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Introducing OMA&D’s Spark Social | Celebrating Leadership & Community
February 10, 2026
For more than five decades, the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) and the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program (FEOP) have hosted the Annual Celebration Gala, bringing together UW alums, community leaders, partners, and friends to honor leadership, academic excellence, and community impact. This spring, OMA&D and the FEOP Board are proud to build on this tradition by…
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Julia Jannon-Shields to Receive 2026 OMA&D Spark Award
February 4, 2026
The University of Washington Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) is proud to announce that Julia Jannon-Shields, ’21, will receive the 2026 OMA&D Spark Award. The OMA&D Spark Award honors a recent UW graduate whose diversity, equity, and inclusion leadership has made significant contributions to advancing equity on campus and in the community. Julia Jannon-Shields was nominated for the…
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Diana Betancourt Macias to receive the OMA&D Spark Award
March 3, 2025
The University of Washington Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) is proud to announce Diana Betancourt Macias, ’17, ’20, as the recipient of the 2025 OMA&D Spark Award. Betancourt Macias, a dedicated community organizer and advocate for undocumented students, exemplifies the spirit of the Spark Award through her tireless efforts to create equitable opportunities and support for marginalized communities.…
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Angela King to Receive Charles E. Odegaard Award
February 21, 2025
The University of Washington Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) has announced award-winning journalist Angela King, ‘94, as the next recipient of the Charles E. Odegaard Award. For three decades, King has produced hard-hitting reports on race and equity, exposed white supremacist organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and has long been a champion of diversity and inclusion in the…
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OMA&D Remembers Karlotta Rosebaugh
December 23, 2024
Karlotta Rosebaugh passed away on November 24, 2024. Rosebaugh worked for the University of Washington for more than 24 years, serving as the director of the Health Sciences Center Minority Students Program (HSCMSP) before retirement. At the time of her retirement, she had successfully secured grants totaling $12 million in funding to support high school and undergraduate students studying health…
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2024 Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture Recap
November 12, 2024
Who is Counted and Why A recap of our 2024 Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture, featuring Dr. Sara Curran’s presentation Past, Present and Future Demographic Diversity in the U.S. and Washington On October 17, 2024, UW community members and students attended OMA&D’s annual Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture, led by Dr. Sara Curran. Dr. Curran presented Past, Present,…
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OMA&D Remembers Francisco “Frank” Irigon (’76, ’79)
September 17, 2024
Francisco “Frank” Irigon died Thursday, September 12, 2024, at age 77. He passed away surrounded by his family after living with long-term heart disease. Irigon had many identities. He was a family man, a husband, father and grandfather. He was a veteran, executive director, newspaper founder, community builder and political candidate. He will be remembered by many as an activist,…
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OMA&D Dedicates Room at Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center for the Late Dr. Gabriel E. Gallardo
August 27, 2024
Long-time leader at the UW and within OMA&D, Dr. Gabriel Gallardo passed away on May 11, 2020. On August 22, 2024, we honored his legacy by dedicating a room at the Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center (Kelly ECC) in his name. The OMA&D community gathered in the early afternoon at the Kelly ECC for a reception before the dedication…
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Highlights from the 2024 Annual Celebration Gala
June 14, 2024
The 2024 Annual Celebration Gala was a night to remember, with 500+ corporate, community and campus partners, and individuals in community to support OMA&D students and honor the evening’s award recipients. Through their generosity, we raised more than $470,000 to support EOP students! The evening began with a social reception to the music of the live house band Chapter 5.…
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Photos from the 2024 Annual Celebration Gala
May 29, 2024
Navigating the Photo Gallery When you click on a photo, it will open in a full screen image. To return to the gallery, click the back arrow in your browser’s navigation bar. Step and Repeat Photos taken by Nate Gowdy. For publication or reuse of these photos outside of the University of Washington, please contact Nate Gowdy for permission. Reception…