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Alumni spotlight stories

From local changemakers to global leaders, meet UW alumni making a difference.

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Education
Middle schoolers in central Washington benefit from a science mentorship and college pathway program created by Husky alums.

UW alum awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine

Alumni
University of Washington alum Mary Brunkow has received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries that transformed our understanding of the immune system.

Building for community

Community
Tim Lehman stands outside the Daybreak Star center with his hands in his pockets and smiling
Meet the double Dawg who’s also Seattle’s first Indigenous planning strategist, and the first to hold that role in any major American city.

Running with Dubs

Student Experience
Person with dog running on football field
Elena Vega de Soto’s husky handler journey at the UW.

Third-grade dreamer to UW Tacoma graduate

Student Experience
Naomi Duncan collage
Noemi Duncan’s lifelong dream of teaching becomes reality.

Life goals

Alumni
Luis Carmona on a soccer field
He was a soccer-loving kid from Wapato, Washington — and now Luis Carmona, ’17, ’22, works with the Seattle Sounders’ and Seattle Reign’s RAVE Foundation to give kids better access to play.

Carrying strength forward

Student Experience
Inspired by her family’s journey, Kimberly Il found her voice — and her future in the field of law — at the University of Washington.

From Puyallup to M.D.-Ph.D.

Healthcare
Forged in research, rooted in care: How Ryan Carlson became a physician-scientist.

Pitch purple

Student Experience
A group of smiling students pose with certificates.
Fresh off a championship run, the UW’s Furmata a cappella student organization reflects on being named one of the best collegiate singing groups in the world.

Giving trees

Environment
Student cutting wood in a shop with protective gear
In an innovative partnership between UW Facilities and the College of Built Environments, furniture-design students can create projects using reclaimed wood from campus.

Turning the tide

Environment
Chris Mantegna in front of the Puget Sound
Chris Mantegna, ’21, is studying how pollutants affect shellfish in our food web — and training a new generation of marine scientists.

10 things to know about the University of Washington as we join the Big Ten

Athletics
A photograph of fans cheering on the Dawgs by doing the Wave
The University of Washington officially joined the Big Ten Conference on Aug. 2, and we’re excited to introduce ourselves to fans across the nation.

Inspiring paths of three University of Washington graduates

Alumni
Rainier in the background of a water fountain
Perspectives from UW Tacoma, Seattle and Bothell