Growing up in central New Jersey, Tori Cedar and her father ran along trails in nearby Holmdel Park. Her father, Tom Cedar, always wore a bandanna and would yell, “Watch out for the rocks and roots, Tor.”

The saying applied to more than the physical rocks and roots on the ground in front of her, and the words stretched farther than the speed bumps and roadblocks along the trails.

“Rocks and roots” functions as a metaphor for Cedar’s life as a senior at Syracuse University. Her father had always worked his hardest, working three jobs at one point, to ensure his family had all the opportunities they wanted. When he was in his mid-20s, Tom bought the house the family still lives in today.

Cedar keeps her father’s dedication at the forefront of her mind in her current endeavors. The “rocks and roots” remind her of him, her childhood and her home, all of which drive her as a leader. The psychology and communication sciences and disorders major leads three organizations, two of which are on campus and student-run. And as Cedar has grown at SU, so too have the clubs she runs.

“This is truly all for him,” Cedar said. “He is a huge part of why I do this. I think to never forget where you come from, your rocks and roots. They’ll always tie us to home.”

Cedar plans to get her doctorate degree in psychology. She wants to work in a hospital, then in a school district, then as a professor. She is the first of her 11 cousins, or “siblings” as her family refers to them, to go to graduate school and get her doctorate.

Her parents said they’re unable to wrap their heads around her wanting to continue her education post-graduation, Cedar said, because neither went to college themselves. This drives her education.

Three years ago, Cedar walked through the SU career fair as a freshman. She already knew where she wanted to be. She jotted her name down on the Disability Student Union list and hit the ground running.

Angel Winston, a senior at the time, was the senior peer trainer of Inclusive U, an SU program that gives collegiate opportunities to students with disabilities. Cedar said Winston told her she would be a quality addition in one of their programs, called “Peer2Peer,” which is where students are paired one-to-one with students with disabilities.

Cedar was paired with Delvon Waller, who she now considers one of her best friends. She now leads the Peer2Peer program within Inclusive U. Cedar, the senior peer mentor, pairs students at SU with students with disabilities, just like she was paired as a freshman.

“Inequality is the thing that burns that fire for me,” Cedar said.

After her freshman year, Cedar became a summer counselor at PALS, which stands for Peer Assistance and Leadership. PALS counselors are paired with a young adult with Down syndrome. After two summers, she is now one of three directors and will continue in 2018. “This is our place” is the camp’s motto.

“It’s a phrase to me that speaks volumes in a world where a lot of these disabilities may not feel accepted,” Cedar said. “They 100 percent should have the same opportunities that I should.”

Not only does “our place” mean a literal place, but Cedar said she feels it’s her place in the world to make a difference.

“Tori Cedar embodies a person too good for this world,” said sophomore Tyler Smith. “Whether she knows it or not, she releases some of the most genuine, loving and passionate energy into this world. Within OttoTHON, Inclusive U and Camp PALS, she advocates for inclusivity without boundaries and she’s never afraid to do what is right — and that speaks volumes to how incredible of a human she is.”

Cedar’s third organization is OttoTHON, a 12-hour dance marathon at SU. It is intended to raise money for children who are in the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. This year’s OttoTHON was held Nov. 5 in Schine Student Center. Cedar serves on the executive board as the club’s external director.

When she first started, the executive board created the “alumni chair” position for her. Cedar was given a list of alumni to call. One was Rob Long, an SU alumnus and former Syracuse football player who had brain cancer in 2010. Cedar called and asked him to contribute.

Because of Cedar’s efforts, Long now serves as a role model in OttoTHON. He recently drove from his home in the Philadelphia area to speak at this year’s OttoTHON, which has raised several hundred thousand dollars over the past three years.

“She leaves her mark on everything she does. I don’t know of a single group she’s been a part of that isn’t remarkably better for her being a part of it,” said junior Justin Bachman, Cedar’s mentee from Orange Seeds, a freshman community service organization.

Bachman, who met Cedar when she was a sophomore, said he’s always amazed when Cedar takes on another task and uses the dedication she promised herself she would always have.

Cedar said: “I will do everything I can possible as a human being to ensure that this world is more accessible and inclusive and gives better opportunity to those who might have that opportunity taken away from them or might have been told they couldn’t do something.”

Published on December 3, 2017 at 9:55 pm

Contact Alexandra: amoreo@syr.edu