University of Washington president’s medalists were recently selected for their high scholastic standing and difficulty of coursework. They represent undergraduate scholarship of the highest caliber. The students’ academic pursuits show interdisciplinary interests and their co-curricular and extracurricular activities demonstrate their classroom energy and commitment to a host of other interests. They are truly interesting individuals.
Author: Undergraduate Academic Affairs
Reviewed 9/22
Thousands from UW community and Seattle to volunteer for MLK Day of Service
On January 20, 2014, the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, thousands of volunteers will honor the civil rights leader’s legacy of service by volunteering in the community at more than 80 projects identified by local nonprofit organizations. The MLK Day of Service is an annual, national tradition. The University of Washington-coordinated event brings together University of Washington students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and neighbors to volunteer alongside others in the Seattle and King County community. The Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center is partnering with the United Way of King County to make the event happen.
In 2013, more than 1,800 people volunteered on campus and throughout the Puget Sound region for the MLK Day of Service. This year, organizers anticipate 2,000 volunteers donating their day to their community, the majority coming from the UW community. Volunteers can lead or participate in such wide-ranging projects as restoring habitat, greenspace and parks; painting a daycare; promoting tax help for low-income people; organizing a foodbank; and more.
To lead or volunteer for a service project, visit uw.edu/carlson.
Kick-Off Rally
A rousing Kick-Off rally at 8 a.m. at the Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center will fortify volunteers’ spirits and stomachs for their day’s work. Will Berkovitz, CEO of Jewish Family Service, will inspire volunteers with his thoughts on service and social justice; Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Marisa Herrera, director of the Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center, and Blair Taylor, chief community officer from Starbucks and United Way of King County board member will also provide brief remarks. Pastries and coffee, provided by Starbucks, and commemorative t-shirts will be available for volunteers as well.
Will Berkovitz is chief executive officer of Jewish Family Service. The 122-year-old agency delivers essential human services—from refugee resettlement to a food bank. Berkovitz’s prior service work includes roles as senior vice president & rabbi in residence at Repair the World, as well as rabbi and executive director of Hillel at the University of Washington/Jconnect Seattle.
The Day of Service is nationwide tradition spanning more than 20 years. The UW and United Way have partnered on local Day of Service opportunities for more than ten years. The organizations’ efforts have culminated into the largest Day of Service in Washington state.
Event Details
Who: You + 1,800 UW family, friends, and community members
What: MLK Day of Service Kick-Off Event and Service Projects
When: Monday, January 20, 2014. Kick-Off Event 8:00 a.m. sharp! Projects happen throughout the day
Where: Kick-Off at the Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center, 3931 Brooklyn Avenue NE. Service projects at various locations
How: Sign up to lead or participate in a project here: uw.edu/carlson
Share: Participants are encouraged to share their experiences via social media using the hashtags #HuskiesServe and #MLKsea.
The MLK Day of Service is coordinated and supported by the UW Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center and the United Way of King County. Event sponsors include Union Bank, Starbucks, Titan 360, UW’s First Year Programs, and the UW Alumni Association.
There’s no one way to be a Husky
Nearly 30,000 undergraduates at the UW means 30,000 individual ways to be a Husky. The UW offers students countless opportunities to bring their academics beyond the classroom, grow as leaders, contribute to research, become global citizens, and serve our communities near and far. Learn about some particularly meaningful student experiences.
Novel gift inspired by books
Lists of the year’s best books are prolific this time of year and go from very general to very specific. Best books of 2013. The year’s most notable books. Best novels for the year. Best history books. Young adult, cookbooks, science, humor, art, and more all have a list. NPR alone has 26 different subject areas into which it’s compiled “great reads” for 2013. Readers can derive satisfaction simply by reading the lists, remembering their favorites of the year and adding to their own “must read” lists. And Seattle has no shortage of readers. In the rankings of America’s Most Literate Cities, Seattle has placed in one of the top three spots since 2005, including landing at number one several times.
So, if you were a college student with a love of reading and some unexpected cash in your pocket, what would you buy?
Fall/Winter 2013-14 Alumni e-Newsletter
Table of Contents
Roman Camarda, ’13, had $75 to put toward whatever books he wanted. As he considered what he wanted to read, he realized that never before had he been able to spend money on multiple books that weren’t textbooks for a class. This $75 enabled him to simply buy books through which he could intellectually wander. The Honors Program grad bought “two books by [Jean Baudrillard] a French philosopher I’m currently digging who has interesting things to say about nothingness, disappearance, and photography, a book by Roland Barthes that’s a classical critical consideration of photography, and a book by Jean-Luc Nancy about drawing as a concept.”
Camarda graduated with degrees in the seemingly disparate fields of biochemistry and photomedia. The interdisciplinary nature of the Honors Program facilitated Camarda’s ability to connect the dots of his majors and inspired an unusual donation to support other Honors students and encourage broad reading.
After his book-buying experience, Camarda devised a novel scholarship—novel as in new, not fiction. Camarda started a scholarship program for students pursuing the College Honors track to buy books that further inspire their interdisciplinary interests. He has committed to giving $250 to one student each year to buy books that are not textbooks. To apply for the funding, students create a thoughtful wish list of interdisciplinary reading and a short statement describing how their book choices reflect their interdisciplinary interests.
Now a graduate student in biomedical science at UC San Francisco, Camarda hopes to grow the gift amount over the years. He started at $250 because “that’s an amount I can happily provide as a grad student, and then in a couple years when I hopefully become a post-doc and get a raise we can re-evaluate the amount.”
That sounds like a “happily ever after” ending for a lot of Honors students in the coming years!
Winter 2014 lineup for Collegium Seminars
Winters in Seattle are an ideal time to stretch your academic interests. Here, freshmen can find a number of interesting classes to fill our their schedules. Take a class that’s a little different from what you normally take. Collegium Seminars are low-risk (they’re 1 credit, credit/no credit); they’re taught by some of the UW’s best faculty; and they’re limited to 20 students. Plus, taking a Collegium Seminar will add a little intellectual sunshine to the gray winter days.
Quick Links
Winter Quarter 2014
Note: For more specific information about a particular seminar, please contact the instructor listed for the course.
The History of Innovation
Margaret O’Mara, History
- GEN ST 197 A, SLN 14486
- W 11:00-12:50
Where do good ideas come from? How do ideas become world-changing innovations? How and why does innovation thrive in certain places, at certain times? How can history help us understand what might come next? This seminar will address these questions by exploring historical cases of people, groups, and places that have sparked innovative thinking. We will consider innovation in business, society, politics, and art – from ancient Athens to modern Seattle, from Gutenberg to Gates. Curriculum will include a visit to the newly opened Bezos Center for Innovation at Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry. Students will be expected to read 20-50 pages per week, actively engage in class discussion, write three one-page reflective essays, and serve once as a discussion co-leader.
Introduction to the Digital Humanities
Tyler Fox & John Vallier, UW Libraries
- GEN ST 197 L, SLN 14497
- TH 2:30-4:20
The Digital Humanities Freshman Seminar will introduce students to the emergent field of digital humanities. The term Digital Humanities means different things, but broadly speaking it can be considered to lie at the nexus of critical thinking about digital culture, integrating technology into traditional humanities practice, and incorporating research methodologies from social sciences or other disciplines. It can also be a combination there in. Students can expect to participate in hands-on workshops in digital imaging, maps, text analysis, design research and more! We will also incorporate recent digital scholarship and guest presenters from digital scholars on campus.
Seminar in Animal Communication
Joseph Sisneros, Psychology
- GEN ST 197 B, SLN 14487
- M 1:30-2:20
Have you ever wondered how complex animal communication signals may have evolved? The objective of this weekly freshman seminar is to provide a general understanding of the principles and mechanisms that govern the evolution of animal communication systems and the related processes of perception, thinking, and social behavior. The emphasis will be on integrating information from areas of animal behavior and communication sciences to make this understanding as general as possible. The seminar will primarily consist of group discussions of research topics and papers related to the field of animal communication.
Marketing in the 21st Century
Leta Beard, Marketing and International Business
- GEN ST 197 C, SLN 14488
- M 11:30-12:20
This course is intended to expose the students to the world of marketing and to examine how marketing is changing in the 21st century. We will look at various companies and assess what they are doing correctly and what could be done differently. We will have a guest speaker and go on a field trip. Students will participate in a tradeshow at the end of the quarter.
Genetically Modified Foods: Menace or Magic?
Linda Martin-Morris, Biology
- GEN ST 197 D, SLN 14489
- W 3:30-4:20
Are genetically modified foods a miracle or a menace? Do they offer real promise to improve food production and nutrition or do they represent poorly-conceived, aggressive science that fails to consider long-term ramifications? Who stands to benefit the most from GM foods – individuals or corporations? In addition to considering these issues, we will investigate the biology behind how GM foods are made and how they are tested in order to properly label foods for wary consumers.
Growing Up with Fiction
Mark Patterson, English
- GEN ST 197 E, SLN 14490
- W 2:30-3:20
Literature is about change, and it also changes us as we experience it. In this course we will read a short story a week and through this process we will trace the complex transformations from childhood, to adolescence, to emerging adulthood, to adulthood, and finally to old age (and beyond?). The stories will come from different cultures, different historical periods, and they will be written by a variety of men and women. Despite these many variations, as the works tell stories about older and older people, I hope we can begin to see some patterns in them and experience some change in our understanding of literature and ourselves. Requirements will include short writing responses to the readings.
Leadership: Up, Down, and Sideways
Dorothy Bullitt, Evans School of Public Affairs
- GEN ST 197 F, SLN 14491
- M 11:30-12:50
Leadership: Up, Down, and Sideways will help students cultivate the skills required to lead in any context and thrive at the University of Washington. Not everyone is endowed with naturally high emotional intelligence but certain habits, if developed deliberately and practiced, can achieve similar results. Successful students and leaders must also write clearly, speak publicly, negotiate persuasively, and appreciate the differing communication styles of those with whom they work. This course will help students focus upon and progress in each of these areas. Recently Dr. Bullitt spoke about managing life’s transitions to young adults, view the UW talk title “Learning to Surf” online.
Public Controversies and the Law: Major Recent Cases in the U.S. Supreme Court
Steven Herbert, Law, Societies and Justice
- GEN ST 197 G, SLN 14492
- W 9:30-10:20
Many controversial public issues ultimately find their way into the legal arena, and some are addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court. This course will involve analysis of several recent cases to address the following questions: What roles do courts play in resolving public controversies? How are such controversies defined as matters of law? What types of arguments do judges make in justifying particular stances on controversial issues? How should we assess those arguments? Does the Court possess the proper amount of influence? Why or why not? Classes will involve discussions of particular cases and the opinions issued by the Justices. The issues addressed by the cases will include: potential limits on political campaign contributions; the ability of cities to regulate gun ownership; the role of race in assigning students to public schools; the Constitutionality of sentencing juvenile offenders to life without parole; and other hot-button issues.
The Violence of the Small: Looking into Global Complexity
Clarke Speed, University Honors Program
- GEN ST 197 H, SLN 14493
- W 1:30-2:20
I have always been interested in the rest of the world—off the global path but tied to all things global. Here one finds the power of the small—people and societies that resist globalization and in a few cases those that remain un-captured by larger global flows. In some cases, the power of the small upsets the rule of law and the Nation State, as ethnic groups and factions in various regions fight both cultural and technological wars for survival. I want to talk about these small wars at very basic levels to get the big and small pictures of the power of the small.
Sustainable Energy Solutions for the 21st Century: Science, Technology, and Policy
Payman Arabshahi, Electrical Engineering
- GEN ST 197 J, SLN 14495
- T 9:30-10:20
Become an informed citizen of a new generation and prepare to contribute meaningfully to the energy debate. We will cover regional and global energy demand, sources, policy, current and future technologies, costs of sustainable energy production and its impacts on climate and the environment, and solutions to our energy problems. The class text will be “Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air” (download at http://withouthotair.com). Class will be structured around field trips and group projects.
Imagining Latin America
Jose Antonio Lucero, Latin American and Caribbean Studies
- GEN ST 197 K, SLN 14496
- M 10:30-11:20
What do you think of when you think of “Latin America”? Since 1492, the continent has been fertile ground for the imaginations of conquistadores dreaming of cities of gold, colonialists building new states, and Native peoples who had their own counter-imagingings of their lands and the foreigners who were colonizing them. This seminar looks at the long history of cultural representations, from Columbus to Disney, Hernan Cortez to Breaking Bad, to understand how the dreams and nightmares of conquest, revolution, drug wars and development shape the present and future of the Americas. Through short readings, videos and films, students will understand how culture shapes politics and politics shapes culture.
Explore scholarships at 2013 Scholarship Fair
Learn about and explore the variety of scholarships, fellowships, and other funded programs for undergraduate and graduate students as well as your post-graduate years.
Program representatives from UW, local and national organizations, agencies, departments, etc. will be tabling throughout the day, as well as offering specific workshops & information sessions.
The Scholarship Fair in Mary Gates Hall Commons runs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Info sessions are held on various scholarships from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Scholarships are recognition of your past accomplishments and also investments in your future promise. This is a great opportunity to learn a lot about many opportunities!
The Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards is housed within the Center for Experiential Learning and Diversity and part ofUndergraduate Academic Affairs.
Autumn 2013 lineup for Freshman Collegium Seminars
It’s your first year at the UW. You’re looking for an interesting class to fill out your schedule, maybe a class that’s a little different from what you normally have to take. You don’t want another classroom with the desks arranged in rows. You want something fresh, lively, maybe a little off-beat. You want a class in which you can meet other people and get to know the professor. And you want a class where you don’t have to worry too much about the final grade.
Quick Links
Does this describe you? Then you should check out Collegium Seminars.
Autumn Quarter 2013
Note: For more specific information about a particular seminar, please contact the instructor listed for the course.
From the Colosseum to Husky Stadium: Sport, Spectacle, and Society
Sarah Stroup, Classics
- GEN ST 197 A; SLN 14559
- Th 10:30-11:20
Face Offs. Big Hits. Broken Bones. Bad Calls. The Roar of the Crowd. Victory! Defeat. But wait—are we talking about the gladiators of ancient Rome, and the violent clashes in the Colosseum, or about our own Husky football players, and our own Husky Stadium? In this freshman seminar, we shall talk about both, for sport and spectacle—and often, violent spectacle—was as culturally central to ancient Rome as it is to modern America. While focusing on a comparative (and enjoyable) study of past and present, students in this discussion-based seminar will gain crucial research and argumentation skills.
The Violence of the Small: Looking into Global Complexity
Clarke Speed, University Honors Program
- GEN ST 197 C; SLN 14561
- W 1:30-2:20
I have always been interested in the rest of the world – off the global path but tied to all things global. Here one finds the power of the small – people and societies that resist globalization and in a few cases those that remain un-captured by larger global flows. In some cases, the power of the small upsets the rule of law and the Nation State, as ethnic groups and factions in various regions fight both cultural and technological wars for survival. I want to talk about these small wars at very basic levels to get the big and small pictures of the power of the small.
Looking Through the Lens of Language
Laura McGarrity, Linguistics
- GEN ST 197 D; SLN 14562
- T 12:30-2:20
Language is a fundamental human characteristic. As such, the study of language can provide a window into human nature. This course aims to look at ways in which the study of language can be combined with a number of disciplines at the UW, cross-cutting various areas of study. Selected readings and potential visits to language-related labs and projects of study around the University will guide class discussions.
Doubt and Discovery in Astronomy: From Crystalline Spheres to an Infinite Universe
Ana Larson, Astronomy
GEN ST 197 E; SLN 14563
T 2:30-3:20
You are a student in Alexandria, Egypt, in 140 AD, under the tutelage of Claudius Ptolemy. You study an earth-centered universe made up of the planets and a crystalline sphere of stars. In 2013 AD you are a student at the U of W. The Universe has no center and possibly no edge; we cannot see and do not know what 96% of it is. How did we get to where we are? Where did the knowledge come from and why did it take 2000 years for our enlightenment? We will actively explore and find the answers to these questions.
Neuroscience and Society
Ellen Covey, Psychology
- GEN ST 197 F; SLN 14564
- M 2:30-3:20
This seminar will explore the ways in which neuroscience research influences, and is influenced by, society as a whole. We will consider the application of neuroscience concepts and methodology to fields such as forensics, law, marketing, medical ethics, artificial intelligence, warfare, entertainment, and education, and will consider how neuroscience research is influenced by factors such as economics, politics, religion, and technology. Students will conduct independent research on a topic of personal interest and discuss topics chosen by the instructor. There will be field trips and/or guest presentations to observe and/or learn about neuroscience techniques such as functional brain imaging.
How to Make Friends (and influence people)
Christina Fong, Management and Organization, School of Business
- GEN ST 197 H; SLN 14566
- W 10:30-11:20
This seminar will focus on the science of your social relationships. We’ll draw from social psychology, sociology, and other disciplines to discuss the theory and research behind how we make and maintain friends, and how our social relationships shape who we are, how we think, and how we behave. We’ll answer questions such as “What makes us likeable?” “Who do we want to be friends with?” and “How do our friendships affect our abilities to lead and change those around us?”
University Fiction: Is This Stuff True?
Anu Taranath, English and CHID
- GEN ST 197 I; 14567
- T 1:30-2:20
We all know that the academy- this place we spend most of our waking hours- certainly introduces us to new ideas and people. But did you know that the academy also breeds its own sordid plots, flamboyant characters and riveting dramas? “University Fiction,” also known as campus novels, refers to a growing genre of literature where the main action is set in and around a university. This quarter, we’ll read some funny and thought-provoking examples, debate their veracity, and learn a lot more about departmental politics, illicit romance, or plain old academic jealousy than you ever thought possible.
What is Philosophy?
William Talbott, Philosophy
- GEN ST 197 J; 14568
- W 3:30-4:20
What is Philosophy? This seminar will provide you an informal introduction to philosophy at the University of Washington. In this seminar, you will learn about some of the major areas of philosophy, you will read about some of the important philosophical issues in each of the major areas, and you will have an opportunity to discuss those issues in an informal setting. Questions to be discussed include: What makes acts right or wrong? What reason is there to do the right thing? What do we know and how do we know it? Is death bad? Are women oppressed? How many consciousnesses are inside my head?
Mathematics in our World
Andrew Loveless, Mathematics
- GEN ST 197 K; SLN 14569
- W 3:30-4:20
Mathematics is in everything we do. Topics will vary based on student’s interest, but I personally have interests in problems that appear in cryptography, networks, and discrete mathematics. Questions like how do we encode our credit card number so that only Amazon.com can read it? Or how can a delivery company minimize its fuel use? We will touch on many such questions and broadly discuss problems that are interesting to mathematicians and have far reaching applications. Throughout this discussion, I hope to convey the beauty and joy of problem solving which is at the heart of my love of mathematics.
Documents that Changed the World
Joseph Janes, Information School
- GEN ST 197 L; 14570
- Th 1:30-2:20
What do a standardized test, an x-ray, a papal decree, the rules of soccer, a map of a 19th century cholera epidemic, the president’s birth certificate, and the 19th Amendment to the Constitution have in common? Each of them, in their own way, has had an impact on some aspect of human history and society. In this seminar we’ll discuss these and other documents that have made a difference, how and why they were created, how they might be done today, and learn what all that tells us about documents…and about ourselves.
Sustainable Energy Solutions for the 21st Century: Science, Technology, and Policy
Payman Arabshahi, Electrical Engineering
- GEN ST 197 N; 14572
- T 9:30-10:20
Become an informed citizen of a new generation and prepare to contribute meaningfully to the energy debate. We will cover regional and global energy demand, sources, policy, current and future technologies, costs of sustainable energy production and its impacts on climate and the environment, and solutions to our energy problems. The class text will be “Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air” (download at http://withouthotair.com). Class will be structured around field trips and group projects.
Travel Writing for Student Travelers
Shawn Wong, English
- GEN ST 197 O; 14573
- W 11:30-10:20
This course will focus on travel writing and the kind of writing a student might find themselves engaged in while enrolled in a study abroad class. In other words, writing as a “traveler” rather than a tourist. Writing underneath the canopy of the popular tourist sites and looking for the understory. Students will not only read examples of travel writing by professional travel writers, but also writing by UW students who have participated in study abroad classes and/or traveled independently. Forms of writing will include memoir, personal essay, and “fictionalized autobiography.”
Leadership: It’s Not About the Title
Jerry Baldasty, Senior Vice Provost for Academic and Student Affairs
- GEN ST 197 P; 14574
- T 3:30-5:00
Acquiring leadership skills will be vital to success in your career – both here at UW and after you graduate. In this seminar, you’ll learn how to build and expand your own leadership abilities, and develop your own approach as a leader. Learn from some outstanding UW and community leaders –and learn that leadership is something you can exercise NOW; it’s not just a fancy title that you might acquire years from now.
Diversity Issues in Science
Beth Traxler, Microbiology
- GEN ST 197 R; 14576
- W 3:30-4:20
“Diversity issues in Science” has been taught by Dr. Traxler since 2005. It is a seminar course focused on discussion of how people of different ethnic/social groups or nationalities experience “research” and how research impacts peoples’ lives. Issues include what informed consent for research means, how different people perceive ethical research, and how politics can inform and affect scientific research.
Students from unique summer research programs share their work
Many undergraduates return home for the summer; some study abroad; some work fulltime; some take classes. Some students spend the summer in unique research opportunities available at the University of Washington. Undergraduates who participated in a variety of research programs over the summer will share their work with their peers and the public over three days the week of August 19, 2013.
Summer STEM Research Poster Session
Starting on Wednesday, August 21, undergraduates from the UW and schools across the country will present their research in STEM disciplines at the Summer STEM Research Poster Session. This event is a collaboration among several UW summer research programs connecting undergraduates to research in science, technology, engineering, and math.
- Poster session
Wednesday, August 21 | 9 a.m.-noon
Mary Gates Hall Commons
Amgen Scholars and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Students
Amgen Scholars and students in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Exceptional Research Opportunities Program will share their research via oral presentations on Thursday, August 22.
The Amgen Scholars Program provides a transformative opportunity for some of the nation’s top undergraduates to explore and prepare for careers in scientific research. Students are placed in premiere UW research groups in the biomedical sciences and participate in related seminars, career exploration, graduate school preparation, and other activities. The UW is one of 10 U.S. sites to host an Amgen Scholars Program.
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Exceptional Research Opportunities Program provides talented undergraduates with outstanding summer research experiences that encourage them to pursue careers in academic science.
- Oral presentations
Thursday, August 22 | 2:30-5 p.m.
Mary Gates Hall, rooms 171, 284, 288
Summer Institute in the Arts and Humanities
The week closes with a day-long series of presentations by students in the Summer Institute in the Arts and Humanities. Taught by faculty from the departments of geography, comparative history of ideas, and international studies, undergraduates focused on the interdisciplinary theme, “Outbreak! Reimagining Death and Life, Disease and Health.”
- Student Presentations
Friday, August 23 | 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Allen Library Auditorium
The Undergraduate Research Program in Undergraduate Academic Affairs organizes the STEM Research Poster Session, hosts Amgen Scholars and HHMI Exceptional Research Opportunities Program students, and collaborates with the Simpson Center for the Humanities to produce the Summer Institute in the Arts and Humanities.
Leadership: Beyond the yellow brick road
Spring 2013 e-Newsletter Contents
Transforming the world of Oz was a team effort by Dorothy, the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Scarecrow. What was their secret to success? How did they lead? Here at the University of Washington, we know that successful leadership begins with learning to lead and includes meaningful—and multiple—ways to practice and sharpen those skills.
The new Husky Leadership Initiative offers undergraduate students opportunities to discover who they are as leaders, grow their leadership abilities, and make a real difference in the world.
In fall, 2012, the Husky Leadership Initiative kicked off the year with the successful event, U Lead, We Lead. U Lead We Lead used the ancient art of storytelling to start a contemporary conversation on leadership with UW undergraduates and community leaders. The conversation continued throughout the school year with the Spring Training Leadership Conference, a leadership certificate program, informal fireside chats with local luminaries, and now—putting learning into practice—the first UW team leadership scholarship award.
The Ackerley Learning to Lead Together scholarship program supports undergraduates developing their leadership potential in collaboration with peers through innovative team projects that build strong communities. The first Ackerley Learning to Lead Together scholarship was awarded May 7 at the Spring Celebration of Service and Leadership to Max Sugarman, Angela Feng, Carter Case, and Marina Kelsh for their project, “Empowered Eco-Education: ¡Vamos a comer!” Their project will offer lessons around the topics of food, nutrition, and access to healthy food as an environmental issue. They aim to serve elementary school students and their parents and high school students within Seattle’s South Park community.
Generously funded by the Ackerley Family Foundation, this scholarship is a direct reflection of the family’s belief that leadership is honed through learning and experience. “Learning to lead and learning the meaning of leadership is a very basic part in all of our roles in life,” says Ginger Ackerley, who along with her late husband, Barry, established the Foundation. “Within the Foundation some of us have titles, some of us do not, however we all lead; we have to in order to complete our mission. I would hope the recipients of the Ackerley Learning to Lead Together scholarship would join us in an effort to be a positive influence in our world.”
Team Dorothy reached their goal by recognizing the skills each team member brought to the job at hand. The Learning to Lead Together scholarship program enables UW team members to learn to lead collaboratively and experience the ways they complement each other to accomplish a greater goal.
“Leadership is more than a position of authority,” says Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. “It is a set of practices and behaviors incorporating teamwork, respect, responsibility, and civic engagement.”
Oh the places they’ll go! New grads and their plans
Spring/Summer 2013 e-Newsletter Contents
Taking our inspiration from the classic children’s book (and graduation gift), Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss, we asked some new graduates a couple questions. Those questions are:
- What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
- Dr. Seuss says, “You have brains in your head. / You have feet in your shoes / You can steer yourself / any direction you choose. / You’re on your own. And you know what you know. / And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” Where will you go? Where will you be one year after graduation?
- Dr. Seuss writes, “You’ll join the high fliers / who soar to high heights.” Which high fliers would you most like to join and what high heights will you soar to?
Jump to:
Devan Berkley | Myra Branch | Merzamie Cagaitan | Roman Camarda | Alex Catchings | Bryan Dosono | Andy Marzano | Christopher Nelson | Jennifer Nguyen | Helen Olsen | Vanessa Pham | Rachel Stubbs | Andrew Tran | Dawn Tuason | Benjamin Wiselogle
Devan Berkley
- Major: Political Science
- Minor: Human Rights and Values in Society
- Hometown: Tacoma, WA
- Involved in: Dream Project, First Year Programs, and service learning through the Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
My most memorable experience in undergraduate academic affairs has been my time working at the office of First Year Programs. Having worked there for the past two years I have grown a great deal both personally and professionally. I can honestly say it has been a life changing experience that has constantly opened doors for me. Apart from this, my work has been extremely fulfilling. I’ve had the opportunity to help literally thousands of students in making their transition to the University of Washington a little bit easier. Even something as small as giving a new student the right office to contact is very rewarding. I have been truly exposed to the diversity of the University of Washington and all that it offers and it has been absolutely thrilling.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
One year after graduation I will be finishing up a masters program at Seattle University. Next year I will be part of the inaugural cohort Seattle University’s Bridge Masters of Business Administration Program. After the program I hope to begin a career in local government so that I can continue to serve the people of Seattle and the state of Washington.
To what high heights will you soar?
As nerdy as it sounds, I want to join the high fliers in government. I love this great experiment known as American democracy and I hope to work within state government to make our state a better place for all of us to live in. My dream since I was child has always been to run for elected office and I plan to follow that dream. Even if I am unsuccessful, the journey itself will still have been worth it. Beyond my professional goals, I hope to continue to grow as a person and to constantly challenge myself. At the end of my life’s journey I hope to be a model for others and to inspire them to do great things. I believe everyone needs someone to look up to and I hope to be that person for others.
Myra Branch
- Major: Psychology
- Minor: Anthropology
- Hometown: Olympia, WA
- Involved in: First Year Programs and service learning through the Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
I have had nothing but memorable experiences with First Year Programs and UAA. My favorite memory though, was after my first quarter teaching a Freshman Interest Group (FIG). I had just spent the last 2 quarters learning how to plan lessons, facilitate discussions, grade, and do all the other things that go into teaching, then I had to implement all of that to a group of 24 first-year students, some of whom were older than me. Needless to say, I was a little relieved to be done.
During finals week, I was finishing my grading and I saw I had an email from a student. The subject said “Thanks.” The student thanked me for helping her feel comfortable talking to a group, even though English was her second language. This small gesture of thanks put all the work I had just done into perspective. I realized that in teaching, a small gesture from student to teacher or vice versa can be immensely powerful. This stuck with me; since then, I celebrate all victories, no matter how “small.”
Where will you be one year after graduation?
One year after graduation, I will be finishing up my first year of coursework at Columbia University’s programs in Occupational Therapy. I will be gearing up to begin my Level II Fieldwork (3 months in a mental health setting).
To what high heights will you soar?
I am excited to first become an alumna of the University of Washington. I have been working towards this for four amazing, challenging years, and I would not be able to pursue continuing education without the training and challenging coursework I have been exposed to during my time here. I then plan to get my master’s of science in occupational therapy, practice for a few years, then go back to school to get my doctorate, with my end goal being to teach and continue to practice OT.
Merzamie Cagaitan
- Majors: English Language & Literature, Comparative History of Ideas
- Minor: Diversity Studies
- Hometown: Puyallup, WA
- Involved in: Academic Support Programs, Dream Project, First Year Programs, Global Opportunities, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, Pipeline Project, Undergraduate Research Program, and service learning through the Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
One of my most memorable experiences as an undergraduate has been serving as a peer instructor for First Year Program’s Freshman Interest Group seminars. I was in a FIG seminar during my freshman year, and—together with my life-long dream of becoming an educator—was inspired to lead FIG seminars for the next three years. I have been extremely blessed by the students I worked with, learned with, and played with, and by the support the FYP staff lent me all throughout those challenging weeks of navigating what student-leadership really looks like at a university setting. My active involvement in the FIG program has given me the skills, confidence, and courage to then design my own course at the UW and teach it during my last year as a senior!
Where will you be one year after graduation?
I am accepting a Fulbright Award to teach English in South Korea for the 2013-2014 academic year. My destination within the country is still unknown, but, a year after graduation, I will still be there, in front of a classroom, hopefully building community and relationships much like I have done here.
To what high heights will you soar?
Ever since I was in second grade, I have made make-shift classrooms where I would teach my younger sisters and cousins how to read and write. The spirit to mentor and teach has only strengthened over the years. My ultimate goal is to claim a Ph.D. in English language and literature and to one day research, write, and teach as an English professor at a university.
Roman Camarda
- Majors: Biochemistry and Photomedia
- Hometown: Seattle, WA
- Involved in: Honors Program, Undergraduate Research Program
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
It is hard for me to label a single experience as most memorable when I think about my time in the Honors Program and working on undergraduate research. However, I can’t imagine a more memorable experience than studying abroad with Honors in Rome and Istanbul. Also, the excitement and happiness I felt upon finding out I had been accepted to my top graduate school choices wouldn’t have been the same had I not shared it with my undergraduate research mentor and the rest of the lab members.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
One year after graduation I will be finishing up my first year in the Biomedical Sciences Program at the University of California San Francisco.
To what high heights will you soar?
I am immensely excited about joining the ranks of amazing researchers at UCSF. The goal of my Ph.D. thesis work is to gain a better understanding of the role altered metabolism plays in cancer, which in my mind counts as some pretty high heights.
Alex Catchings
- Major: English
- Hometown: Vancouver, WA
- Involved in: Honors Program, Undergraduate Research Program
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
Being a part of the Undergraduate Research Leaders program in varying capacities has been one of the most delightful parts of my undergraduate experience. Without a doubt, being an Undergraduate Research Leader allowed me to really wield and take pride in my research, and see how far I’ve come since I started here in summer of 2008. The staff have been enduringly supportive through my most anxious moments and euphoric of victories, and the community of Undergraduate Research Leaders has been a treat to know and to watch as they all pursue their own boundless trajectories.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
I will be a graduate student in the English department at U.C. Berkeley. In a year, I will be finishing up my first year of coursework and starting to put my oral examination list together of three or four hundred books so I can start working toward writing my dissertation the following year. I’ll hopefully be active in the Bay Area music scene, as well, playing folk-jazz music.
To what high heights will you soar?
I hope to be like my mentors, who happen to be professors and close friends. Sonnet Retman is my UW mentor who is without doubt the best educator I have ever known. I hope to be a fraction of the professor she is, and I hope I can develop the sense of currency, family focus, and intellectual power she maintains on a daily basis. My other mentor, Daphne Brooks, is at Princeton University, and I hope to be an accomplished cultural presence like her. She has penned the liner notes for the most recent Aretha Franklin Anthology Box Set, is an active and influential music critic, and keeps an unbelievably busy schedule touching glasses with some of the most powerful figures in pop culture. Finding a sweet spot where my network and my nature are constantly expanding while I maintain a truthful, sturdy center like these powerful professors would make for a perfect career, to me.
Bryan Dosono
- Major: Honors Informatics: Human-Computer Interaction
- Minor: Music
- Hometown: Wapato, WA
- Involved in: Academic Support Programs, Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center, Center for Learning and Undergraduate Enrichment (CLUE), Dream Project, First Year Programs, Global Opportunities, Honors Program, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, Undergraduate Academic Affairs Advising, Undergraduate Research Program
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
I found my calling as a scholar when I began conducting research with Dr. Ricardo Gomez of the UW Information School. Under his tutelage, I investigated fieldwork data he collected in South Africa that assessed the country’s current challenges in information and communication technologies for development. Presenting my work at the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium was an intrinsically rewarding experience. Engaging in the exciting talks and poster sessions at these academic conferences allowed me to increase the visibility of my research topic to people outside my specific discipline. Sharing my research developed my expertise in discussing my research in a clear and meaningful way, and the feedback I received from my colleagues shaped further exploration into my research questions. At the conclusion of our research project, Dr. Gomez and I submitted our findings to The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, which accepted our paper for publication.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
I have been admitted into Syracuse University’s Ph.D. program in information science and technology this fall, and will be spending this summer in the heart of Washington, D.C., as a Google Policy Fellow. Continuing my education through doctoral studies would be the ideal next step to producing meaningful research contributions in my domains of expertise.
I hope to refine my understanding of the interconnectedness between technology and government as agents of social change. With my doctorate degree, I plan to reshape the dialogue about the role of technology in developing regions. Receiving a world-class education will also appropriately instruct me to advise federal agencies and fine-tune the innovative policy solutions of global think tanks. In turn, I hope to refine my understanding of the interconnectedness between technology and government as agents of social change.
To what high heights will you soar?
I am currently aiming to become the next Chief Information Officer for the United States of America so that I can directly influence how information is disseminated to vulnerable populations and create opportunities for these communities through technology. I aspire to bridge the gap between engineers, policy makers, scientists, and other key national stakeholders in transforming the landscape of the nation’s information infrastructure so that underserved places like my Yakama Reservation back home can benefit from improved technology access.
Andy Marzano
- Major: History
- Hometown: Sammamish, WA
- Involved in: Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center, Dream Project, First Year Programs, Pipeline Project
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
It’s difficult to pinpoint one experience as my favorite or most memorable because all of them were very unique and meant a lot to me respectively. I did have a fantastic summer as an orientation leader though. My co-workers were awesome and made the experience hardly feel like work because we all enjoyed each other’s company and had a plethora of good times together on and off the job. We’re still close today as well. The more I look back, the more I realize how lucky and how happy I am that I got to spend a summer working with those people and representing the UW. Also, who wouldn’t like having to hang out on the UW campus during the spring and summer??
Where will you be one year after graduation?
Upon graduation, I will head to the Midwest to join the Teach For America (TFA) corps in Detroit, MI, where I will be teaching secondary social studies. I have always wanted to be a teacher, so I feel blessed to be given this opportunity. The minimum commitment to TFA is two years as a corps member, but I have a feeling I will remain in education for much, much longer.
To what high heights will you soar?
I believe that the most monumental struggle of our generation is the one currently being waged to end educational inequity. Just like the Civil Rights Movement and the Civil War before it, the fight to close the educational achievement gap is one against oppression and to bring about the promises of freedom and equality upon which our nation is founded. I think those involved in educational reform and who are committed to the quality education of our nation’s youth are doing the things necessary to allow kids to soar to high heights and know no limits to what they can do with their lives. I cannot think of any work I’d rather do than join those already working to make this possible.
Christopher Nelson
- Major: Nursing
- Hometown: Key Biscayne, FL
- Involved in: Mary Gates Endowment for Students, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
Designing the Mary Gates Venture Scholarship proposal to go to Denmark and Greenland to study the expanded nursing scope of practice of registered nurses at isolated Arctic settlements.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
I’ll be on my Fulbright in Nuuk, Greenland, doing research as part of my masters of circumpolar health through the University of the Arctic consortium.
To what high heights will you soar?
I’ll be working towards my Ph.D. in nursing science and public health!
Jennifer Nguyen
- Major: Psychology
- Minor: Diversity
- Hometown: Seattle, WA
- Involved in: Academic Support Programs, Dream Project, First Year Programs, Global Opportunities, Undergraduate Academic Affairs Advising, Undergraduate Research Program, and service learning through Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
Growing up I knew I wanted to help people and being a part of the Undergraduate Academic Advising program allowed me to do that. Through Undergraduate Advising, I created many memories with the staff and especially with the students I worked with. My most memorable experience was when I met with a student who was at a crossrsoad in his life, confused and lacking motivation. He was a sophomore and began feeling the pressure of figuring out what to do with his life. As a peer adviser on drop-ins, we only had 15 minutes with the students we meet.
I listened, pondered and guided, sharing my experience as an undergraduate and what I’ve learned from it. After about 20-25 minutes later, he gave me a sigh, placed his hand out and smiled at me. “Thank you for listening. I was not sure who to come to.” He stood up, shook my hand and looked more confident leaving. Nothing beats knowing you can put a smile on someone’s face by simply listening to them and being able to use your experience to help others.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
I love traveling. After my two amazing study abroad trips to Brazil and Tahiti, I hope to take a year off and travel. I hope to travel and experience other cultures, food, meet new people and build a web of knowledge. I would like to travel as a flight attendant. I like to help people and hope that I could do so by being a flight attendant and see the world. I also hope to join an organization and travel to other states or countries and help communities that need a helping hand. They say the best teacher is the experiences you gain and the people to interact with day to day.
After a year I plan to go back to school through a psychology or public administration program to continue to my education and participate in programs where I can give back to my community.
To what high heights will you soar?
I love working with the undergraduate advising program here on campus and I hope that one day I can return and work on campus again to give back to an office that has given me so much more.
I want to continue my pre-med track and apply to medical school, however after working closely with the pre-med advisers, I realized there are so many ways to help others.
Helen Olsen
- Majors: Geography and Public Health
- Minor: African Studies
- Hometown: Newport, OR
- Involved in: Center for Learning and Undergraduate Enrichment (CLUE), Global Opportunities, Honors Program, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, Undergraduate Research Program
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
I have had the opportunity to be involved with a number of Undergraduate Academic Affairs programs during my time at the University of Washington. From running CLUE discussion session for geography classes to participating in an Honors Experiential Spring Break experience, I have tried to take full advantage of the range of learning experiences available to undergraduate students outside of the classroom. Without the support of the Fritz Scholarship, which is facilitated by Global Opportunities, I wouldn’t have been able to participate in the Honors Study Abroad program in Sierra Leone during the summer of 2011. By studying women’s maternal and reproductive health access in the region, I had an opportunity to see firsthand the way in which development programs play out on the ground in low-resource settings. Returning to the UW, my research experiences in Sierra Leone have continued to inform my research interests and personal goals.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
After graduating from the University of Washington, I am planning on moving across the country to New Jersey to begin a graduate program in geography at Rutgers University: New Brunswick. This opportunity is both exciting and terrifying. I know that this will be a new intellectual adventure and one that the Department of Geography, as well as the many programs offered by Undergraduate Academic Affairs, has prepared me for. Wish me luck!
To what high heights will you soar?
At the moment, the high flyers I’d like to join are people who have successfully completed a Ph.D. program in seven years or less! But, in all seriousness, I’m hoping that my time in graduate school will be a space for me to learn more about myself, about my personal motivations and professional goals for the future. I am humbled and inspired by the work of people like Kavita Ramdas, Melinda Gates, and Ananya Roy. Right now, I’m not sure if I want to be an academic or a development professional but I know that whatever path I choose, I want to be an advocate for health equity both at home and abroad.
Vanessa Pham
- Major: Early Childhood and Family Studies
- Minor: Education, Learning and Society
- Hometown: Federal Way, WA
- Involved in: Dream Project, First Year Programs, Honors Program, Jumpstart, Pipeline Project, Undergraduate Research Program, and service learning through the Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
One of the highlights of my undergraduate career has been my involvement with the Pipeline Project’s Neah Bay “Telling Your Stories” project. This year I spent two weeks in Neah Bay, Washington, doing my favorite type of work (and play) with the most amazing group of people. It just goes to show that you do not have to travel far to meet passionate people and experience and learn from a new community.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
A few weeks after graduation, I will be diving right back into school! Still a Husky, I have been accepted to the the UW’s Elementary Teacher Education Program. By the end of four quarters I will have my masters in teaching and residency certification for teaching. After graduate school, I will teach somewhere in the Puget Sound area.
To what high heights will you soar?
Teaching is not a career I take lightly. The “high fliers” I hope to join are those teachers who think critically about their practice and are on a social justice mission. I also cannot wait to meet my future students, who I also consider “high fliers.” I think of “high heights” in terms of roles I will take on in the future. For instance, I know I am a lifelong learner and will always seek out new ways of understanding the world. The “highest height” I am aiming for right now is to become more of a leader and activist.
Rachel Stubbs
- Major: Biology
- Minor: Education, Learning, and Societies
- Hometown: Nashville, TN
- Involved in: Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center, Honors Program, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, Pipeline Project
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
Teaching environmental science in Eastern Washington through the Pipeline Project’s Alternative Spring Break program helped me to realize that I get so much joy and energy out of teaching, especially in a hands-on, inquiry-based way. That was freshman year, and the rest of my time at UW has been shaped by this experience as I’ve continued to seek out science-teaching courses and experience through Pipeline and other venues.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
Living in Seattle and learning at UW about science, education, and urban food-production (through the UW Farm!) has opened my eyes to some amazing ideas. After graduation, I aspire to share these insights with school communities in my hometown in Nashville. I want to teach science, inspiring young people with cool student-directed, inquiry-based activities and lessons like those I’ve been privy to here!
To what high heights will you soar?
I want to be the coolest science teacher ever, convincing students that studying the natural world and our relationship to it is the coolest thing. Ever. I also want to grow a lot of food and teach others how to do it, too!
Andrew Tran
- Majors: Psychology and Sociology
- Hometown: Seattle, WA
- Involved in: Jumpstart, Pipeline Project, service learning through Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
My first memorable experience with UAA has to be my 2 years of service with Jumpstart, both as a corps member and team leader. The best feeling was walking into the classrooms of my preschools and being bombarded with hugs and smiles from all the children I helped. I was able to be part of the many lives of underprivileged preschool children in south Seattle—preparing them for a successful academic future.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
One year after my graduation, I will be taking part in the masters program of social work at the University of Washington in Seattle.
To what high heights will you soar?
The high fliers I would most like to join are the individuals who are helping people who are not able to help themselves.
I would like to join the heroes who are helping low-income families, displaced children, the homeless, and other underrepresented populations, each and every day. As long as I put my heart and effort into all that I do, I know it will make me into the high flier I want to be.
Dawn Tuason
- Major: Early Childhood and Family Studies
- Minor: Global Health
- Hometown: Seattle, WA
- Involved in: Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center, Center for Learning and Undergraduate Enrichment (CLUE), Dream Project, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, Pipeline Project, Undergraduate Academic Affairs Advising
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
Being a participant through the Pipeline Project has allowed me to partake in a rich experience full of new adventures, new friendships and a new perspective on the meaning of community and the preservation of one’s culture. The program has given me many opportunities to reach outside my comfort zone, connect with other community members and young students, and truly become interested in education and the equal access we must all advocate for.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
One year from now, I will have completed my first year of my master’s program here at the UW’s College of Education special education program. I will be waiting to see which direction the wind steers me next, in the hopes that it involves studying or traveling abroad or teaching young children during the summer months.
To what high heights will you soar?
I would like to continue my work in the early childhood field, be even more immersed within the deaf community and truly be fluent in American Sign Language, and be a part of the research taking place that fosters programs to support youth in being empowered, inspired, and positively impacted.
Benjamin Wiselogle
- Major: Global Studies
- Hometown: Bothell, WA
- Involved in: Academic Support Programs, Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center, Dream Project, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, Undergraduate Academic Affairs Advising, Other: Student Veteran’s Association (UW Bothell)
What’s your most memorable experience with an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program?
I’m not sure if this applies, but living and working in Haiti during the 2011-2012 school year, at the same time earning academic credit.
Where will you be one year after graduation?
Well, thanks to the mentorship of Natalia Dyba, I’ll be at the University in Cambridge in the UK, or if I earn the position I’m currently interviewing for, I’ll be working in Afghanistan on a deferment from Cambridge.
To what high heights will you soar?
With a little help from my friends, I’m going to change the world and make it a more equitable place. Like Hilary from Carolina for Kibera says, “Talent is universal, opportunity is not.”