At the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D), we believe every student deserves access to the transformative power of higher education. Your support of OMA&D programs, initiatives, and resources removes barriers and broadens pathways for first-generation, economically disadvantaged, and underrepresented students at the University of Washington.
OMA&D has identified the following priority projects and initiatives that will make a profound and meaningful impact. While these projects are our top funding opportunities, all of OMA&D programs are worthy of investment. Every contribution to OMA&D strengthens our mission, puts students first and advances educational equity.
Our team welcomes the opportunity to connect with you. We look forward to identifying investment opportunities that make a meaningful difference and reflect your values. Whether you are passionate about student success, college access, inclusion and belonging or emergent programs and initiatives, our team is here to assist you. Together, we can open doors and shape a more equitable future for our students, our communities, and our world. Let’s connect and explore what is possible!
Top Funding Priorities:
Intellectual House Campaign | Phase 2 Project
- Since 2015, wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House has served as a welcoming space for all communities and support the academic pursuits of American Indian and Alaska Native students, faculty, staff and community on campus and beyond.
- The Phase 2 Project will fulfill the vision of the Intellectual House Campaign by introducing a student-focused learning and knowledge center including an arts lab, Intergenerational/Elders lounge, student gathering and study spaces, and more.
Instructional Center (IC)
- Instructional Center (IC) users are known to experience an average 1.35 increase in GPA after their first year of engaging in the IC’s mentorship and academic tutoring programs.
- This IC provides academic mentorship and tutoring helping thousands of students from under-resourced communities can attain academic excellence to thrive at University of Washington.
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)
- Access to higher education changes not only the lives of our students, but the lives of their families and communities for generations to come.
- EOP’s Financial scholarship, holistic academic advising, and supportive resources broaden access to academic success for first-generation, economically disadvantaged, and underrepresented students.
The Champions Program
- The UW Champions Program offers the foundation of family for students who have experience in foster care and/or housing instability.
- Champions provides a spectrum of supports to help students reach their academic goals and prepare for lifelong achievement after graduation.
Black Opportunity Fund (BOF)
- This fund was created to address the challenges and harm of systemic racism on our Black students, staff, and faculty.
- Awards, scholarships, programs and services will amplify and elevate Black experiences and communities.
Recent philanthropy news:
Being in Community: Reflections from the 2026 Odegaard Legacy Luncheon
March 9, 2026
Picture: Odegaard Awardees 1968 Black Student Union Founders, including Emile Pitre, Marcie McMrutrie, Royal Barnes, Dr. Anita Connell, TBD, Larry Gossett. Photo: Raymond Smith Photography There are moments in our work when simply being together reminds us why community matters. The inaugural 2026 Odegaard Legacy Luncheon was one of those moments—a gathering filled with warmth, shared purpose, and a powerful sense of belonging. It was an afternoon that honored leaders and celebrated the shared values that continue to shape the work of OMA&D and the University of Washington.
On Friday, February 27, 2026, OMA&D welcomed past and present honorees, leaders, partners, and friends to the inaugural luncheon at Ivar’s Salmon House on the shores of North Lake Union. Sparked by an idea from Odegaard Award recipients Vivian Lee and Emile Pitre, the event brought together the extraordinary community of Charles E. Odegaard Award honorees—visionaries whose leadership has advanced diversity, equity, and inclusion at the UW for more than fifty years.
The program opened with warm remarks from Barbara Lord MacLean, President of the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program (FEOP) Board, who expressed deep gratitude for the honorees, partners, and friends whose dedication has helped define and strengthen OMA&D’s efforts in fostering equity and inclusion. The FEOP Board stewards the Odegaard Award and selects its recipient each year—UW’s highest distinction in diversity.
Vice President for Minority Affairs & Diversity and University Diversity Officer Rickey Hall followed, expressing his appreciation for the Odegaard recipients and the difference they make in shaping OMA&D and the University.
Vice President for Minority Affairs & Diversity and University Diversity Officer Rickey Hall followed, expressing his appreciation for the Odegaard recipients and the difference they m
“Many of you were the first in your respective fields, and all of you paved the way for others from our communities to follow. Thank you for walking through cracked doors, and for ensuring they were opened even wider behind you.” – VP Rickey Hall
Pictured: 2026 Charles E. Odegaard Award honoree, Dr. Ana Mari Cauce and Vice President of Minority Affairs & University Diversity Officer Rickey Hall Attendees were also among the first to hear the newly released announcement of the 2026 Charles E. Odegaard Award recipient: President Emerita Dr. Ana Mari Cauce. VP Hall welcomed Dr. Cauce into the community, acknowledging her profound impact: “Dr. Cauce’s contributions reflect a career dedicated to research focused on underserved communities, a personal commitment to expanding access to higher education across Washington State, and transformative leadership as the 33rd President of the University of Washington.” Dr. Cauce will be formally presented with the award at OMA&D’s Annual Celebration Gala on May 20, 2026.
Pictured: 2025 Odegaard Award recipient Angela King’94 greets 2012 Odegaard Award recipient Gertrude Peoples. Photo: Raymond Smith Photography Honoring Community—Past, Present, and Future
Throughout the luncheon, attendees reconnected with longstanding colleagues, shared stories, and engaged in meaningful conversations about the future of equity at UW.
As OMA&D prepares for its 55th Annual Celebration Gala and OMA&D’s 60th anniversary, it is more important than ever to recognize the community and partners whose efforts continue to advance our mission of creating an inclusive campus for all. VP Hall shared OMA&D’s commitment to carrying forward the reflections, hopes, and connections shared at this gathering—each one a testament to the lasting impact of being in community:
“In today’s dynamic political and social landscape, our work requires courage, partnership, and clarity of purpose. The strength of OMA&D’s mission, and our ability to serve students with excellence, rests on leaders like you, who continue to build a more equitable and just world through your actions, your voices, and your example.”
When honored with the Odegaard Award at last year’s Celebration Gala, 2025 recipient Angela King reflected on the leadership and experience those who came before her and the significance of remaining steadfast in our values—especially in times of adversity. Angela’s words invite us to continue leaning into the leadership of our awardees, whose vision, courage, and lived experience illuminate our path forward.
OMA&D looks forward to making the Odegaard Legacy Luncheon an annual gathering, to honor connections leadership across generations. As VP Hall shared, “This is your space, our space—a community of wisdom, courage, and legacy. Now, let’s continue to enjoy one another.”
OMA&D will present Dr. Ana Mari Cauce with the 2026 Charles E. Odegaard Award at OMA&D’s Annual Celebration Gala on May 20, 2026.
Photos by Raymond Smith Photography.
Photos from these galleries are not for commercial use. For higher resolution images or for permission to use them within the University of Washington, please contact omadadv@uw.edu. For permission to use these photos for commercial use or for purposes outside of the University of Washington, please contact the photographer directly.
Former UW President Dr. Ana Mari Cauce to Receive the 2026 Charles E. Odegaard Award
February 27, 2026
Former UW President Dr. Ana Mari Cauce to Receive the 2026 Charles E. Odegaard AwardThe University of Washington’s Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) is honored to announce that President Emeritus Dr. Ana Mari Cauce, will receive the 2026 Charles E. Odegaard Award. The awardee is selected by the Friends of Educational Opportunity Program (FEOP) Board of Trustees. It is the most significant recognition of leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Washington (UW).
Dr. Cauce’s recognition comes after recently concluding a decade of presidential service at UW, a tenure defined by a deep belief in the dignity of every individual and the transformative power of education. Her leadership has been shaped by a personal story that illuminates why equity work is not just a professional calling for her, but a life mission.
A Story Defined by Family, Migration, and the Power of Education
Ana Mari Cauce’s earliest experiences began in Havana, Cuba, where she was born before her family fled the Cuban Revolution. When they resettled in Miami, her father, once Cuba’s minister of education, worked as a custodian, and both parents later held factory jobs as they rebuilt a life rooted in hope rather than despair. Growing up in this immigrant household gave Dr. Cauce a profound sense of what it means to begin again and of the vulnerability of not being fully seen or fully welcomed. Reflecting on these years, she notes, “My parents believed that education was the one possession no one could ever take from you. Even when they lost everything else, they held tight to that truth, and they passed it on to us. That belief is the foundation of my life’s work.”
Dr. Cauce’s academic understanding of how deeply ingrained discrimination and prejudice could be was forged with searing clarity when her brother, Cesar, a newlywed and recent college graduate, became involved in community and union organizing. Cesar was tragically murdered during an anti-Ku Klux Klan rally in North Carolina that he had helped to organize. The loss was devastating and profoundly formative. “César’s death taught me that injustice is not merely theoretical,” she reflects. “It has a face, a name, a family. My work in equity is, at this date, a promise to my brother that I would keep fighting for the more equitable world he was trying to build.”
In fact, Dr. Cauce seriously considered dropping out of graduate school, where she was earning her doctoral degree in psychology, to become more directly involved in community organizing. Dr. Cauce’s advisor and mentor, Dr. Edmund Gordon, was deeply influential in guiding her forward. A protégé of W.E.B. Du Bois and the first African American full Professor at Yale, Dr. Gordon, who marched alongside John Lewis during the early civil rights struggles, helped her understand the importance of contributing to the struggle in ways that suit us best, and that academia can be an arena where you can make a difference. Dr. Gordon had led by example in many ways, including serving as an architect of the Head Start program, which has positively influenced so many youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Dr. Cauce continued her studies and research, focusing on risk and resilience among youth of color living in high-risk environments, which led to her being hired as a faculty member at the University of Washington. This work, often conducted with students of color, many of whom also received support from OMA&D programs, has been recognized with numerous national awards, including Dr. Cauce receiving the James M. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association and her induction into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine.
A Leader Whose Identity Shapes Her Work
As a Cuban‑American lesbian, Dr. Cauce has long understood the complex intersections of race, immigration, sexuality, and belonging. She has spoken openly about her mother’s painful reaction when she came out—an experience she later connected to broader societal patterns of internalized racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia. These experiences formed the bedrock of her approach to leadership: candid, empathetic, and grounded in the belief that institutions become more humane when they create space for people to share their authentic selves. “To lead with vulnerability,” she often says, “is to invite others to bring their full stories forward too.”
Transforming the UW through the Race & Equity Initiative
In 2015, Dr. Cauce launched the UW Race & Equity Initiative, one of the most consequential equity and inclusion efforts in the University’s history. She framed the initiative as a personal challenge as much as an institutional one: that every student, faculty member, and staff member must take responsibility for recognizing and interrupting their own biases. The initiative focused on confronting individual bias, transforming institutional practices, and driving systemic change across the University. “We cannot wait for someone else to remove the barriers that stand in the way of opportunity for all,” Dr. Cauce emphasizes. “Every one of us shapes the community we are part of. Equity doesn’t happen passively—it happens because we commit to the hard conversations and the hard work.”
Most notably, Dr. Cauce challenged the University to be accountable for advancing the Race & Equity Initiative. Her leadership galvanized the UW community to rally behind its institutional values. 'This is not somebody else’s problem' became a defining call to action across UW’s three campuses.
UW Vice President for OMA&D and University Diversity Officer Rickey Hall praises Dr. Cauce’s leadership to lead through empathy and connection, noting, “Dr. Cauce has transformed the very culture of our institution. Her leadership in equity and inclusion has been courageous, authentic, and grounded in deep moral conviction. She has expanded opportunity, opened conversations many once feared having, and led with both head and heart. The impact of her work will be felt for generations, at the UW and in community.”
Expanding Access, Advancing Opportunity
Throughout her career at UW, Dr. Cauce has been a steadfast champion for access and fostering belonging for underrepresented and marginalized students. Her advocacy for educational opportunity aligns closely with OMA&D’s student success efforts and the values of the UW as a public university.
During her time as Executive Vice Provost, Dr. Cauce was instrumental in architecting the Husky Promise. The Husky Promise is a signature affordability initiative at UW that ensures low-income Washington students receive full tuition and standard fees. Grounded in research she conducted on the barriers faced by Latino and low-income families, the Husky Promise opened doors for students who once believed that a UW education was financially out of reach. Thanks to Dr. Cauce’s leadership, we have seen firsthand that when education becomes truly accessible, its transformative power reaches far beyond individual students, igniting generational change and expanding pathways of possibility for families and communities across our state.
Dr. Cauce’s commitment to systemic equity continued through faculty initiatives as well. Under her leadership, UW invested $1 million to support inclusive hiring and retention across campuses through the Office for Faculty Advancement. These initiatives reflect her belief that diversity and inclusion are critical, and that supporting equity means addressing barriers at every level of the institution.
In 2006, Dr. Cauce also established the Cesar Cauce Memorial Scholarship in honor of her brother and his civil‑rights legacy. Housed in OMA&D, the fund provides financial support to students engaged in equity and social justice work who face the most significant barriers to higher education. The scholarship fund helps to ensure that the University of Washington is accessible to students regardless of their background.
Understanding the value and importance of representation and belonging, she was an early advocate for the Intellectual House Campaign. In 2015, the campaign led to wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House, a Coast Salish longhouse-style building, a gathering place for the Native community. Dr. Cauce continues to be a strong advocate for completing the original campaign vision with a forthcoming center for Indigenous culture and Native student success.
Through her many sustained contributions—both personal and institutional—Dr. Cauce has helped strengthen the UW’s capacity to support students, nurture diverse leadership, and affirm the University’s commitment to equity at every level.
A Legacy of Leadership Rooted in Inclusion and Community
Dr. Cauce’s legacy is not measured only in the programs she has launched or the policies she has changed, but in the countless lives she touches, the stories she honors, and her unwavering belief that equity is possible and necessary.
As she reflected on receiving this year’s Charles E. Odegaard Award, Dr. Cauce shared how deeply meaningful this honor is to her, especially because it comes from people she deeply cares about and respects, and at a time when the importance of diversity is being questioned. She noted, “In the end, this work is about excellence, because you cannot have true excellence without equity and inclusion. The work we do together here through OMAD makes our entire university and community stronger.”
OMA&D’s Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program Board of Trustees is honored to present Dr. Ana Mari Cauce with the Charles E. Odegaard Award in recognition of her profound contributions to equity and inclusion at the 55th Annual Celebration Gala on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the UW Husky Union Building.
About the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D)
OMA&D creates pathways for diverse populations to access postsecondary opportunities, nurture and support their academic success, and cultivate a campus climate that enriches the educational experience for all. Our programs serve over 40,000 students in 115 school districts, 183 schools and 25 two-year colleges through the state of Washington as they prepare and plan for college; over 7,200 UW undergraduate students with new student orientation, academic advising, instructional support, mentoring, financial aid and scholarship opportunities; and 465 students as they prepare for, apply to, and succeed in graduate and professional programs. Find out more on the OMA&D webpage.About the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program Board of Trustees
Established in 1971, the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program (FEOP) Board of Trustees promotes academic excellence for underrepresented, educationally and economically disadvantaged students. The FEOP board serves as an advisory pipeline between the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) and the community, providing counsel to the vice president on resource development and diversity initiatives. FEOP joins OMA&D in selecting the University of Washington Charles E. Odegaard Award and student scholarship recipients and serving as a host for OMA&D’s Annual Celebration Gala. Find out more on the FEOP webpage.About the Charles E. Odegaard Award
The Charles E. Odegaard Award was established in April of 1973 to honor a member of our community whose leadership sustains the former University of Washington President’s distinguished work (1958-1973) on behalf of diversity at the UW and citizens of the state. It is regarded as the highest recognition for work in equity and diversity at the University. For a list of past recipients, visit the Charles E. Odegaard Recipient webpage.
Introducing OMA&D's Spark Social | Celebrating Leadership & Community
February 10, 2026
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.
$35 General Admission / Complimentary Tickets for Students (RSVP required) – Registration is now closed. Please contact Sandy Lam at sandytlm@uw.edu for any further questions.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
$150 – Ticket / $1,500 – Table for Eight – Reserve Your Seat Today!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.