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Undergraduate Academic Affairs

The Path to UW: A Photo Essay

Written by Jayden Becles
Posted on
Path to UW students walk down a fern filled path in the Chimacum Ridge Community Forest.
Path to UW students walk down a fern filled path in the Chimacum Ridge Community Forest. Photo: Jayden Becles

 

The Path to UW is not just about drop-in advising and campus tours; it’s an opportunity to get a head start on the University of Washington journey.

The program provides support, planning resources, community, and academic preparation to Seattle-area students planning to transfer to the University of Washington. One of the many paths to the UW includes the Seattle Promise and Project Baldwin at the Seattle Colleges. Students receive individualized admissions and advising support and tailored workshops and events to build community and prepare for transferring.

 

The wooden Chimacum Ridge Community Forest entrance sign.
The wooden Chimacum Ridge Community Forest entrance sign. Photo: Jayden Becles

Over the summer, Path to UW students can attend seminars for free while earning three UW college credits. This summer, students in the “Social Mycology: What Mushrooms Can Teach Us About the World Around Us” seminar visited the Chimacum Ridge Community Forest to forage for mushrooms.

Assistant Professor Rebakah Daro Minarchek and three students look at cobwebs in the trees.
Assistant Professor Rebakah Daro Minarchek and three students look at cobwebs in the trees. Photo: Jayden Becles

Assistant Professor Rebakah Daro Minarchek of Integrated Social Sciences goes beyond mycology by challenging Path to UW students to think about the political, social, historical and geographical issues that surround mushrooms and what these issues can reveal about the world around them.

A student uses their phone to take a picture of a fungi growing on a tree.
A student uses their phone to take a picture of a fungi growing on a tree. Photo: Jayden Becles

Students learned about scientific data collection by uploading photos of mushrooms they found in the forest to iNaturalist, an open source database that identifies its type.

Assistant Professor Rebakah Daro Minarchek talks to huddled students about stinging nettle.
Assistant Professor Rebakah Daro Minarchek talks to huddled students about stinging nettle. Photo: Jayden Becles

Through Path to UW seminars, students not only get the opportunity to expand their knowledge but also get individualized assistance in preparing their transfer plan.

Students look around for fungi along a path in the Chimacum Ridge Community Forest.
Students look around for fungi along a path in the Chimacum Ridge Community Forest. Photo: Jayden Becles

Students in Path to UW seminars, like this one, get the chance to take part in unique course topics that push their curiosity and skills to new levels outside of traditional classroom settings.

Close up of a student's illustrations of fungi and plants.
Close up of a student’s illustrations of fungi and plants. Photo: Jayden Becles

Students got to observe and journal the beauty of nature, giving them a chance to make a connection between biology and art.

Students receiving bread made from the Chimacum Valley Grainery.
Students receiving bread made from the Chimacum Valley Grainery. Photo: Jayden Becles

Students in the “Soil to Seed to Snack! Explorations in Urban Food Systems” also joined the field trip to visit the Chimacum Valley Grainery and learned more about how grain is grown, milled and baked into bread — all sustainably.

A smiling student holds a double thumbs up for the camera.
A smiling student holds a double thumbs up for the camera. Photo: Jayden Becles

The Path to UW seminars allow students in community colleges across Seattle to connect with each other and with the UW community, before they even step foot onto campus as a student.