Meredith College Associate Director of Student Leadership & Service Kacey Reynolds Schedler is the 2026 recipient of the Laura Thomas Award from NC AHEAD.
NC AHEAD is the North Carolina chapter of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). The award recognizes an individual who works outside of the field of disability services for exemplary support.
Reynolds Schedler called the award “really nice recognition” of efforts she has made in her work in the Office of Student Leadership and Service and encouraged in her role as Meredith Recreation Association (MRA) advisor.
Among these efforts was the creation of an event checklist that student organizations are required to complete before hosting an activity. The checklist includes an accessibility statement on all publicity, identification of potential food allergens, easy/clear access to accessible parking and restrooms, and other accommodations.
Major Meredith traditions are also now more accessible thanks to Reynolds Schedler’s leadership. Among the changes are the use of visual schedules that communicate what to expect at an event and in the venue where it is held, the purchase of mobi-mats that provide portable pathways, particularly in outdoor venues, and providing other accommodations that meet the needs of students.
Reynolds Schedler feels her top strength – empathy – drives her desire for all students to feel like they belong at Meredith.
“We talk about Meredith being a community, and I think that’s so true,” she said. “Many of the activities in our traditions that come out of MRA, like Corn and Stunt, include a lot of expected physicality. I asked MRA to explore how to make this accessible.”
Reynolds Schedler said she and the student leaders work hard to make sure that each tradition includes some activities that are accessible.
“We made it so that anyone, any student who wanted to, could participate, because that sense of belonging is so important,” Reynolds Schedler said. “Knowing that there is a place for everyone is so important, not just for students, but for everyone in the community.”
As an alumna from the Class of 1996, Reynolds Schedler knows that the sense of community is an important factor in students choosing to attend Meredith.
“Students choose Meredith because of how it feels. When they come on campus, they feel like they belong here and this is their home. But for some students, there might be more barriers to achieving that feeling,” Reynolds Schedler said. “As someone who works with a lot of students in planning traditions, making efforts to increase accessibility is not only a benefit for the students who have a disability, seen or unseen, but it’s a benefit to the students who are planning to think in terms of universal design and making sure that everybody has a place and that we all belong.”
Reynolds Schedler wants to make sure “the students who might have historically not been included, because they couldn’t physically participate or for whatever reason, know that they belong here, too.”
The award was presented this spring during the NC AHEAD conference. Reynolds Schedler was not aware that she had been nominated for the award until Meredith’s Assistant Director of Disability Services, Carolyn Koning, let her know that she had won.
Koning said Reynolds Schedler is very deserving of the Laura Thomas Award.
“Kacey is a strong ally for people with disabilities. She never seeks recognition or praise for her efforts, but she surely deserves appreciation and commendation,” Koning said. “She continues to have a significant impact by changing the culture at Meredith to be more inclusive of people with disabilities.”
While she didn’t take on this work to gain recognition, Reynolds Schedler is pleased that the award will bring more attention to accommodations at Meredith and hopes it will inspire others to continue in their own accessibility journey.
Melyssa Allen – News Director
316 Johnson Hall
(919) 760-8087 | Fax: (919) 760-8330 | allenme@meredith.edu