MARTIN, Tennessee – At first glance, Luke Winters is your typical successful University of Tennessee at Martin graduating senior – a Martin native with a 3.5 grade point average, engaged in a variety of extracurricular activities and well-liked by his peers. In fact, he’s a bit of an overachiever, earning Bachelor of Science degrees in both Business Administration (accounting) and Agricultural Business, Magna Cum Laude.
According to a press release from Nathan Morgan – Office of University Relations – The University of Tennessee at Martin – you would never guess Luke had four life-threatening brain surgeries before he entered kindergarten.
“We thought he may have been deaf,” said his mother, UT Martin Nursing Assistant Professor Dr. Susan Cramer Winters. “You’d slam a door near him and he wouldn’t flinch.”
Scans showed that Luke was born with hydrocephalus, a chronic neurological condition caused by an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid around the brain. CSF has many functions in the human body; it surrounds the brain and spinal cord and acts as a protective cushion against injury. It also provides nutrients and proteins that aids in the brain’s normal functioning, and carries waste products away from surrounding tissues.
Hydrocephalus occurs when there is an imbalance between the amount of CSF that is produced and the rate at which it is absorbed. The CSF builds up, causing the brain’s ventricles to enlarge and the pressure inside the head to increase. The condition affects more than 1 million Americans, ranging from infants and older children to older and middle-aged adults, as well as seniors.
Typically, those with hydrocephalus display a disproportionately large head, caused by the pressure of the CSF against the cranium. In Luke’s case, he was relatively fortunate to have been diagnosed in infancy.
“Luke was lucky in that he was young enough that his skull was still somewhat malleable,” Susan said. “People who are diagnosed later in life have a lot more damage because the skull is already fully formed.”
Once a death sentence, hydrocephalus is now treated surgically through the insertion of an internal shunt from the brain to the abdomen, providing for release of excess fluid. But while technology has extended the life of hydrocephalus patients, that life is not easy. The condition
affects fine motor skills, making simple tasks like buttoning a coat or holding a fork a difficult procedure. Balance is also affected; Luke was 18 years old before he could fully ride a bicycle.
“He had physical therapy twice a week for three years and could not stand on one leg,” Susan recalled. “With the bicycle, he just persisted – he would just try and try and one day, we looked out the window and he was motoring down the street. He just keeps trying until he gets it.”
That persistence has aided Luke throughout his entire life, from playing soccer and golf in high school, to earning a Spanish language scholarship, to learning how to drive.
“There’s nothing wrong with Luke’s IQ,” Susan said. “He’s undergone some very strenuous neuropsychological evaluations. He’s very smart, but his processing speed is slow. Something that another kid gets right away, it takes him a little while to process it.”
Instead of getting discouraged, Luke has learned to adapt, finding alternate approaches to a situation. This makes him an excellent employee in UT Martin’s Office of Career Planning and Development, where Luke meets with students as a career peer educator.
“Luke is a visionary,” said Kameron Echols, CPAD assistant director and Luke’s supervisor. “He is able to look at the bigger picture, and he is able to figure out the best way to talk to a student who might not be able to articulate what they want to say.”
Admittedly, Luke said he has a certain affinity for helping those freshmen and sophomores who come to the CPAD not knowing what to do next.
“I switched majors a few times at UT Martin, and I definitely can relate to those people who come in that need to find some focus in what they want to do as a major, or as a profession,” Luke said. “I have a lot of diverse interests and situational experiences that have helped me grow and helped my problem-solving skills.”
As president of the UT Martin College Democrats, Luke started a podcast to keep the group active under the COVID-19 pandemic when meeting in person was not possible. In his work with the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences student organization, Luke organized a quiz bowl team that competed nationally and presented at a conference.
“He’s a great organizer,” said Dr. Annie Jones, CPAD career counselor and MANRRS advisor. “He’s easy to talk to, intelligent and charismatic. You naturally feel very comfortable with him, whether you’re a student or faculty member. He just has a natural ability to put people at ease and bring out the best in them.”
As an agricultural business student, Luke led a student-centered marketing project with the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team. The NBA organization was looking to expand their marketing to appeal to Tennessee’s rural agricultural communities.
(PHOTO: Luke Winters – courtesy Nathan Morgan – Office of University Relations – The University of Tennessee at Martin)
