Robbie Werth

The Embrace Ut Prosim as a Way Of Life Alumni Aspire! Award is presented to a Virginia Tech alumnus who represents our hope for all our students – that they enrich their lives by fulfilling our university’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).

It is my great honor to present the Alumni Aspire! Award this morning to an alumnus who has served the Virginia Tech community, and other communities fortunate to count him as a member, as a leader, advocate, and supporter, Robbie Werth.

At our Scholarship Benefactors Celebration last fall, he said, “When I think about what this place gave me, I know I have a responsibility to make sure the next generation of Hokies has even greater opportunities.” That is the essence of Ut Prosim. And that is who Robbie Werth is.

Robbie graduated from Virginia Tech in 1974 with a degree in political science and returned to earn his MBA in 1981. Robbie has been a generous and passionate supporter of Services for Students with Disabilities here at Virginia Tech and within his local community as a devoted leader and advocate for accessibility.

Robbie launched Diamond Transportation in 1984 in Alexandria, Virginia as the provider of paratransit service for Alexandria City Public Schools and Alexandria's Paratransit Program.

Throughout Robbie's 30 years of leadership, Diamond Transportation was recognized with numerous national and regional awards for its outstanding service to those with disabilities. Robbie is the past President of the Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association and was named Operator of the Year in 1995.

Robbie’s role in accessible transportation expanded as project manager for MetroAccess, under the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. 

His innovative work and advocacy have made him a highly sought after expert on the topic of providing transportation services to the differently abled community — including testimony on Capitol Hill. His dedication led to his presence for the historic moment when the Americans With Disabilities Act was signed in 1990.

In 2015, Robbie was honored for his service and leadership as the first chair of the Washington D.C. Metro's Accessibility Advisory Committee. His efforts and advocacy led to life-changing improvements in the accessibility of Metro.

Thanks to his generosity and commitment to assisting students with disabilities at Virginia Tech, the Werth Testing Center was founded in January 2019.

Robbie’s gift expanded the center’s capacity to offer accessible testing for students, and that capacity has increased every year since its founding. Most recently, Robbie made an additional gift to improve how the center can meet the needs of students. We look forward to celebrating him and his generosity at a Werth Testing Center event later today.

When asked what inspired his generous contribution that made the Werth Testing Center possible, Robbie pointed to our university motto:

“I wanted to make a difference in equality," he said. "Whenever I meet a young Hokie, I talk about Ut Prosim. This is what we do and how we do it.”

Robbie has served on the Student Affairs Alumni Advisory Council for eight years and is Chair of the Development Committee. As a Giving Day ambassador, his efforts played a crucial role in the Alumni Advisory Council exceeding its goals for the second year in a row. He was committed to achieving 100 percent participation from the Council and devoted personalized outreach to attain this. Robbie is also a proud member and supporter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, who also help him fulfill his values of leadership and service.

For the many ways he continues to serve Virginia Tech and bear the standard for our spirit of service, Student Affairs is honored to present the 2026 Embrace Ut Prosim as a Way Of Life Alumni Aspire! Award to Robbie Werth.