Everyone Deserves to Thrive

Nationwide, about 20% of undergraduate students and nearly 11% of graduate students report having a disability, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Villanova’s numbers reflect this trend—and the growing awareness that not all disabilities are visible. Many of these students are navigating college with disabilities that aren’t immediately obvious, so they are commonly referred to as “invisible” or “non-apparent” disabilities. At Villanova, the number of students receiving disability support has nearly tripled in the past 10 years and continues to grow.

The work of Learning Support Services (LSS) exemplifies Villanova’s approach to supporting every student. The office is leading the way in ensuring that all Villanovans have what they need to succeed academically. While LSS offers specialized support mostly for students with cognitive disabilities, its services are available to any student seeking academic guidance or strategies for success.

Established in 1999, this Villanova office offers students innovative practices and programs crucial for achieving their goals. “Anyone on my staff will tell you it’s a privilege to guide and support students from Orientation to Commencement,” says Nicole Subik, MSEd, director of LSS. “It’s very much aligned with our Augustinian values to include people.”

As awareness and acceptance of conditions like ADHD, autism and traumatic brain injury grow, so does the demand for LSS services. In response, LSS has significantly expanded its reach under the Office of the Provost. Today, the number of students eligible for accommodations continues to rise, with the vast majority being undergraduate students and a smaller portion being graduate students—approximately a 90/10 split.

For Political Science major Sean Wade ’25 CLAS, the help offered through LSS was life-changing. After serving in the US Marine Corps for nine years, he arrived on campus with traumatic brain injuries and ADHD. When a professor noticed him struggling, she referred him to LSS. “I was at a crisis point,” Sean recalls. “I had managed to push through, but my quality of life suffered.”

Working with Learning Specialist Paul Cortopassi, Sean developed strategies to stay on track—using office hours more effectively and color-coding his notes. The impact was immediate. “In high school, I was a C student. Now, thanks to LSS, I’m getting A’s. The tools and positive reinforcement have helped me better engage with my professors and studies.”

J’Ney Simmons ’25 CLAS also benefited from Villanova’s holistic support system. A first-generation student from Chicago, she was originally a Chemistry major but soon found that her initial path didn't align with her passions or strengths. “I was in the worst mindset of my life,” she recalls. “I felt an immense weight on my shoulders and was beating myself up because I was worried I didn’t have what it takes.” After consulting with a qualified health care professional, J’Ney was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and ADHD. Determined to find a way forward, she turned to LSS and the University Counseling Center, where she developed essential mindfulness techniques to stay focused and was encouraged to reflect on her strengths.

With that support, J’Ney switched her major to Peace and Justice Studies with a Criminology minor. “It was the first time I felt a personal resonance with my academic pursuit, and now I’m flourishing,” she says. Today, as she prepares to graduate and serve with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Seattle, J’Ney emphasizes the importance of seeking help and utilizing the resources available.

Her experience reflects a larger truth: For J’Ney, Sean and many others, the guidance they receive from Subik and her team at LSS highlights how personalized support can help students build confidence and discover their path to success. That support takes many forms, such as compassionate coaching and the thoughtful use of evolving tools and technologies.

Resources like audiobooks from Bookshare and Learning Ally, along with Anthology Ally’s course tools, help make reading materials more accessible to a wide range of learners. But often, the most significant impact comes from one-on-one academic coaching. “A hallmark of LSS is walking the path with students,” Subik explains. “In personalized sessions, we work on time management, study skills, organization and test-taking strategies—and it makes all the difference."

To meet a growing demand, the new Falvey Library at Vic Maggitti Hall, opening in 2027, will dedicate expanded space to LSS. As part of what will be called the Learning Commons in Falvey, LSS will be located on the second floor of the Library, along with other essential academic student support services, including the Learner’s Studio (Tutoring Center), Writing Center and Center for Speaking and Presentation.

A Level Playing Field

While LSS focuses on academic accommodations, the Office of Access and Disability Services (ADS), a division of Student Life, ensures that students can fully access all aspects of campus life, from housing to dining to extracurricular activities.

When Director Greg Hannah ’15 MA joined ADS in 2009, the office, which is located in the heart of campus on the second floor of Connelly Center, served a relatively small number of students. Since then, the number of students receiving support has grown substantially, reflecting both the increasing demand and the office’s expanding role.

The students ADS serves have a wide range of disabilities—physical, cognitive, mental health and chronic conditions. Recently, the office added “Access” to its name to signal a broader scope of support. “Not every student with an invisible disability sees it as a disability,” Hannah explains. “That small tweak in our name lets a student with a gastrointestinal condition know they can come here for help—whether that’s access to a kitchen or a private bathroom.”

That message made all the difference for Hailey Falzone ’26 FCN. Midway through her first semester, she developed severe food allergies and experienced anaphylaxis three times. Unsure where to turn, a sorority sister suggested ADS. “It’s a bridge to everything else on campus,” Hailey says. “I couldn’t manage this health change alone, but now I realize I don’t have to—Villanova has so many resources to help.”

With more students disclosing their disabilities to the University, Hannah acknowledges the importance of well-established partnerships with other campus departments to provide housing, dining, transportation, safety and security. “When families walk in and meet us, we want them to feel like this is a place where they know their child will be cared for,” he says. Alongside providing accommodations, Hannah has prioritized building community—most notably in 2011 by helping to establish the student group LEVEL, which fosters connection and inclusion among students of all abilities.

That sense of community is something Sofia Ruiz ’27 CLAS deeply values. A member of LEVEL, Sofia transferred to Villanova in the fall of 2024 as a sophomore. “I’m in the ADS office every single day,” she says. “Whether I’m doing my homework, eating lunch or playing Mario Kart, it’s just an environment where nobody is labeled and I can completely be myself.” This is a huge relief for Sofia, who has obsessive-compulsive disorder and was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which causes her pain and debilitating fatigue. “Knowing they wanted to help me through this difficult transition made me choose Villanova,” she says. “I feel that sense of community that I always wanted.”

Seeing so many students opt to spend time in ADS—not just for accommodations, but for community—is what keeps Hannah motivated. “There are tough days,” he admits, whether it’s coordinating specialized housing accommodations or responding to a student’s medical emergency. But the challenges are outweighed by the moments when students realize what’s possible—like going on a break trip they never imagined or celebrating with friends at LEVEL’s Casino Night. “That’s the return on investment,” he says. “That’s what makes it all worth it.”

Disability and Academic Discourse

Apart from accommodations and student life, Villanova is also leading the way in academic engagement with disability through its Disability and Deaf Studies minor.

“There are many intersections between Deaf Studies and Disability Studies,” says Christa Bialka, EdD, associate professor of Special Education in the Department of Education and Counseling. “Our program recognizes the key tenets of both while fostering cross-discipline discussions.”

Since launching in the fall of 2022, the minor has drawn strong interest across Villanova’s colleges, with about 75 students representing many majors currently enrolled. Dr. Bialka sees her role as educating students about barriers that people with disabilities encounter and how to address those barriers, whether they be physical, social, emotional or attitudinal. She then asks students to take what they learn and apply it to their future fields.

“At Villanova, Veritas, Unitas, Caritas shapes the approach to disability—not as an act of charity, but as a recognition that disability enriches our community,” says Dr. Bialka. Additionally, Villanova recognizes American Sign Language (ASL) as a language, a designation it adopted in 2023, and in spring 2025, launched the disability honors society Delta Alpha Pi to celebrate the academic achievements of undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities.

For students like Gabe Donovan ’26 CLAS, that academic lens offers a transformative opportunity. Diagnosed as a young child with neurofibromatosis—a rare condition that causes tumors to grow in the brain—Donovan also lives with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dysgraphia and fine motor skill delays.

A junior, Donovan is minoring in Disability and Deaf Studies and credits the coursework with giving him the vocabulary to express his feelings about disability and a better understanding of other disabilities. “I’m learning how disability operates as an identity category,” he says. “It’s helped me embrace my disabilities as part of my identity and understand myself better.”

That growth—both personal and academic—is exactly what he hoped for when choosing Villanova. “I came here looking for a place where I could live my faith and be fully supported,” he says. “What I found is a community that gives me the tools to succeed in the classroom and beyond while embracing my disability as part of who I am.”■