News
April 28, 2025
Celebrating student leadership in action at the CELE Center’s 2025 Spring CELEbration
On May 7, the University of Washington’s Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center will present the 2025 Spring CELEbration, an inspiring undergraduate showcase of student service, leadership and community-engaged work.
The annual event features students in CELE Center programs and Mary Gates Endowment Leadership Scholars, presenting work focused on service, leadership and social change — from mentorship and educational equity to civic engagement and environmental justice.
April 21, 2025
Tristan Jafari, biochemistry undergrad, selected as Truman Scholar
Tristan Jafari, a third-year student at the University of Washington majoring in biochemistry, has been selected for the prestigious Truman Scholarship. Set to graduate early, Jafari will pursue a master’s degree in philosophy of population health sciences at the University of Cambridge in England this fall.
A highly competitive award, only 54 students were selected nationwide this year from more than 743 nominations. The Truman Scholarship recognizes aspiring leaders driven to make change at the systems level. Students are selected on the basis of leadership skills, demonstrated civic engagement, academic potential and a desire to pursue a career in public service. Scholars receive up to $30,000 for graduate school, mentoring and additional benefits to help prepare them for careers where they can make an impact.
Four UW undergraduates named 2025 Goldwater Scholars
Four University of Washington students have been named Goldwater Scholars by the Goldwater Foundation, advancing the University’s tradition of undergraduate academic excellence and recognition.
“The Goldwater Scholarship is the preeminent undergraduate award for students pursuing research careers in the sciences, engineering and mathematics,” says Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. The UW awardees were selected from over 5,000 students nominated by 445 institutions. A total of 441 scholars were named for 2025.
The 2025 UW Goldwater Scholars are Sofia Dahlgren, Shivani Kottantharayil, Keming Qiu and Sahana Subramanian. “These scholars exemplify the excellence fostered by our public research institution, emerging as future leaders in the evolving research landscape and underscoring the vital role of researchers in shaping our collective future,” says Taylor.
April 10, 2025
Becoming boundless
Undergraduate Salma Rashwan writes about embracing the impossible during Alternative Spring Break teaching kids in Forks, Washington, about science, technology, engineering and math.
April 9, 2025
UW undergraduate with interdisciplinary AI focus earns fellowship of up to $90,000 for graduate study
University of Washington Honors student Andre Ye, pursuing bachelors’ degrees in philosophy and computer science with minors in math and history, has been selected for the esteemed Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans.
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans is a merit-based fellowship supporting immigrants and children of immigrants pursuing graduate education in the U.S. This year, 30 Fellows were selected out of more than 2,600 applicants for their past achievements and future promise to make significant contributions to American society. Fellows will receive up to $90,000 to fund graduate studies for two years.
March 26, 2025
Progress report on the UW Dialogue Initiative
In this video, Megan Kennedy, director of the UW Resilience Lab and project lead for the UW Dialogue Initiative, provides some background and a progress report on the first year of the Initiative.
February 26, 2025
UW undergraduate receives prestigious Gates Cambridge scholarship
Tristan Jafari, pursuing his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the University of Washington, was selected for the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship. Jafari, a departmental Honors student set to graduate a year early this June, will receive a full-cost scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in philosophy in Population Health Sciences at the University of Cambridge,…
February 5, 2025
Celebrating the 2023–24 Undergraduate Medalists
Each year, the University of Washington awards the President’s Medalist Award to its top undergraduates. For 2023–2024, Samuel Perkowski, Mia Grayson and Cher Zhang were chosen for their academic excellence, including high GPAs, rigorous coursework and Honors classes. All three biochemistry majors have pursued impactful research and embraced the Husky Experience through activities like lab work, music and studying abroad. They will be honored by President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Tricia Serio at a special reception, where they’ll receive their medals in front of family, friends and mentors.
January 22, 2025
Dialogue, disagreement and democracy course highlights reel
In the leadership course, “2024: Dialogue, Disagreement and Democracy,” students learned tools to engage thoughtfully with contentious issues. Offered in the autumn of 2024, this class helped undergraduates navigate complex topics, forge meaningful relationships and have productive conversations in a polarized world.
January 14, 2025
UW Community College Research Initiatives awarded $1.7 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to continue STEM Transfer Partnerships program
The University of Washington’s Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to continue its STEM Transfer Partnerships (STP) program, which aims to increase equity in STEM education for low-income learners across Washington state. This funding extension builds on an earlier $1.17 million grant, continuing the work to improve outcomes for underserved students in STEM fields.
CCRI conducts research to promote equity in higher education, with a focus on the experiences of underserved student populations. Ascendium supports initiatives aimed at helping students from low-income backgrounds achieve postsecondary degree completion. With aligned goals of enhancing access and success for low-income learners, Ascendium is a natural and valuable partner in advancing CCRI’s efforts.
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