North Carolina AHEAD

About Us

NC AHEAD is the state level affiliate of AHEAD, offering unparalleled professional resources for members invested in creating a welcoming higher education experience for individuals with disabilities.

Individuals are invited to join the community of peers and like-minded allies within NC Association of Higher Education and Disability. By joining NC AHEAD as an individual or institution member, you have access to a variety of resources including timely information regarding conference and training opportunities, and a listserv where you can provide or seek support with challenging demands, emerging trends, and best practices for proactive inclusive campus environments. Aside from serving as a resource in day-to-day work, membership in NC AHEAD also demonstrates your commitment to the important advocacy work of the organization across North Carolina higher education and allows you to have a voice in those discussions of access and inclusion for students with disabilities.

A Brief History of North Carolina AHEAD

NC AHEAD had its beginnings at an informal get together of twenty-seven North Carolina postsecondary disability service providers attending the National AHEAD Conference in Columbus, Ohio in 1994. There was agreement among those present that it would be very beneficial to have a vehicle for communication, exchange of ideas and mutual support. As a result of that meeting, Dr. Pat Bailey, Director of Disability Services at UNC Greensboro, invited anyone interested to convene in Greensboro to discuss the feasibility of initiating an AHEAD organization in North Carolina. Sixteen representatives from state, private, four year and two-year institutions attended. Issues, needs and organizational priorities were discussed over several subsequent meetings and NC AHEAD was born. On November 3, 1995, NC AHEAD celebrated with a premier event hosted by Peggy Oliphant at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Officers were elected, charter members were presented with certificates and Doug Lawton was the keynote speaker. It was a strong and vibrant beginning. The Executive Board has consistently worked towards building the organization through annual conferences, seminars and teleconference events. Officers have represented all of the institutional types. Membership has grown and feedback indicates that there is a high level of satisfaction among members. NC AHEAD has continued to grow and prosper in many ways. It is financially solid, membership continues to increase, members communicate by listserv, email and telephone, and the vision of the group that gathered in Columbus has come to full fruition. The future appears bright for NC AHEAD as interested members step up and take leadership roles in the organization. There are ongoing opportunities for networking and support among the membership.