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 introducing the inaugural Spark Social: Celebrating Leadership & Community, a new event designed to deepen connection and spotlight the next generation of changemakers.
OMA&D’s Spark Social | Celebrating Leadership & Community
Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
Location: Walker Ames Room, Kane Hall, UW Seattle Campus
Refreshments will be served; all ages are welcome.
This is a ticketed event; registration is coming soon.
What Is Spark Social?
Spark Social is a reception-style gathering designed to celebrate emerging leadership and strengthen community connection around OMA&D’s Spark Award and student success. The event will formally present the 2026 OMA&D Spark Award, which honors a recent UW graduate whose leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects the spirit of the Charles E. Odegaard Award. The FEOP Board of Trustees selects the OMA&D Spark Award recipient in recognition of their exemplary advocacy and impact in and for community during their time at UW and beyond. We look forward to honoring the 2026 Spark Award honoree, Julia Jannon-Shields ’21, at this year’s event.
The Spark Social will also mark the first public introduction of the 2026 EOP Recognition Scholars. Each year, the FEOP Board of Trustees awards recognition scholarships to students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, leadership, and a deep commitment to their communities. Scholars’ friends and family will be invited to attend as special guests to celebrate the introduction of this year’s scholar honorees in advance of OMA&D’s 55th Annual Celebration Gala on May 20, 2026.
Featuring heavy appetizers and a welcoming social atmosphere, Spark Social will bring together recent UW alums and community members to celebrate achievements and connect with the next generation of changemakers. This new event reflects OMA&D’s continued commitment to creating meaningful engagement opportunities that strengthen community, deepen connection, and elevate young leaders and recent UW graduates.
How Spark Social Connects to the Annual Celebration Gala
The Spark Social offers an opportunity to celebrate the Spark Award honoree and hear them speak directly about their leadership journey and impact. The event complements OMA&D’s Annual Celebration Gala by offering a friendly, engaging gathering that honors emerging leaders and scholars ahead of the larger, community-wide celebration. The event also creates for the Spark Award honoree and EOP Recognition Scholars to socialize and connections with UW alumni, young professionals, partners and community members.
The Spark Award honoree, recognized at Spark Social, will serve as a presenter at the Annual Celebration Gala, continuing the tradition of Spark Award recipients sharing their leadership journeys and impact with the broader community. The EOP Recognition Scholars introduced at Spark Social will be welcomed as special guests at the Annual Celebration Gala, where they will don their scholar medallions and be recognized alongside UW leaders, partners, and supporters.
OMA&D’s 55th Annual Celebration Gala
Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Social Reception: 5:00 p.m.
Dinner and Program: 5:45 p.m.
Location: UW Husky Union Building, Seattle
This is a ticketed event; registration is coming soon.
As OMA&D’s signature annual event, the Celebration Gala raises essential funds for the Educational Opportunity Program while showcasing inspiring leadership, community partnership, and the extraordinary achievements of OMA&D students. The evening includes engaging remarks from UW leadership, uplifting stories of academic excellence, and the honoring of a community visionary with the Charles E. Odegaard Award, the university’s highest recognition of outstanding leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion. The event will feature this year’s EOP Recognition Scholars, as well as a dynamic live auction and Raise the Paddle moment, providing a meaningful opportunity to directly invest in student success and the transformative work of OMA&D.
Stay Connected!
We look forward to welcoming you this spring as we launch Spark Social and continue the journey toward our 55th Annual Celebration Gala, together celebrating leadership, community, and the students who inspire us all. To receive an invitation and event updates:
- Join the OMA&D mailing list.
- Watch for an email with registration information for the Spark Social and Annual Celebration Gala.
- Questions? Reach us at celebration@uw.edu.