible to put a stool in every (grocery store) aisle,” he said. “But if (Logan) wants something, he’ll figure out a way to get it somehow.”

Evan Gin said people who are curious about someone with a disability should ask.

“People come up to me to ask about him, and I always say, ‘Go talk to him. He’s right there.’” Evan Gin said.

Logan Gin said he wants to take advantage of the stares he gets in public to inspire people who face similar challenges.

“I’m someone who is going to stick out, that people will look at,” he said. “When people see me … I’m doing just what they’re doing.”

Freshman Osarumwense Onaiwu, a close friend of Logan Gin’s who also attends UNC, said he is always impressed by his friend’s positivity and determination.

“Him being able to work past his disability and achieve great things is what makes me admire him,” Onaiwu said. “I don’t see his disability as a barrier.”

university@dailytarheel.com

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