Wright State University today will recognize a “courageous” young woman who for three years pursued a bachelor’s degree even as a neurological disease rendered her deaf, legally blind and bound to a wheelchair.

When Samantha Laux is honored at the fall graduation ceremony, her service dog, a golden retriever named Dylan, will walk across the stage to accept her posthumous degree in psychology.

“It will be a very inspirational moment,” said Wright State University President David Hopkins.

“I think Sam taught all of us what it means to be courageous. What she accomplished in such a short 23 years was, I think, more than most people do in their lifetime because of her courage to try new things and follow her dreams,” he said. “She just focused on all of her abilities and not her disability.”

Laux’s condition, known as NF2, forced her to leave Wright State in 2010 before finishing her degree. Still, her father, Chris Laux, said she was proud of what she accomplished there. Laux had a 3.155 grade point average, she was independent and she was among the first to participate in a study-abroad program in Switzerland.

She was the driving force behind establishing an on-campus park for service dogs, named the Wingerd Service Dog Park to honor her family’s donation. Wingerd is the maiden name of her mother, Gail.

“She was really passionate about it,” Chris Laux said, adding it was a safe place for his daughter and Dylan to enjoy playtime.

Laux also wrote children’s books and read them in schools. Her first, “A Dog’s Job,” is about the work Dylan did for her.

Chris Laux said his daughter and Dylan, who is now 8, had an “instantaneous” bond so strong it was promoted by Assistance Dogs of America Inc., the organization they received Dylan from in 2008.

Dylan was with Laux every day on campus, barking loudly when she needed help, retrieving items and comforting her, said friend Megan Goettemoeller, who learned sign language to work with Laux.

Goettemoeller said Laux was funny, witty, kind and compassionate.

Chris Laux said his daughter never let her illness define her. “It was more about what was inside her and inside her heart than what was going on outside in her physical body,” he said.

After Laux passed away in June, a memorial was held at her dog park and a scholarship was established in her name at Wright State. The endowment has grown through donations to $30,000 and benefited its first student this year, according to Wright State.

Chris Laux said it was difficult on his daughter when she had to leave school, so today as she is awarded the degree, it will be with a lot of pride in what she accomplished.

“It’s just really hard to find the appropriate words to show our appreciation,” he said.

Hopkins said the students and staff of Wright State will never forget her spirit and determination.

“In spite of the challenges she had, she truly loved life.”