Conner Howell is a Troy University student.

Conner Howell is a Broadcast Journalism Major.

Conner Howell is blind.

“Unfortunately I was born with a visual impairment,” says Howell. “My eyes had too much oxygen at birth so it allowed me to be blind unfortunately. However this has presented a lot of challenges but I’ve fortunately had a supportive family who has pushed me and allowed me to not give up although there’s been a few hardships I try to make the best out of myself as what I can.”

Even though he lives with a disability, Conner uses technology to his advantage to function as your everyday college student.

Using an iPhone with built-in software for the blind or visually impaired he is able to navigate all things a smartphone has to offer.

“It reads to me everything that’s on the screen,” says Howell. “It speaks it to me so I can still navigate the phone. I can use apps and use social media and messaging and things like that so I’m still able to stay in communication with people because you know technology is a must these days.”

“In his free time, Conner volunteers at Troy Public Radio. Using a Bluetooth braille machine that links to his phone he can read the news and deliver the weather forecast to its listeners.

“I’ve always liked listening to the radio,” says Howell. “I grew up listening to the radio every morning. You know that was just kind of like my thing that’s what I did. Like most people they watch TV, my thing was radio, you know I couldn’t see the TV.”

For the full story watch Claudia’s report.