Michael Malinowski, a former student and campus accessibility advocate, died of a heart attack June 17 while giving a presentation on Web site accessibility. Malinowski served as the coordinator for the Disabilities Advocacy Cultural Association (DACA) during the 2006-07 academic year.
Malinowski, 42, worked on several projects around campus, including what could become a Disabilities Studies minor for PSU, as well as a program that would construct a solar-powered wheelchair recharging station on campus.
His friend of over three years, Doo Joon Chung, said Malinowski “was very angry when he felt injustices.” When Malinowski was not fighting for accessibility he would often joke about politics and enjoyed the work of Benny Hill and Monty Python.
“He was very funny,” Chung said.
ASPSU President and former DACA Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator Hannah Fisher said, “A lot of projects that I was working on, he started.”
Fisher met him when trying to throw an event and found that access was extremely limited. Malinowski provided assistance in making the event more accessible. The experience working with Malinowski led to Fisher’s involvement with DACA.
“Michael was the definition of a true activist,” Fisher said.
Malinowski continued to visit the campus and help inspire students such as Fisher.
For the past six months, Malinowski had been working at Independent Living Resources (ILR) on the Work Incentive Network to help people with disabilities to understand what their options were.
Jeanne McClellan, ILR associate director for programs and volunteer coordinator, said Malinowski was a “very passionate, dedicated activist.”
A celebration of Malinowski’s life is being planned for July 20 in the Smith Ballroom. Polly Livingston, the assistant director of the Undergraduate Advising and Support Center, is helping plan the event and said in an e-mail that she thinks the celebration will be held at 2 p.m.