In this article, we’ll explore:
What the Rhodes Disability Project is and how it began
How disabled scholars, staff, and allies are building a peer support network at Rhodes
The project’s efforts to embed accessibility into events, communications, and everyday campus life
How this scholar-led work is reshaping ideas of leadership, access, and inclusion in a global academic community
Why Ability Central is highlighting this project as an example of disability-led change
A Scholar-Led Response to Access Gaps
The Rhodes Trust offers one of the world’s most well-known postgraduate scholarships. Each year, students from countries around the world apply through a competitive selection process focused on academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to public service. Those selected, known as Rhodes Scholars, receive funding to pursue graduate study at the University of Oxford, where they live and study together as part of a prestigious community.
Within this environment, the Rhodes Disability Project emerged after scholars began noticing a shared problem. Disabled scholars were navigating access needs largely on their own, without a clear space for connection, support, or advocacy.
The project is now led by Khansa Maria (Pakistan and Harris Manchester 2021), an Oxford scholar whose work centers on disability inclusion. She was not part of the original founding group, but she has played a central role in shaping how the project functions today.
The project began informally, when a small group of scholars, including Rahul Bajaj, Matt Pierri, Alexis Callen, Jean Balchin, and Caitlin Salvino, realized they were experiencing similar gaps in support. Those conversations quickly revealed a larger need.
As Khansa explains,
“The Rhodes Disability Project really came together quite organically, through a series of conversations among scholars who felt there was a real gap in support and advocacy for disabled scholars within the community.”
How the Rhodes Disability Project Works in Practice
Today, the Rhodes Disability Project functions as both a peer network and a working group within the Rhodes community, supported by the Rhodes Trust. Its work centers on disabled scholars, staff, and allies, with a focus on practical support, education, and long-term culture change.
At its core, the project provides peer support. Disabled scholars use the space to connect with others who understand the realities of navigating access needs at Oxford. These conversations help reduce isolation and make it easier for scholars to share information, ask questions, and support one another without having to advocate alone.
The project also serves as a point of connection between scholars and the Rhodes Trust. Members regularly engage with Trust staff around accessibility questions, offering feedback on processes and helping bring disability considerations into planning conversations. This includes raising access needs earlier in event planning, reviewing communication practices, and identifying small changes that improve participation across the community.
Education is another key part of the work. Scholars involved in the project have helped create accessibility literacy sessions and shared resources for new cohorts and staff. These efforts focus on practical topics like accessible event planning, inclusive communication, and disability etiquette, helping normalize conversations about access and setting the expectation that questions are welcome.
Khansa notes, “We talked a lot about how important it is to have a space that not only focuses on accessibility, but also on capacity building, solidarity, and allyship.”
Making Accessibility a Shared Skill
From the beginning, the Rhodes Disability Project has focused on strengthening confidence around accessibility across the community. Rather than positioning disability inclusion as a specialized issue, the project works to make it a shared skill set.
“We are developing sessions and resources to help new scholars, as well as the Rhodes Trust as a whole, feel more confident and better equipped to engage with accessibility and inclusion,” Khansa shared. “It is about creating a stronger foundation of awareness and skills.”
Embedding Accessibility from the Start
In many academic spaces, accessibility is addressed only after someone raises a concern. The Rhodes Disability Project aims to end that pattern so that access is considered earlier in planning.
“We are working hard to ensure that accessibility is not treated as an afterthought, but something that is built into every process, program, and outreach effort within the Trust,” Khansa said.
As a result, accessibility is more often discussed in planning, communication channels are designed with usability in mind, and scholars feel more empowered to name their needs. These changes may seem small on their own, but together they help redefine what thoughtful leadership looks like within the Rhodes community.
Creating Spaces of Belonging
As well as formal changes, the project also focuses on creating social spaces where disabled scholars and allies can connect without pressure to explain themselves.
“Beyond the structural changes, we also focus on the social and emotional side of things, building a sense of belonging,” Khansa said.
Over time, this has included informal gatherings such as movie nights, coffee meetups, and sign language classes. These moments give scholars space to relax, connect, and feel welcome in the community. They remind people that disability at Rhodes is not only about access needs, but also about connection and belonging.
Collaborating Across Disciplines and Borders
The Rhodes Disability Project brings together scholars from across disciplines, including the social sciences, law, medicine, and the arts. This interdisciplinary mix allows the group to approach disability inclusion from many angles.
Khansa also shared that the global nature of Rhodes adds an important layer. Scholars arrive with different cultural and national experiences of disability and access, allowing ideas and strategies to be shared across contexts and adapted locally.
This combination of perspectives has helped the project test new approaches and develop a shared language around disability inclusion.
A Growing Legacy of Inclusion
Ability Central is grateful to help share Khansa’s leadership and the work of this growing community. What began as informal conversations among scholars has become a sustained effort that offers peer support, shapes institutional practices, and helps make accessibility part of everyday life at Rhodes.
The Rhodes Disability Project shows that meaningful change does not always start with a formal mandate. Often, it begins when people notice a gap, listen to one another, and choose to build something better together.
Want to support more work like this? Explore Abilty Central’s homepage and consider a donation.
Additional Information
The content provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for legal, medical, or other professional advice. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date resources, some information may become outdated or incomplete. Always consult with your provider about personal medical concerns.
