ATHENS —  Robert Pleasant, the coordinator of the  Student Success Center and College Credit Plus and coordinator of Diversity & Inclusion at Ohio University Southern was recently honored at the 2017 University College Honors Ceremony.

The event was hosted by the Athena Cinema in Athens on April 19 and Pleasant was presented with the 2017 Accessibility All Award for his efforts in being an advocate to keep disability and accessibility a central consideration at OUS.

According to a news release from the school, Pleasant almost always has someone sitting outside of his office door waiting to speak to him.

The university said Pleasant “is always looking for ways to educate the campus community about how we can welcome everyone to the table. This passion for what he does often makes Pleasant a busy man, but he balances it with ease.”

“Robert is a true champion for making sure that our campus is serving all students to the very best of our ability,” Dr. Nicole Pennington, the dean of Ohio University Southern, said. “He is a strong student advocate and is always looking for ways to improve access and service to students.”

Dr. Carey Busch, assistant dean for Student Accessibility at Ohio University said that she was personally very excited that Robert was one of our first recipients.

“I have had the pleasure of partnering with him for several years and have greatly appreciated his proactive approach to accessibility,” Busch said. “I think the support that he provides to our office at the Southern Campus as well as his work to keep disability as a part of the diversity conversation has led to a culture that will allow for students with disabilities to experience greater inclusion in the community and better support their success.”

The Accessibility Ally Award recognizes members of the Ohio University community who approach their work with students in a way that is inclusive of all abilities and supports the success and persistence of students with disabilities.