VANCOUVER, Wash. – “Murderball” star and Paralympics gold medalist Mark Zupan will speak at Washington State University Vancouver’s Spring Marquee Diversity event at 7 p.m. March 7 in the Firstenburg Student Commons. Hosted by Student Diversity, the event is free and open to registered guests on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, visit .
Held semiannually, Â鶹´«Ă˝â€™s Marquee Diversity event features nationally recognized speakers and performers with the goal of bringing issues of diversity, social justice and multiculturalism to the community. A committee composed of students and staff chooses the event speakers for fall and spring.
Bola Majekobaje, assistant director of Student Diversity, believes Mark Zupan brings an important component of diversity to this year’s event.
“Disability is clearly an aspect of diversity that we want to continue to address on campus,” said Majekobaje. “Not just the disabilities that can be seen, but those that cannot be seen as well.”
Growing up playing both soccer and varsity high school football, Zupan found his sports-driven lifestyle challenged after a car accident during college left him paralyzed. Fighting quadriplegia, Zupan soldiered on after the accident—graduating from Georgia Tech and becoming a civil engineer.
Zupan continued to stay active in sports, enlisting in quad rugby league soon after the accident. Zupan’s fierce determination and positive mindset helped propel him to a string of successes including becoming a two-time quad rugby national champion, earning the title of 2004 quad rugby player of the year, winning an Olympic quad rugby bronze medal and becoming spokesman for Team USA.
Janae Teal, a Student Diversity Office staff member, views Zupan’s story as an inspiration to others.
“Zupan pushes people to rethink the definition of athlete,” said Teal. “He does this by asking us to look beyond his visible disability in order to fully understand the extent of his capabilities. By showing us that there is more than one way to be a man, more than one way to be differently able and more than one way to be an athlete, Zupan expands our definition of ability.”
A hard-edged motivator who destroys stereotypes about people with spinal cord injuries, Zupan gained further national recognition after starring in the 2005 documentary “Murderball.” Featuring Zupan and his team’s journey to the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece, the film chronicles quadriplegic rugby both on and off the court. The film reveals the fast-moving competitors as they grapple, defend and attack each other on the court, as well as the challenges and accomplishments of their disabilities off the courts.
Â鶹´«Ă˝ is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave., east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205 and is accessible via C-Tran bus service. Parking is free after 7 p.m.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Bola Majekobaje, Student Diversity, 360-546-9568, majekoba@vancouver.wsu.edu
Brenda Alling, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360-546-9601, brenda_alling@vancouver.wsu.edu