ACCESS Awards

Nominate your accessibility champion!

About The Access Award

The ACCESS (Advocating Campus Change for Equitable and Supportive Solutions) award recognizes employees who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to creating an accessible and welcoming campus experience and/or environment for individuals with disabilities. Through advocacy, innovation, mentorship, and leadership, recipients of this award help ensure that all University community members, regardless of ability, can thrive.

Disability Resources and Services will present the annual ACCESS awards in October as part of their programming for National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

2024 ACCESS award winner Tom Armstrong with members of the DRS staff and Pitt community
During October 2024, DRS gave out its first-ever ACCESS Award to Tom Armstrong, diversity recruiting and transition consultant in the Office of Human Resources.

Who We Celebrate

ACCESS Award recipients are champions of:

  • Advocacy: Elevating the voices and rights of individuals with disabilities
  • Innovation: Finding creative solutions to remove barriers and enhance inclusion
  • Mentorship: Guiding and empowering others to reach their full potential
  • Leadership: Driving systemic change that cultivates a more accessible campus culture

Whether through quiet acts of support or transformative organizational change, these employees set the standard for what it means to build a truly inclusive campus environment.

Nominate a Campus Champion

Each year, Disability Resources and Services grants ACCESS awards in two areas of focus:

  • One employee will be recognized for their contributions to the workplace environment for fellow employees with disabilities.
  • One employee will be recognized for their contributions to the campus and/or academic experience for students with disabilities.

You are invited to nominate someone you think deserves this recognition. Only employees (faculty and staff) are eligible to be nominated, but any Pitt community member (faculty, staff, and students) is welcome to submit a nomination form.

Deadline for nominations is Sept. 25, 2026

Criteria

Award recipients are selected based on the following criteria:

  • Commitment to Accessibility
  • Leadership in Promoting Disability Inclusion
  • Mentorship & Support of Individuals with Disabilities
  • Measurable Contributions & Impact

Eligibility

  • Must be a Pitt employee
  • Nomination must be submitted by a member of the Pitt community
  • Last year’s winner(s) are not eligible
  • Self-nominations are accepted

Nomination Process and Deadline

  • The nomination window will open August 2026
  • The deadline for nominations will be Friday, September 25, 2026, 11:59PM EST
  • Award recipients will be announced October 2026
  • Questions? Contact Disability Resources and Services at (412) 648-7890 or drsrecep@pitt.edu