Anouk-Belle Janess, Lorenzo McCleese and Jaycee Williford are among 65 students named 2026 Udall Undergraduate Scholars across the country. This year’s Udall Scholars major in marine biology, American Indian studies, aquatic conservation and ecology, and environmental science and informatics. They research how climate change is affecting coastal communities and habitats, and how to better work with Indigenous communities affected by the changing climate.
Tag: scholarships
UW neuroscience student recognized as 2026 Truman Scholar
Adelina Grace Sudarman, a junior majoring in neuroscience with minors in Indonesian and global health, is one of 55 Truman Scholars selected across the nation. Each year, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation recognizes students who excel in leadership, civic engagement and academics. Sudarman is the University of Washington’s 21st Truman Scholar since the program began in 1975.
Four UW juniors honored for work in science and mathematics with Goldwater Scholarship
Four UW students received Goldwater Scholarships this year, highlighting their work in environmental science, bioengineering and neuroscience. The award is another recognition of the University’s commitment to undergraduate excellence and research.
UW undergrad named 2026 Rhodes Scholar
University of Washington senior Shubham Bansal, ’26, has been named a 2026 Rhodes Scholar, one of the most prestigious academic awards for U.S. students.
UW alum Evan Siu named Schwarzman Scholar
University of Washington alumnus Evan Siu, ’23, has been selected as a Schwarzman Scholar, one of the world’s most competitive graduate and fellowship programs.
Siu, who earned a bachelor’s degree in informatics, joins the program’s 10th class of 150 scholars chosen from nearly 5,000 applicants worldwide. Schwarzman Scholars will pursue a fully funded master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, where they will study China’s role in global trends alongside leaders in business, technology and policy.
“Whether through software, policy, investment or classrooms, my goal is to widen access through technology to finance, information and trade networks so geography isn’t the limiting factor in human potential,” Siu said. “I’m excited to walk that path with my classmates, giving as much as I learn from all of them.”
Siu is an associate product manager at Visa in San Francisco, where he has supported products across AI-powered fraud and identity, cross-border payments, small-business tools and cryptocurrency. He now works with Visa Ventures, helping shape the firm’s strategy for investing in fintechs and startups worldwide.
“My professional experiences have shown me how financial technology can bank the unbanked, reduce barriers in commerce and make interactions between nations more seamless,” Siu said. “I hope to apply those lessons to deepen U.S.–China collaboration.”
At the UW, Siu combined his informatics studies with leadership roles in entrepreneurship and technology communities. He was active in the Lavin Entrepreneurship Program, DubHacks Next, UW Blockchain Society, UW Consulting Association, and helped open undergraduate access to the Creative Destruction Lab during its inaugural year on campus.
Born in the United States and Chinese by ethnicity, Siu traces his passion for U.S.–China exchange to a middle-school trip to Shanghai, where QR-code payments first showed him how technology could simplify everyday life.
With the incoming class, the Schwarzman Scholars network includes more than 1,300 members from 104 countries and 459 institutions. Alumni of the program are leading across industries and working together to address urgent global challenges. This year’s record-high number of applications demonstrates young leaders’ growing investment in understanding China and shaping the future of global cooperation.
About the Schwarzman Scholars Program
The Schwarzman Scholars is an elite scholarship program founded in 2013 by Blackstone Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman. The program was created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century by preparing the next generation of global leaders.
Up to 200 scholars are selected annually from a broad range of backgrounds, including business, technology, science, politics, healthcare and more.
About the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
The Schwarzman Scholars Program process is supported by the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards (OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards.
Four UW undergrads awarded Fulbright scholarships to study, teach and conduct research abroad
Four University of Washington undergraduates have been awarded Fulbright scholarships for the 2025–26 academic year, joining three other UW students and alumni selected for the prestigious international program. They join about 2,000 recipients nationwide who will pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English abroad.
This year’s undergraduate awardees will travel to Germany, Mexico, Tajikistan and the United Kingdom to engage in research, teaching assistantships and advanced study in the arts.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright Program is the nation’s flagship international exchange initiative, supporting students in building global connections through education, service and scholarship.
Explore the full story from UW News.
About the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
The Fulbright application process is supported by the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards (OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards. The UW campus application process for students interested in Fulbright U.S. Student Programs (and other scholarships supporting graduate studies around the world) will get started this spring. Watch for updates about OMSFA’s Global Fellowships Prep program.
41 UW undergraduates awarded Gilman International Scholarship
The U.S. Department of State has recognized the University of Washington for producing 41 recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship during the spring 2025 cycle. The Gilman Scholarship supports U.S. undergraduates with financial need in studying or interning abroad. The UW’s strong showing reflects the University’s commitment to expanding global learning opportunities for all students.
UW sophomore awarded selective Udall Scholarship for commitment to environment and community
University of Washington undergrad Lorenzo Roel Flores McCleese, ‘27, was recently named a Udall Scholar. Lorenzo is pursuing bachelor’s degrees in environmental science and terrestrial resource management as well as informatics, with a focus on data science. He is also minoring in diversity.
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, England.
The highly competitive scholarship recognizes past accomplishments and future potential. This year, 35 students from US-based institutions were selected to join the 2025 class of Gates Cambridge Scholars. In April 2025, 65 additional students from around the world will be named, forming a class of 100 Gates Cambridge Scholars from 36 institutions for the 25th anniversary of the scholarship.
“Being named a Gates Cambridge Scholar is an immense honor,” said Jafari. “It’s both inspiring and motivating to join a global community of scholars who are deeply committed to using their education to improve lives.”
Alongside this remarkable achievement, Jafari has earned the UW Class of 1962 Endowed Scholarship, the UW Chemistry Scholarship and the Mary Gates Leadership Scholarship twice. He was also honored with the Martin and Anne Jugum Scholarship in Labor Studies, each of which provided him with invaluable opportunities and enriched his undergraduate experience.
Jafari was born in Oklahoma City and raised in Mukilteo, Washington, by Iranian parents who left their homeland as teenagers. They resettled in Germany before immigrating to the United States. As dual citizens of the U.S. and Germany, Jafari’s family spoke English, German and Farsi. This multicultural upbringing allowed him to navigate a blend of cultures, shaping his perspective on identity and global health.
After witnessing a life-saving medical response, Jafari became an emergency medical technician (EMT) during his freshman year and has since worked in Snohomish County. At the UW, he has grown through a diverse set of experiences — researching cardiometabolic disease at the UW Diabetes Institute, leading campus blood drives with the American Red Cross, establishing a free CPR training program on campus and volunteering to improve patient health literacy.
Jafari is eager to immerse himself in the global academic community at Cambridge, where he will advance his proficiency in spatial epidemiology, biostatistics and public health frameworks to better understand how systemic health challenges, such as addiction, chronic disease and emergency response, can be addressed.
“I know that this experience will challenge my thinking, broaden my perspective and equip me with the tools to become a more impactful leader in medicine and public health,” said Jafari. He hopes to pursue an M.D. after his master’s degree, with long-term aspirations to integrate public health leadership and clinical medicine.
Jafari expresses deep gratitude to his mentors and professors, including Mr. Eric Timm, Dr. Charlie Barrows, Dr. Hannah Jordt, Dr. Daniel Roberts, Dr. Inma Velasco, Dr. Mauricio Dorfman, and Dr. Josh Thaler. He also thanks his friends and family for their unwavering encouragement.
About the Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Established in October 2000 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates Cambridge Scholarships are awarded on a student’s intellectual ability, leadership capacity and desire to use their knowledge to contribute to society throughout the world by providing service to their communities and applying their talents and knowledge to improve the lives of others.
Learn about scholarship opportunities at the UW
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship application process is supported by the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards (OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with students, faculty and staff to identify and support undergraduate students and alumni in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for scholarships.
More than money: Scholarships, jobs, internships map to students’ interests
Funding opportunities abound across UAA with a broad range of funded opportunities — scholarships, internships and jobs — that connect to and support students’ interests.