Jackie Burns – The Untold Path of Recovery
Student at Bowling Green State University
Resilient, Empathetic, Leader
Jackie Burns is a real-life Iron Man. While most high school graduates spend the summer packing for college, Jackie underwent a 14-level spinal fusion surgery to correct a rare back disease. She spent her summer re-learning how to move, sit, and walk. Her disease may have knocked her off her planned path, but Jackie says this humbling experience has enriched her life in ways she never imagined.
She is a junior at Bowling Green State University with a double major; a Bachelor of the Arts in Music with an emphasis on Opera Performance and Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies. On campus she leads a Christian Movement called Cru. She is the emcee for campus wide meetings on Thursday nights. Jackie is also involved in the College of Musical Arts Opera Theater Department and will frequently perform in their shows. MUTS is an on campus musical theater organization with a purpose toward engaging the community for professional development and performance experiences. She is also a paid vocalist at Trinity United Methodist Church and works for a local children’s theater company called Horizon Youth Theater where she teaches various classes and workshops.
