My Husky Promise story, by Arianna O’Dell

My name is Arianna O’Dell and I am a student at the University of Washington. From a young age, entrepreneurship has been my passion. After being accepted to the University of Washington, I learned of its renowned Foster School of Business—a place where I could pursue this passion. Upon acceptance to the UW, I was thrilled, but then I wondered: How would I be able to afford this?

When I was 15, my father passed away, leaving my mother to provide for five children on her one income. Even though my mother provided for us to the best of her ability, her income surely couldn’t cover my college expenses, as is the case with many students. My father had taught me so much about entrepreneurship and the importance of education, making me determined to attend school in any way possible. After hearing that I was eligible for the Husky Promise program, it felt as if a big weight had been lifted off my shoulders: I would be given funding to make my dreams possible. Read more

Student Spotlights feature Husky Promise students and their life at UW. Get to know some of the students you’re supporting!

1) Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Ashley Morse, and I am a senior and a Husky Promise student. I could describe myself in a few words: Pilates, prayer, believing and positivity. I am told very often by people close to me that I am looked to for light in their life, which is something I cherish; being able to brighten a person’s day makes me feel like a good and worthy person. I currently live with my family, which I wouldn’t change for anything. I am graduating this spring but have found that staying close to the people who matter most in my life has helped me stay focused and keep my eyes on the prize: walking at graduation in Husky Stadium.

2) What are you studying?
I am a communication major with an emphasis on culture and a minor in Near Eastern language and civilization.
Read more

My Husky Promise Story, by Colton Lindelof, UW Bothell Freshman Admissions Advisor

On Friday, April 19th of 2002, I came home from playing in a varsity baseball game to see a familiar face in the locker room. Looking back at it now, I laugh at that fact that I didn’t question why a woman was in the men’s locker room, but I guess I instinctively knew that something had gone terribly wrong. She was there to tell me that my father had unexpectedly passed away of a heart attack earlier that morning.

This event took place towards the end of my sophomore year in high school, and seemed like a hurdle I would not overcome … or at least that is what I thought. My family had never been well-off. Before his passing, my dad was a struggling construction worker, and my mom was a part-time nursing assistant. They kept their finances private, but I knew that money was always tight.

Growing up fast Read more

Here’s a great shot of President Emmert with students at Toppenish High School, one of the stops on our Husky Promise tour. See more coverage on the Toppenish HS visit in the February 8th edition of “Husky Promise in the News.”

King County Councilmember Larry Gossett shares his opinion in a recent guest column post for Seattle Times (2/14/10)

Husky Promise is mentioned in “Matters of Money” (The Daily, 2/3/10)

Husky Promise student Jordan shares his feature commercial on his blog (January ‘10)

Just a reminder: your FAFSA is due February 28th! We break down the FAFSA for you here.

Find out how you can support the Husky Promise here.

My Husky Promise story, by Jessica Warmbo

Over the last two years, being a Husky Promise student has allowed me to attend the University of Washington.

Life before the UW

I come from an extremely low-income background. My father was never involved in my life, and my mother was a heroin addict. I lived with my grandmother until she passed away when I was 12, at which point I moved in with my aunt. My aunt passed away when I was 16, and at that point, I had to get a job to pay for my car, clothes, groceries and insurance. I never had a chance to save up any money, and my family was never in any condition to save up money for me.
When I was in ninth grade, Read more

Husky Promise students Natalie Hart and Tim Harris and College of Arts & Sciences Dean Ana Mari Cauce speak with fifth-graders at Robert Gray Elementary School in Aberdeen.

President Emmert visits with students at Toppenish High School in the Yakima/Tri-Cities area.

My Husky Promise story, by Steve Woo

The experience that I’ve had since I became a Husky Promise student is, without a question, one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Previously, I thought that most opportunities were blocked from my grasp because of bad choices that I had made in the past. Many times over, those choices conflicted with my parents’ aspirations for me. They immigrated from S.E. Asia with the idea of their child accomplishing something that was unavailable to them, which was an education. Also, as with many S.E. Asians in the United States, my family and I were in poverty, so my parents did not have the economic resources to provide for my education. This further limited my opportunities because I did not have benefits like people from more affluent families did, such as tutors, private school, camps, electronic devices, etc.

Before the UW

Ever since I was a kid I had always wanted to attend the prestigious educational institution called the University of Washington. Read more

President Emmert shares his thoughts on Husky Promise and the statewide tour on his blog: Raising awareness of Husky Promise (2/5/10)

Husky Promise student Janel Brown comments in “Cuts threaten college students’ scholarships” (The News Tribune, 2/8/10)

Another Husky Promise student, Yunhee Choi is featured in “Students rally across state” (The Olympian, 2/6/10)

PubliCola covered the recent student administration’s town hall on budget cuts, 2/3/10

The Husky Promise tour stop in Toppenish High School was covered in “Getting to College” (KVEWTV, 2/3/10) and “UW pledges a brighter tomorrow” (Yakima Herald, 2/3/10)

View the latest rallies at the Capitol in “Organizing in Olympia” & “From the Eyes of a Student” (The Daily, 2/8/10)

Looking for a few ways to show your support for Husky Promise?

Here are a few options:

Follow us on Twitter for live updates from the statewide Husky Promise tour

Become a fan on Facebook and share your story on our wall

Join our Myspace group

Interested in guest blogging? Email us at hpromise@uw.edu for more details

Follow the latest news in the current legislative session

Make a gift, then share it with your Facebook friends

Thank you for supporting the Husky Promise!

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