2023 Recognition Scholars

Major: Mechanical Engineering
Scholarship Award: Dr. Millie Russell Scholar

After graduation, I will gain work experience before coming back to school for a master’s degree. The realm of mechatronics is the focus of most career paths I want to pursue. As I go through my education, I am open to my plans changing, with a focus on financial stability and gaining more experience.

Major: Early Childhood and Family Studies
Scholarship Award: Friends of the Educational Opportunity Fund Legacy Scholar

I am currently working at a preschool center. After graduation, I plan on attending graduate school to obtain my Masters in Teaching. I would like to get my graduate degree in teaching as I hope to become an elementary school teacher.

Major: American Indian Studies and English
Scholarship Award: Knight Recognition Scholar

My goal after graduation is to work with and for the Native community in the Pacific Northwest, either directly with a tribal nation or through work in organizations that support and uplift Native people and Indigenous knowledges. With my background in communication and writing, and the love I have for my community, I would love to help tribal nations and Native-led organizations with their communication strategies and project coordination.

Major: Psychology
Scholarship Award: President’s Achievement Award Scholar

I was accepted to the UW off of the waitlist and since arriving, I have served as a Resident Advisor, Assistant Resident Director and have served as the Vice Chair of the OMA&D Student Advisory Board. I have also served as a two-term president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and am currently the Director of the Black Student Commission and Student Liaison to the Board of Regents Diversity Committee. I have always tried my best to use the gifts and opportunities that I have been provided to pay it forward and to help uplift my peers and their passions along the way. I will be attending the University of Southern California Gould School of Law to pursue my Juris Doctor in hopes of pursuing criminal justice reform and criminal rehabilitation in my home community of Los Angeles.

Major: Biology – Physiology
Minor: Chemistry
Scholarship Award: Murray, Pitre, Baker and Rosebaugh Scholar

My current plan is to attend medical school after I spend two gap years working as an emergency medical technician in Los Angeles County. I have very clear intentions in working in the medical field as a pediatric neurologist. After speaking with various Black doctors and divulging into their experiences with how their racial identities affected their profession, I became increasingly more motivated to help create a more inclusive environment for everyone.

Major: English
Scholarship Award: Wells Fargo Vice President’s Achievement Award Scholar

After I earn my degree, I plan to attend law school. I want to study immigration law with a focus on refugee assistance. I plan to complete my law degree and work for an organization that is aiding people in need, whether domestic or internationally. Through my edication and work, I want to makes a difference in as many lives as possible.

Major: Geography
Minor: Business and Oceania Pacific Islander Studies (OPIS)
Scholarship Award: Dr. Gabriel Gallardo Scholar

I hope to put my degree to use and pursue the career paths aligned with my major, or one of my minors. Coming back for graduate or professional degrees will always be on the table as I believe knowledge is power at every stage in my life. As of right now, I plan to finish my studies in 2025 and go into whatever career path properly compensates me for the education and experiences I have.

Major: Speech and Hearing Sciences
Minor: Education
Scholarship Award: Robert T. & Nancy J. Knight Scholar

I am a member of the Eagle-Thunderbird clan of the Tlingit tribe. I know for certain that speech-language pathology is the career for me. Growing up with social anxiety that prevented me from speaking up in the past. I struggled to find my voice for a long time, which is why I strive to help others find their own voice as well. When I earn my bachelor’s degree from UW, I plan to go on to grad school to become a licensed as a speech language pathologist.

Major: Real Estate
Minor: Spanish and Business Administration
Scholarship Award: Lydia A. Gonzales Scholar

After earning my degree I plan to attend law school. If law school is not an option for me, I plan to work for a non-profit organization that helps undocumented and immigrant communities. With my real estate knowledge I want to be able to help underrepresented communities achieve their housing goals and hopefully start my own business. No matter the path I take, I want to fund a non-profit organization that offers many different services to underprivileged communities.

Major: Plant Biology and Anthropology
Scholarship Award: William P. & Ruth Gerberding Scholar

My educational and professional career path is centered around my passion for plants and my commitment to Native community. The need for the preservation of biodiversity drives my determination to reshape the extractive relationship between Indigenous knowledge systems and scientific research to ensure the protection of Indigenous intellectual property rights and tribal sovereignty through culturally specific and community-directed research.

Major: Education, Communities, and Organizations
Minor: Diversity and Business Administration
Scholarship Award: Del Rio Global Citizens Scholar

I want to work in educational policy to implement programs (ranging from American Ethnic Studies Programs to Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity Programs) across the country that promote inclusive and diverse learning environments while also catering to and nurturing the cultures, beliefs, and values that all ethnic children hold. Our educational system has the potential to change lives and give life, and I believe it can be much more than it is now. I plan to attend law school in order to work in educational policy and influence our educational system on a large scale within the government.

Major: Public Health – Global Health
Scholarship Award: Cesar Cauce Memorial Scholar

I plan to attend medical school after my time here at the UW. I also foresee myself getting a Master’s in Public Health sometime in my professional and academic career. After medical school and residency, I hope to become a pediatric attending and use my MD/MPH background to provide comprehensive care to underserved immigrant communities.

Major: Economics
Scholarship Award: Dr. Samuel E. Kelly Scholar

My goal is to use my degree to further new ideas in closing the wealth disparities among BIPOC queer communities and those without previous wealth management systems. I also plan to work in environmental resource guidance by helping people focus energy on preserving our natural resources as well as possibly creating new ones. Specifically, I hope to put forward a program within the Seattle unhoused youth population to assist in the creation of wealth independence and reliable resource preservation.

Major: Neuroscience & Psychology
Scholarship Award: Gary D. Kimura Family Scholar

My plan is to pursue an MD-PhD dual degree after two enrichment years. It is my dream to become a neurosurgeon/neuroscientist to not only be able to diagnose and treat patients with surgery but analyze and study it in the lab to improve understanding of neurological diseases. My current research work at UW is allowing me to start working towards this goal and the Stipends for Aspiring Researchers (STAR) Program run by the Health Sciences Center for Minority Students Program (HSCMSP), that I participated in my rising sophomore and junior summers has been a catalyst for evolving my passion for research. I am excited to continue growing in my last year of undergraduate before applying to physician-scientist programs.

Major: Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology & Early Childhood and Family Studies
Minor: Bioethics
Scholarship Award: Emile Pitre Instructional Center Tutor Scholar

With a demonstrated history of developing expertise in various research areas and shadowing several medical professionals, I have a passion for scientific inquiry and hope to eliminate the health disparities faced by underserved populations. I intend to pursue pathways that will allow me to become a physician scientist that studies metabolic diseases. As a future educator and physician-scientist I want to be able to use my traits of resilience to conquer obstacles within marginalized communities and help break through barriers, particularly the fear and limitations undergraduate students face when exploring and seeking positions in research. In the future, I hope to mentor underrepresented students and will continue to strive for increasing the representation of Black women in STEM.

Major: Political Science, Law Societies & Justice
Minor: Human Rights
Scholarship Award: Margo Wyckoff Recognition Scholar

After completing my undergraduate degree, I hope to further my higher education studies by pursuing law sdudies at an institution that offers a good international law program. My goal is to someday have a career in the legal field making a difference in human rights and international law. My interests include human rights, international relations, and prison reform. My main drive with pursuing a law path is to do my part to help foster a safe and welcoming world for all.

Major: Master of Arts, Cultural Studies
Scholarship Award: Graduate Student Equity & Excellence Scholar

Major: Medical Anthropology & Global Health Minor: Education, Learning, and Societies
Scholarship Award: University of Washington Athletics Scholar

Post graduation I have plans to travel for 12 weeks, backpacking around Southern Europe and Southeast Asia. After traveling, I hope to continue internationally, working as a volunteer in education for field experience and conducting my own research. Upon returning to the United States, I hope to attend graduate school, and eventually a Ph.D. program, with the goal of becoming a professor, writing a book, and being a part of important social justice conversations.