Giving back is a guiding principle of the Kossar family — expressed through their time, their passion, and their philanthropy. Through the establishment of the Robert Kossar ’89 and Candace Kossar Family Endowed Fund for Disability Support Services, the Kossars are helping sustain and strengthen the programs, initiatives, and strategic priorities of Disability Support Services.
The fund has a deeply personal connection to the family.
“I love Lehigh, but early on, school felt harder for me because I didn’t know that I had undiagnosed ADHD,” Rob says. “I struggled, and I couldn’t understand why it wasn’t as hard for anyone else. As I got older and more classes were in my major and [...] in my field, all of a sudden it was much easier for me. I learned just recently that general classes in larger lecture halls can be very difficult for someone with ADHD. That explained a lot to me about my academic journey.”
When Rob met Candace and her son, Andrew, he gained a greater understanding of the different challenges students can face — and how difficult it can be to flourish without the right structure and support.
“Learning disabilities can be hereditary,” says Candace. “I have ADHD and Andrew has dyslexia. When I was a kid, things like that weren’t diagnosed. Instead, I was seen as ‘unintelligent,’ but I really just needed support and structure. Once I got that at the right school, I succeeded and ended up going to Marist University as a Division I athlete.”
Andrew has similarly excelled since attending a preparatory school dedicated exclusively to students with learning differences like dyslexia. His grades have improved, he plays three varsity sports, serves on leadership committees, and recently took his first honors course. It’s an outcome Candace couldn’t have imagined — and a testament to what the right support can make possible.
“We use the word ‘disability,’ but when it comes to learning, people learn differently,” Rob says. “There are a lot of undiagnosed people like us that learn differently. The Disability Support Services team wants to improve accessibility for the broader Lehigh community, even for those students who don’t know they have a learning discrepancy at all.”
That broader vision is at the heart of what the Kossars’ gift will support.
“These resources will help us continue to identify barriers, expand opportunity, and develop the support that students need in all aspects of campus life,” says Maria Zullo, director of Disability Support Services. “It’s an investment in the future of our students that supports our current work while ensuring that accessibility continues to thrive at Lehigh.”
Zullo emphasizes that disability isn’t an outlier category. Nationally, 21% of undergraduates identify as having a disability, yet only a third of those students register with their college or university’s disability support services during their time in higher education. That means many students navigate college with a disability or learning difference without accessing the resources available to them.
Zullo and her team hope to build greater awareness and develop programming that reaches students who have identified their disabilities as well as those living with learning differences without a formal diagnosis or connection to support services.
“We’re not simply about identifying barriers or accommodations; we’re working to create a more accessible, inclusive Lehigh all around,” Zullo says. “We celebrate disability as a facet of our diversity. There’s a lot less stigma around the subject today because people have a better understanding, but there’s more work to be done. The gift from the Kossars allows us to continue that.”
For the Kossars, supporting that work is another way of giving back to a community that has given them so much.
“The way the Lehigh community takes care of each other is pretty special,” says Rob. “There is a kinship. So many Lehigh alumni go out of their way to hire Lehigh students, and if they can’t hire them, they mentor them. There aren't many places that have that. When I look at the size of our endowment, I can equate that to the level of satisfaction of people who went to Lehigh. To me, the biggest part of having gone to Lehigh is that sense of connection. I’m happy to be a part of it and to leave this legacy.”
The Kossars’ gift adds to a growing community of Lehigh families and donors investing in a campus where students with different learning needs can find the resources and understanding to thrive.
