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Carly Verbeke was an outstanding student known for her “incredible sense of humor and a wickedly precise sense of irony,” according to her colleagues at ASU. Verbeke had earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, English and Justice and Social Inquiry. She was working on a Master’s in English and JSI when she died unexpectedly in 2020 at the age of 24. Verbeke was working on the prospectus for her MA applied project when she died. She was studying representations of disability in children’s literature and had already written a children’s book that offered a more well-rounded representation of the lives of children with disabilities. Her scholarship and activism had taken her to the Arizona House of Representatives, where she served as a legal intern. Upon her death, the House passed a resolution recognizing her contributions to promoting disability rights and accessibility issues. “Carly believed being in a wheelchair gave her a great perspective on life, and altruism was something she became known for,” the resolution says. “Giving generously of her time and talents, Carly served as a nonpartisan research intern for the Arizona House of Representatives in 2019, significantly influencing accessibility improvements to better accommodate others with disabilities. “Known for her intelligence, kindness and resilience, Carly gained the well-deserved reputation as a capable and dedicated intern who helped the other interns flourish,” the resolution reads. To honor Verbeke and continue her advocacy on behalf of disabled students, her colleagues at ASU created the Carly T. Verbeke Memorial Scholarship for students pursuing disability studies, a course of study that she helped shape.