Widener University is pleased to announce that Rebecca Ross, director of the Office of Student Accessibility Services, has been honored with the 2026 Julie E. Wollman Endowed Award for Inclusion and Belonging. 

The award was made possible as part of a $100,000 gift to the university by Wollman, the immediate past president of Widener, and her husband Dan L. King. It annually recognizes an employee who engages in advocacy and efforts in support of inclusion and belonging, demonstrates an exceptionally high level of commitment to those principles, and works to enhance the success of underrepresented groups at the university. 

Ross joined the Widener staff in 2015 as assistant director of the Student Accessibility Services. She was promoted to director in 2018. The office provides services to students with learning, physical, sensory and psychological disabilities. It serves as a campus advocate to ensure all students have equal access to academic programs and other aspects of campus life. Through this work, Ross has helped remove barriers, expanded access and equipped faculty and staff with practical tools to support students. She is known for leading with care, excellence and accountability.

“Rebecca turns Widener’s values of belonging and inclusion into measurable, lasting improvements for students and colleagues,” said Micki Davis, vice president of inclusion and belonging. Davis announced the award May 5 at a university town hall meeting for faculty and staff.

Some of Ross’ accomplishments include:

• Delivering visible, structural belonging improvements by advancing the audit and expansion of all-gender bathrooms across multiple university buildings.

• Expanding resources through external funding by securing grant support for assistive technology and accessibility-related improvements.

• Strengthening well-being as a condition for belonging through her work co-chairing Widener’s JED Foundation partnership efforts, and helping coordinate initiatives that support student mental health and well-being.

• Building campus-wide learning for inclusive practices by co-facilitating Widener’s Center for Teaching and Learning Inclusion & Belonging Learning Circle experiences and creating shared resources and that have helped her colleagues translate learning into action.

“Rebecca’s leadership has moved inclusion and belonging from intention to action at Widener,” Davis said. “Because of her work, more people can access our spaces, our learning environments are becoming more inclusive, and our campus has stronger tools and partnerships to support student success and wellbeing.”

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