2007 Truman Finalist and Scholar
2007 University of Washington Truman Finalist and Scholar
Alula Asfaw, Truman Scholar (left)
Alula Asfaw, a UW Junior, is among 65 students chosen nationally as 2007 Truman Scholars. Madeline Albright, president of the Truman Foundation, said that outstanding leadership potential, intellectual ability, and the likelihood of 'making a difference' were among the criteria used to select among the 585 candidates who were nominated by 280 colleges and universities for this year's Truman scholarships. Alula will receive a $30,000 scholarship from the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation (www.truman.gov) in order to attend graduate school in preparation for a career in public service. The scholarships will allow Alula to pursue a J.D. and Ph.D. to become an advocate for the most marginalized in our country.
Alula was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 1985. His parents sent him to the United States shortly after his sixth birthday to live with his older brother and to protect him from the dangers of war in his home country. He grew up in Seattle’s Rainier Valley and attended both Cleveland and Highline High Schools. Alula knew at an early age that he wanted to pursue a career of public service; he says his activities were "more than inspired" by the career path of President Bill Clinton. Always interested in politics, Alula worked as a 2004 field organizer and outreach coordinator for John Kerry’s presidential campaign. Subsequent to that, he worked for Governor Christine Gregoire’s successful post-gubernatorial legal effort. During the summer of 2006, he served as a staff assistant to Senator Barack Obama in his Washington, DC office.
As a University of Washington student, Alula became conscious of what he called "survivor's guilt" when he realized that very few of his high school classmates were attending college. "Not enough had guidance on why they should think about college. Few had parents who went to college," he said. After many years of work, and with the generous assistance and support of his professors, University administrators, mentors, and student colleagues, Alula successfully established the UW Dream Project (http://depts.washington.edu/uwdrmprj/).
The Dream Project has the potential to offer a chance for a better education to many high school students. Alula’s concept of providing support and assistance for these students was also aimed at simultaneously offering relatively privileged University of Washington students an opportunity to build empathy and to understand the life challenges of these young high school students. Alula recruited students for the class, which is now in its second year. It will serve more than 200 students from six area high schools; 58 UW students are enrolled in the class. Alula is seeking additional funding to sustain the program over the long term.
Alula is a 2006 McNair Scholarship recipient, a 2005 Mary Gates Leadership scholar, a 2006 College of Education Zesbaugh Scholar, and a recipient of the City of Seattle’s 2006 Local Hero Award. Alula is a junior majoring in Political Science and English Literature.
Article about Alula's Truman Nomination
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Cristina Domogma transferred to the University of Washington from Idaho State University in Autumn Quarter 2006. She is a junior obtaining a degree in Spanish, complementing that with courses that provide the necessary background to make the transition to an International Studies program. Her interest in a career in International Relations lies at the intersection of culture and human rights.
Cristina is a McNair Scholar. She also works as a research assistant for the Chicano Studies program and at the Cervantes Institute, dedicated to the teaching of Spanish and to increasing the knowledge of the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries.
At Idaho State University (ISU), Cristina was an intern at the Multi-Ethnic Student Success Center while pursuing a degree in Spanish. Her involvement in community activism evolved as a function of her transition from a Mexican to an American culture more than a decade ago. She founded the Humanitarian Project to Mexico in 2004, which brought a total of 18 students to work for about a month in a community hospital in San Pancho, Mexico. To promote social justice in her local American community, she got involved in political activism, serving as a campaign coordinator for the enhancement of the ethnic environment and minority student retention at ISU. As a way to amplify her coursework and broaden her perspective on the international aspects of human rights, she joined Richard Hansen, ISU Anthropology professor, in an archaeological project to preserve the culture and history of the Mayas and protect the last remaining forests in that part of the world. While working on this investigation, she co-founded the “Asociación del Mundo Maya”, a non-profit organization seeking to strengthen international efforts to protect the second largest biosphere in the world.
Cristina is the mother of a very active five-year old daughter. She volunteers at her school, BF Day Elementary School, tutoring children from various backgrounds in Spanish and in Mexican culture. Cristina is also a member of the UW Leaders Program, which provides opportunities for personal growth, leadership development, and community service for undergraduate students at the University of Washington.