Gaining Momentum: Warren Wilson's Alliance for Accessibility Updates
Trinity Larsen | Dec. 9, 2025
Ava McKinney-Taylor and Grayson Halliday table for WAFA at Warren Wilson College’s (WWC) club fair September 10, 2025 in Swannanoa, N.C. (Echo/Emma Taylor McCallum)
Warren Wilson College’s (WWC) Wilson Alliance for Accessibility (WAFA) group regularly addresses issues regarding physical accessibility on campus. From the campus's hilly roads to making sure accommodations are provided for students with disabilities in classrooms, WAFA strives for equality among its students.
Their current projects include hosting a workshop with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
“We are going to be hosting this training next semester for faculty crew lead and anyone who works with students on campus,” Ava McKinney-Taylor , a sophomore and leader of WAFA, said. “We will be teaching people how to better accommodate for deaf and hard of hearing students.”
Recently WAFA has been faced with accessibility struggles whether a student is unsure of what accommodations they are allowed to ask for based on their disability.
McKinney shared that just 34 percent of disabled students finish college.
“That's a staggeringly low number,” McKinney-Taylor said. “A huge part to push against that is making sure people don't feel as isolated and alone. The Health Center has shuttles to take you to medical appointments, call Pub Safe if you need emergency transportation somewhere due to mobility issues. The Health Center has braces, canes and crutches for students.”
Students interested in supporting WAFA can follow their Instagram account, @wafa_wwc and ask to be put on their email list, where requests for help and announcements are shared.
“We have a lot of need for able bodied people,” McKinney said. “Unfortunately, when you have something run by limited mobility people, things like making sure posters are up is a very big issue. If you see something that isn't accessible on campus, like, you notice an elevator or an accessibility button is broken down, or you notice that a golf cart is blocking a curb, it's important that you do report it.”
For more information, students can email WAFA or stop by at their weekly tabling event in the Gladfelter Dining Hall.