About the project

“For Washington.”

a car trunk open on the side of the road with a camera on a tripod
UW’s For Washington reporting staff capture the Spokane Valley while covering a story.

This simple phrase could mean many things. On behalf of Washington? In favor of Washington? In service to Washington?

Yes.

We like to say that we are not just the University of Washington, but we are the University for Washington. This is more than a simple catch phrase. It’s a core value of our institution and central to our mission as a public university.

From our students — 74% of undergraduates are Washington residents, representing every county in the state — to a number of services, medical and dental clinics, research and outreach programs, the UW is making a positive impact on people’s lives and communities. The UW’s presence around Washington — from Vancouver to the San Juans, Colville to Asotin, tribal nations within the state and everywhere in between — is in many ways so firmly established that it can be overlooked or taken for granted. But these connections are important and worth sharing. The UW is dedicated to serving the entire state and is proud to share these stories.

So welcome to “For Washington,” a new occasional series of features and videos that will highlight some of this work. Just about every one of these stories will have also been covered by a local news outlet, as well, and we will link readers to that coverage when available.

Our first few stories include a business school certificate program in the Tri-Cities and Yakima that is helping mid-career workers boost their careers; a weeklong science camp at the UW’s Mount Rainier Institute that is educating middle-schoolers from across the state as they learn about our state’s environment; UW researchers helping landowners from Lewis, Jefferson, Whatcom and Snohomish counties preserve the environment while tapping into maple syrup production; and an inclusive summer camp started by a UW student for youth with and without intellectual disabilities.

These just begin to tell the story of how the UW’s impact is felt throughout our state, and we are excited to share this journey with you. Check out all of the stories here.

Finally, we’re always looking for more story ideas from across Washington. If you have an idea to pitch to our For Washington team, please email us at uwnews@uw.edu.