Riverside, Calif., June, 2000--Among the more than 260 students graduating this weekend at La Sierra University, few have stories more compelling than Janni Petrofsky.

A violent tragedy confined her to a wheelchair more than 20 years ago. But since than, the 40-year-old Petrovska has led a life marked by undaunted courage and inspiring achievement. Millions of Americans became familiar with her life and her life's work from airings on "60 Minutes," "Donahue," "Good Morning America," and well as articles in People magazine, Time, Newsweek, Discover and Scientific American.

And after achieving national prominence through her medical research on behalf of paraplegics and quadriplegics, Petrovska stepped out of the limelight to pursue a biology degree at La Sierra University.

When she receives her undergraduate diploma on Sunday, June 18, it will be more than just the fulfillment of academic requirements for a bachelor of science degree in biology. Petrovska will be one step closer to her lifelong dream to be a physician. In the fall, she begins work toward a medical degree at Loma Linda University.

In the late 1970s, Petrovska attended the University of Houston where she took classes in preparation for medical school. While her academic goals were shaped by her dream to be a physician, her personal life was marked by athletic endeavor. An amateur athlete, she was involved in tennis, scuba diving, running. The Texas-native was also a holder of amateur snow skiing medals and a water skiing record. But in her early 20s, while training for the Honolulu Marathon, Petrovska was shot four times in the back. The bullets severed her spinal chord and left her paralyzed from the chest down.

Determined to rebound from this devastating tragedy, Petrovska got involved in athletics and volunteer work. She became a scuba diver with the Handicapped Scuba Association, a wheelchair tennis player and eventually one of the fastest women in the world in wheelchair marathons, winning more than a dozen competitions.

But her national prominence would come through her work with the Petrofsky Center, a medical facility that did pioneering research on behalf of paralyzed individuals. Petrovska and Dr. Jerrold Petrofsky developed a process called "computer-controlled electrical stimulation." With a small computer that sent a series of electric charges to muscles, people at the Petrofsky Center exercise paralyzed muscles and, in some cases, even walk again. During much of the 1980s and 1990s, Janni Petrovska was the center's most public spokesperson and one its more successful research subjects. After appearances on CBS's "60 Minutes" and "Good Morning America," Petrovska traveled around the country for speaking engagements and media interviews.

In 1995, Loma Linda University approached Petrovska, a registered nurse, about teaching in its Physical Therapy Department. Though she had extensive experience in the field through her work at the center, Petrovska recognized that she would need more training before she could consider teaching. In 1996, she started at La Sierra University as a pre-physical therapy student. While at the university, she refocused on her life dream to be a doctor, one she has held since she was a young girl.

So she said the decision to change from pre-physical therapy to pre-med was an easy one. Not so easy was attending school full time while dealing with challenges associated with ongoing medical research, litigation associated with her injuries, and all the normal complications that go with being an adult student. Through it all, Petrovska prevailed and will graduate summa cum laude. "I found La Sierra to be a very nurturing environment and all of my professors were unfailingly supportive and understanding of my schedule," Petrovska said. She gave particular credit to her academic advisor, Marvin Payne, an associate professor of chemistry.

Consistent with her life work, she wants to work in physical medicine and rehabilitation. But even more than the high platform of service that medical training allows, Petrovska said she wants to continue to offer inspiration to paralyzed individuals that meaningful life does not have to end in with tragedy.

"Life is a gift, and I've never stopped feeling this way. When I was shot, I told God that if I made it through, I would do everything I could to serve Him by serving other people."

Though she will not walk across the platform to receive her diploma from La Sierra University, the achievement does mean that Janni Petrovska is one step closer to medical school ² and one step closer to lifelong dream.