Sweeney was cited for the honor as a result of his support and work with Linda Pall, a professor of Business Law at WSU who suffers the daily challenge of living with PAH, a rare pulmonary disorder.
Pall said she credits Sweeney’s outlook and approach to her condition for her continuing success in achieving a full life through her teaching.
“The privilege of teaching young minds and challenging them about the love of my life, the law, is something that propels my reason for being. John makes it more than possible to continue with these efforts. He makes it meaningful, encouraging, and on most days, fun.”
PAH is a rare blood vessel disorder in which the pressure in the pulmonary artery (the blood vessel that leads from the heart to the lungs) rises above normal levels. Potentially life threatening, the disorder includes symptoms such as shortness of breath with minimal exertion, fatigue, chest pain, dizzy spells and fainting.
Pall said Sweeney’s ability to see beyond her condition and focus on her as an individual and to commit assistance and support to her needs serves as an example to all leaders in accommodating employees who live with disabilities and illness.
In addition to teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in Business Law at WSU, Pall operates a private law practice in Moscow, Idaho.
