In this video, UW Resilience Lab Director Megan Kennedy takes on the challenge of explaining the Resilience Lab in less than 15 seconds at a time.
Category: Features
Typically longer in length and relevancy than content in the news category. Features content is more likely to be republished over time.
Connecting, belonging, being well: Across UAA, programs welcome back students
The pack is back! For the first time since the transition to mostly virtual learning in March 2020, Huskies are crossing Red Square on their way to class. These Dawgs include two classes who are completely new to campus: incoming first-year students and second-year students, in addition to upperclassmen who’ve spent more than 18 months away from campus.
Student well-being is top of mind as programs across Undergraduate Academic Affairs are welcoming back our students. This work involves building community so students feel connected and a sense of belonging. It’s recognizing and addressing the increased stresses students may be experiencing as a result of the pandemic and the transition back to in-person learning. It’s programs incorporating resilience and mindfulness work to give students the tools to care for their mental health. It’s the dedication to meeting students where they are at. Programs are also maintaining some virtual programmatic offerings this year to increase students’ access to services. Read on to learn more about how programs throughout Undergraduate Academic Affairs are orienting and supporting students this autumn.
Academic Support Programs: An academic home away from home
Academic Support Programs are free and available for all students. See the CLUE tutoring schedule, upcoming study skills workshops, online academic resources, and schedule a meeting with an academic success coach on their website.
Academic Support Programs runs CLUE, the largest late night, multidisciplinary tutoring center at the UW, and Academic Success Coaching, individualized meetings with a peer coach to develop skills for academic success.This year they are expanding these programs to reach more students in new and innovative ways.
CLUE: Tutoring center creates a sense of community
When Academic Support Programs Director Ryan Burt asked this year’s CLUE tutors why they were interested in becoming tutors, many shared that last year’s virtual CLUE was a space where they came to be together to navigate all that was happening around them. CLUE remains focused on creating a similar sense of community to the tutoring space for the 2021-22 school year. Student tutors play a big role in setting a welcoming tone, which starts with their own self-reflection.
In the autumn quarter training class Burt co-teaches with CLUE Program Manager Lizzy Harman, tutors check in about their own experiences returning to campus. They talk about how to navigate social and emotional challenges that they and other students might be experiencing. They focus on language and strategies to develop resilience and a growth mindset, both for themselves and the students they tutor. This emphasis on their mental state is intentional. When people are in a stressed state, it can be hard to focus on one’s studies or work. These weekly class sessions happen right before CLUE opens, preparing tutors to take a holistic approach to their work. This allows them to create a calm, safe and supportive space and helps them guide students to stay motivated as challenges or setbacks arise.
This year, CLUE is offering tutoring both in-person and virtually. Both spaces are busy; tutors quickly switch between leading tutoring tables in the Mary Gates Hall Commons and leading online sessions. This hybrid approach increases students’ access to tutoring: Some students don’t want or are unable to stay on campus late, live too far away from campus to come back for evening tutoring, or want to limit exposure to others.
Academic Success Coaching: Setting goals and making plans to reach them
Academic Success Coaching Manager Alli Bothello oversaw the expansion of the Academic Success Coaching program, expanding from eight coaches last year to 14 coaches this year. Coaching sessions are open-ended and guided by what is on the student’s mind. Conversations can range from time management and study strategies to concern over disappointing test results — “I didn’t do well on my first test; now I’ll never get into my major…” to topics beyond academics. The coaches work with each student to guide them through these experiences, with a goal of helping students find resources, develop ways to move forward from setbacks and set and reach their goals. Coaches are available to meet at whatever frequency the student needs, be it weekly, quarterly or as needs arise. They are also hosting workshops on developing effective study strategies, time management, self-care and building a community, and finals exam prep.
Academic Support Programs are free and available for all students. See the CLUE tutoring schedule, upcoming study skills workshops, online academic resources, and schedule a meeting with an academic success coach on their website.
First Year Programs: Building community and wayfinding through the UW
Cornerstones of First Year Programs’ (FYP) work are helping students learn about campus resources, build their community and understand how to navigate the UW. This work is rooted in the knowledge that students who feel connected to campus socially and academically are more likely to persist through college and earn their degree.
First-year networks: Connecting Huskies with similar lived experiences and interests
First-year networks are social groups run by peer leaders. The 14 networks’ themes range from shared interests, including mindful-living, foodies, to shared identities, such as East Asian and transfer students. Students are connected through a Discord (a group chatting platform), and are invited to various events and meetups, learn about academic support programs and most importantly meet a group of students with similar interests and shared identities, helping them establish a community at the UW. FYP surveyed students as they signed up for networks: 93% registered to make friends and 90% are seeking connections to students with shared interests.
First-year interest groups keep well-being at the forefront of their work
Mindfulness and self-care is incorporated into each General Studies 199 class meeting, taught by First-year Interest Group Leaders. The goals of this are to help students understand mindfulness and its benefits. They explore mindfulness activities like journaling, meditation, 3-minute dance parties and breathing exercises.
Each FIG Leader brings in a LiveWell peer health educator to lead a seminar on one of four topics: mental health, coping with clouds, Sleepy Husky or physical health. The peer educators explore the science of the given topic and discuss how it connects to physical, mental and emotional health. One past participant commented, “The mental health seminar project was important to me since the pandemic has taken a toll on me when it comes to being motivated and isolated.” There is also great power in hearing peers talk about similar experiences, with another participant sharing, “Being able to have guest speakers talk about research, mental health and admissions was extremely valuable because it gave me more understanding for how the areas work. I don’t feel alone in the process of college.”
Students can still join a First-year network.
First Year Programs also has ongoing student leadership opportunities.
Honors: Introducing a student-led mentorship program
The Honors Program’s new wellness-oriented program is student-led. Shannon Hong, a junior majoring in neuroscience, first experienced peer mentoring through the student-led Neurobiology Club Mentorship Program. Finding it valuable, she approached Honors to start a similar program for them. The Honors Peer Mentoring Program, launched this fall, creates a network of support within the Honors Program. Volunteer mentors are connected with mentees and focus to help them navigate the Honors requirements and their general Husky experience. “My peers and I initially created the Honors Peer Mentoring Program to help students feel more supported and engaged in the Honors community,” explains Hong. “But since then, it has grown into something bigger — a program that empowers students to become leaders and take initiative in their UW Honors experience.” These mentoring relationships are available throughout the entire year.
Applications for the Honors Peer Mentoring Program winter cohort will open on January 3, 2022. Check the website to learn more.
Office of Educational Assessment: Surveying students to best meet their needs
The Office of Educational Assessment is launching Husky Check-in surveys this year. Designed to gauge student needs in real time, these twice-a-quarter surveys will focus on timely issues related to the student experience. The first survey explored how students are accessing support services, their preferences for virtual versus in-person offerings, whether where they live impacts their preference and what additional unmet needs may exist. The research team will share the results with key stakeholders across campus who can use the feedback to adapt programs to match the needs of students. The first survey launched the week of October 11, 2021; approximately 1,300 undergraduate and 400 graduate students participated.
Resilience Lab: Working towards a campus culture of compassion and mindfulness
Learn about upcoming BeREAL sessions and request copies of the Well-being for Life and Learning guidebook.
The Resilience Lab’s work centers on promoting well-being among students, faculty and staff at the University of Washington. Their Be REAL (REsilient Attitudes and Living), a program developed in collaboration with the Center for Child and Family Well-Being, has equipped more than 100 faculty and staff members with skills and tools to foster their own wellness and that of their colleagues and students. Be REAL participants learn mindfulness skills to manage stressful emotions, strengthen self-awareness and to foster community well-being and mental health. Because of that ripple effect, Be REAL reaches people far beyond those who signed up for the 6-week course. And the reach of this work will continue to deepen. For example, some alumni of Be REAL choose to participate in a community of practice where they can ask questions and brainstorm ways to bring these ideas into their work. “It’s really powerful to do this with colleagues,” explains Sasha Duttchoudhury, Resilience Lab graduate student assistant. “Doing this on ‘work time’ shows value, that the UW values our well-being.”
The Be REAL faculty and staff program grew out of the student Be REAL course. The current format allows for flexibility, allowing it to be a stand-alone class or taught as part of other programs. Be REAL is also offered as a one-quarter class for students. Be REAL recently created a video series covering the Be REAL concepts and practices.
Another way the Resilience Lab is bringing well-being practices to the campus community is through the “Well-being for Life and Learning” initiative. Students, staff and faculty collaborated on this work to create a vision for the classroom as a cornerstone of well-being. The resulting guidebook is organized into four main pillars: teaching for equity and access; nurturing connections; building coping and resilience skills; and connecting to the environment. The guidebook’s appeal is wide: with programs from STEM to social sciences ordering copies.
President Cauce talks about the benefits of Be REAL in her annual address:
UW News recently ran a story about the Resilience Lab’s work, including an interview with director Megan Kennedy. Read the article here.
Robinson Center: Intentionally bringing students to campus and creating community
Preparing Transition School students to come to campus for the first time began in spring 2021. Transition School principal Lisa Scott recognized that for this group — students who spend what would be their ninth grade year preparing to fully matriculate into the UW the following year — knowing their way around campus and building a community was crucial to their emotional and physical well-being. Scott developed a plan to safely bring these students to campus in May 2021. They spent the day completing a campus-wide scavenger hunt and acclimating to the campus environment. “Many parents have told me that the May Activity Day was the highlight of their student’s year,” shared Scott. This group of students returned to the UW campus as first year Early Entrance Program students in autumn 2021.
To prepare Robinson Center students for the 2021-22 school year, the Robinson Center held orientations for the Early Entrance, UW Academy and Transition School students. Though each orientation was fine-tuned to meet the groups’ specific needs, common threads included building community, exploring campus and learning about campus resources.
Learn more about the Robinson Center’s programs.
Students are typically two to three years younger than most of their college peers, and student well-being programs remain a priority throughout the year. Students continue to meet with mentors and attend seminar classes on topics including majors and resources. The Robinson Center serves as a mini-HUB with places to relax, study, hangout with friends and eat outside.
When touring the space recently, an engineering colleague commented, “You can feel the community in this space.”
Student-Athlete Academic Services: Keeping the pulse on student-athlete well-being
Student-Athlete Academic Services (SAAS) has been checking on the well-being of the UW’s 650 student-athletes throughout the pandemic through their regular pulse surveys. These 10-question surveys asked about what’s going well to what’s been most challenging. SAAS adjusted their programs and outreach based on the feedback they received.
Throughout the pandemic, the SAAS team also discovered new ways of serving their students: virtual counseling and virtual tutoring. Pre-pandemic, these services were exclusively offered in person. Yet the effectiveness of these online programs means the SAAS team will carry them forward. For athletes who travel to meets, games and competitions, being able to continue to access tutoring and counseling uninterrupted is hugely beneficial.
Join the team and make your own wellness commitment with this printable. Print it, write your commitment on it and post it somewhere visible to you to continue to encourage yourself.
The SAAS team saw both first- and second- year students join their orientation. This year’s focus was building community — community within the 22 teams, within the student-athlete community and the broader UW community. Activities included a campus-wide scavenger hunt to find campus resources and a barbeque with coaches and staff from around campus to help students connect to the UW’s services. They also participated in the NCAA’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Students particularly embraced the wellness wall, where they anonymously wrote a commitment to personal wellness they are committing to for the 2021-22 year. Mental health services, team doctors and nutrition advising supports continue year round. In addition, SAAS provides advising, tutoring, career development, internships and academic coaching year round to best support our Husky student-athletes.
Undergraduate Research Program: Introducing undergrads to the what, why and how of research
The Undergraduate Research Program is building community within their 43 undergraduate research leaders (URLs) — student volunteers who help their peers get involved with research. Last year, the URLs spoke to more than 1,500 students about these opportunities. This work included a two-day orientation, which took a holistic approach to leadership development, with lots of time for reflection and conversation. There was an emphasis on empathy to help students slow down, reflect on the experiences of one another and and find commonalities with their own experiences. Mindfulness practices like deep breathing and other grounding exercises were included to help students center themselves.
Another key component of orientation was a diversity, equity and inclusion training on inclusivity and bias. The URLs learned about the experiences and potential barriers encountered by students from groups ranging from BIPOC students to first-gen to neurodiverse students to transfer students. Students then reflected on how this awareness will change their mindset in their work as a URL, explaining, “Our role is not just to promote research, and generally mentor undergrads entering research, but to help others to overcome the barriers that they may be facing in even entering a lab in the first place.”
The URLs are proactively thinking about ways to continue to support their peers and are pitching ideas — unprompted — to URP’s leadership team. We’ll share info about these new initiatives on our social media channels as they are launched.
In addition to their URL program, the Undergraduate Research Program expanded their advising offerings to include weekly virtual advising, in-person group advising and individual drop-in advising appointments. These sessions often focus on learning how to get involved with research and answer questions like, “I’m a first-year student. Is research for me?” (Answer: Yes!) Through the continued support, students grow their confidence and resilience as they navigate finding a research team and ultimately begin their research experiences.
Get involved with undergraduate research. Check the Undergraduate Research Program website for upcoming advising sessions, search for research opportunities and more.
CCRI receives nearly $1.2 million grant for work to increase equity in STEM
Community College Research Initiatives, a program within Undergraduate Academic Affairs, received a $1,173,375.00 grant from Ascendium Education Group to work towards equity in STEM education for low-income learners across Washington state.
Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) conducts research in order to facilitate the advancement of equity in higher education. Ascendium invests in initiatives designed to increase the number of students from low-income backgrounds who complete postsecondary degrees. Ascendium’s work is particularly focused on supporting learners from rural and low-income backgrounds, making them a fitting partner for CCRI.
CCRI is an influential contributor in community college and transfer partnership research identifying strategies that help students transfer to four-year institutions and complete their bachelor’s degrees. This project will create a state-wide consortium of partnerships between two- and four-year institutions. These partners will specifically focus on creating programs that will help low-income STEM students transfer and earn their bachelor’s degree. This grant will enable them to animate their findings by building partnerships between two- and four-year institutions throughout Washington state, ultimately increasing the retention and graduation of STEM transfer students.
Welcome to campus, we belong together
We belong together. I made that statement at this year’s New Student Convocation, an annual event filled with academic flourishes to mark the beginning of a student’s university journey. This year’s event was decidedly different and intentionally formatted for public safety. We are still trying to emerge from a pandemic, after all, so this year’s event was under a tent with new students only. I hope their families and loved ones were watching the livestream so they could share the moment. These times are still not yet “normal” and require all of us to continue to adjust our sails.
But we belong together. The University of Washington’s leaders made that important declaration when we determined that we could bring our campus community back together safely with public health protocols and expectations for caring for our common good in place. I am encouraged about the year ahead.
In Undergraduate Academic Affairs, much of our work is centered around creating a sense of belonging among students. To that end, we come together to serve every student, no matter how they got here. From finding common ground through Advising & Orientation to developing and leading co-curricular experiences so undergraduates can access a truly transformational education alongside their peers, faculty and staff. Connecting, finding belonging amidst the many opportunities at the UW is foundational for undergraduates.
Together, and only together, can we create the kinds of classrooms, community-based opportunities, research spaces and campus that will enable deep learning for all our students. Together, we support students from the time they are admitted through graduation. Today’s undergraduates are tomorrow’s teachers, business people, civic leaders, doctors, nurses, scientists, artists. UAA’s reach across campus and into research spaces and the community is an intentional move toward connecting students to the big issues that are affecting people and the people who are working on solutions to these issues. In this way we take steps toward a future that is equitable and just, healthy and whole, innovative and informed. This work can only be done together.
Welcome to campus. We belong together, and together, we are strong, healthy, brave and boundless.
A subject to love, a determination to speak her truth
The diagnosis came on her first day of fall quarter. Cancer. Maha Alhomoud, newly arrived from Saudi Arabia had two options: Return home for treatment or stay in Seattle, attend the University of Washington and receive cancer treatment in the states.
Alhomoud’s goal of attending university abroad began when she was 12 years old. She bolstered her admissions chances through summer programs, robotics competitions, independent study programs such as the Saudi Research Science Institute (SRSI) at King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST), and had a strong educational foundation in STEM, thanks largely to the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, known informally as Mawhiba. She studied English in school from a young age and prepared for a career in STEM, most likely mechanical engineering. Yet participating in Model United Nations piqued her interest in international relations. Throughout these Model UN conferences, she represented Iran, France, South Korea and Bahrain and valued the broad perspective this gave her. She got her first taste of using her voice to drive change through participating in Toastmasters.
This strong foundation in math, science and international relations had Alhomoud considering a double major in engineering and political science when she first came to the UW. But the diagnosis meant she’d be splitting her time between the hospital and class, making it difficult to take any lab classes. Even so, she continued preparing for a possible career in both fields, taking math and political science courses.
She received treatment in Seattle throughout her freshman year. Her dad, who initially came just to help her move, stayed for the next 12 months to care for her. That year consisted of eight months of an intensive chemotherapy regimen, additional medications, hair loss, chronic pain and weakness, plus additional conditions — all while going through her first year of college.
“I was constantly studying at the hospital listening to my lectures that were recorded specially for me, and immersed in my studies,” recalls Alhomoud. “In a way, it was a distraction from my illness and in studying political science, I had found subjects that I truly loved and enjoyed studying, even throughout the most traumatic experience of my life.”
Finally, good news: The cancer went into remission and the treatments were complete.
Throughout her sophomore year, Alhomoud debated majoring in engineering — the more straightforward career path — or political science. “I’ve had people tell me that there wouldn’t be many opportunities for women in political science in Saudi Arabia,” explains Alhomoud. “But, through my diagnosis and my own experiences, I realized that for me, the most important thing was to speak my truth and pursue my passions. Going from there, I decided that regardless of the obstacles that I would face as a woman, I would still pursue political science. And, today in Saudi Arabia, there are continuously new and exciting opportunities for Saudi women to participate in policymaking and politics.”
Political science and international student advocacy work become the new hallmarks of Alhomoud’s Husky experience.
Finding a home 7,000+ miles away from home
Back to that first day of school. She attended classes after spending the night in the emergency room due to difficulty breathing. The ER doctors strongly suspected cancer. As soon as they say this, Alhomoud senses it’s true, though the specifics of the diagnosis still needed to be confirmed. After her political theory class ended, Alhomoud shared the impending diagnosis with Associate Professor Emeritus Christine Distefano who responded, “Can I give you a hug?”
“This was my first time feeling welcomed on campus,” remembers Alhomoud. “Professor DiStefano’s warmth was reflected in the rest of the political science department. I felt I had found my home.”
Professor DiStefano continued to champion Alhomoud throughout her freshman year, inviting her to participate in an upper-level seminar. “As we got to know each other, we talked more about where I came from and what opportunities were available to me on campus. She also gave me a few books written by scholars about women in the Middle East, which gave me the confidence to incorporate my background and interests into my own work.”
As Alhomoud continued her studies, she met several political science professors who worked in Middle Eastern politics; several of whom had done extensive field work. They encouraged her to take graduate level classes, apply for departmental honors and participate in the Center for American Politics and Public Policy program. This gave Alhomoud a platform to deepen her understanding of the ways her home country’s economy, religion, language and politics have established the current state, and how they will continue to factor in as Saudi Arabia pursues its Vision 2030 transformation program to diversify its economy and improve the standard of living for its citizens.
Learning how to turn research into meaningful policy
Alhomoud’s departmental honors thesis examines the evolution of extractive and distributive institutions in Saudi Arabia since its establishment. “By studying how political, economic and social forces shape the institutions found in the Kingdom today, I am hoping that my future work enables me to evaluate current policies and predict which policies can strike a balance between ensuring economic diversification and inclusive reform that provides opportunities for every citizen.”
Her goal is to leverage her research into policy that shapes the development of sustainable, inclusive and progressive healthcare and employment policies, particularly for those from groups that are disproportionately marginalized in the Middle East. This work represents a bridge between Alhomoud’s studies at the UW and her next step as a junior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Middle East Center.
The Carnegie Gaither Junior Fellowship is a highly competitive program in which Alhomoud will join approximately 12 other students from across the country to work alongside the Foundation’s senior fellows. She’ll sit in on meetings with politicians, assist in research, contribute to their publications and get a firsthand view of how research becomes policy that benefits peoples’ lives.
“With the Carnegie Endowment, most of the scholars are experts in the region and have done extensive field work there,” shares Alhomoud. “I’m thrilled to be working in an environment where there is a shared experience of being Middle Eastern and where there is a focus on local narratives, citizen perspectives and incorporating primary Arabic sources.”
Undergraduate research project: Corruption, Foreign Direct Investment, and Tax Revenue: Survival and growth of the World’s Oil-Rich Nations
Leading the way to the ASUW’s first international student office
Student government wasn’t something Alhomoud grew up with in Saudi Arabia. She was unaware it existed until a friend introduced her to ASUW her junior year. As she became involved in the UW’s student government, she saw an opportunity for better representation of international students. She co-founded the International Student Advocacy Group at UW and worked to give voice to the unique experiences and needs of international students. The advocacy group surveyed 270 international students to see if they were interested in having an ASUW office. A resounding 94.9% said yes.
In 2020, Alhomoud earned a Mary Gates Leadership Scholarship to form a task force to establish the first ASUW Office of International Student Advocacy led by students, for students. This marks the first time in ASUW history that international students have had a permanent voice and home in ASUW.
Mary Gates Endowment Leadership Scholarship project presentation: ASUW Office of International Student Advocacy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0lEYbyA3Aw
Representation for this diverse group of students matters. International students make up 15.5% of the UW’s student population and come from more than 100 countries. Some, like Alhomoud, are sponsored by their home government; some are refugees and asylum seekers; some want to return to their home countries after graduation; some are DACA recipients and others are hoping to immigrate to the United States. This diversity means there are many needs to represent in student government: financial, language barriers, representation and advocacy on campus, post-graduate career support and visa support.
Alhomoud graduates this spring and has worked this year to build the office’s foundation so it’s ready to launch next year. She’s defining the mission statement and goals, positioning the office within ASUW, determining the budget, creating job descriptions, and building relationships with long-standing campus entities that also serve international students. She’s building infrastructure to make sure needs are regularly assessed through constituent surveys and to build community and deepen cross-cultural understanding.
“I’m a little sad that I won’t be here to see the office kickoff its first year,” shares Alhomoud. “But I’m very happy that I’m going to graduate knowing that I created a tangible impact on our campus that will benefit international students and the broader UW community for years to come.”
Alhomoud is now three years into remission and reflects: “Freshman-year-me lying in the hospital never thought I would see myself being listed as a graduate with honors, and I cannot be more thankful for my family who supported me throughout treatment and my entire life.”
After completing her Carnegie fellowship, Alhomoud plans to pursue a dual degree program, earning a masters degree in political science and a law degree. From there, she hopes to create opportunities for women in politics in Saudi Arabia and that “her work contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the Middle East, and leads to more inclusive reform as countries diversify beyond oil, with a focus on sustainability.”
Pandemic pivot to jump into literacy
“What’s next, what’s next!” exclaimed Yuna as she jumped up and down in her seat. My heart filled with joy as I saw the story unfold on her face.
I thought back to the beginning of the year. It was 2018, my first year at the University of Washington and my first year serving at the Denise Louie Education Center in South Seattle as one of five Jumpstart Corps members whose jobs are to help kids be kindergarten ready. In the fall, I met Yuna as the most energetic preschool kiddo … who seemed to be disinterested in books. But in our last few months of teaching, I got to see her new excitement to learn and read new books.
The next year, I transitioned into Jumpstart’s volunteer coordinator role where I administered the end-of-year literacy tests. When I tested Yuna, she passed with flying colors! Not only did she understand vocabulary at a kindergarten reading level, she had confidence in her knowledge. I saw that a seed of excitement to learn took root in her and shaped her to grow as an eager student. Yuna had a strong preschool education foundation and was now ready to succeed in kindergarten.
Teaching as an AmeriCorps member in the classroom fueled my enthusiasm about Jumpstart’s mission and desire to share the work we do. When I was introduced to the volunteer coordinator role, I saw that it combined my passion for serving children with what I hoped to do: Engage college students and build relationships with community members to help young children learn and grow. Events like card making for Seattle Children’s Hospital patients, STEM activities at Seattle Children’s Museum, serving meals with Youth Care and Read for the Record focused on serving kiddos through promoting early childhood education and development. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought changes to our programming.
Many of the families we serve in Jumpstart qualify for free or reduced lunch. This group also often has many barriers that make access to high quality education much more difficult than those from more affluent and privileged backgrounds, an inequity that some may argue starts as early as in the womb and can have long term impacts.
The kindergarten readiness gap between children from lower income families and children from higher income families shows that children face disadvantages in their education at an early age. The burden of these inequities is more often shouldered by communities of color.
In Jumpstart, we see firsthand how academic opportunity and performance are impacted by racial disparities. This opportunity gap grows exponentially over time and leads to students falling behind in elementary, middle and eventually high school. But study after study has highlighted how quality early childhood education can interrupt that trajectory for the better. Jumpstart’s curriculum specifically focuses on literacy and socioemotional skills because those skills are shown to impact preschoolers’ future school success across all subjects. Knowing that, we remained dedicated throughout the pandemic to making sure our preschoolers were given the opportunity to succeed and build key literacy skills. The new question was how?
Check out Jumpstart’s work from this year in the virtual showcase for the Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center.
Before the pandemic, our work mainly involved community outreach. But, COVID-19 prevention precautions meant that many community organizations weren’t hosting volunteers, and even if they were, we were taking every precaution we could to avoid community spread, especially since COVID-19 disproportionately affects the very community we aim to serve.
As volunteer coordinators, we adapted to changes and broadened our outreach to include preschool families. We partnered with our preschool family advocates and educators to learn about our preschool families’ needs, and how we can meet them. We held virtual events such as our annual Read for the Record, planned and packaged 250 learning kits and safely dropped them off to the families in Seattle’s International District all the way to Highline. During Read for the Record, I loved seeing the creativity of the postcards that kiddos made. My heart was warmed watching how proud they were of their work. I loved watching kiddos learn to juggle at our Spring Literacy Celebration.
We planned and held a COVID-19 vaccine forum with pediatric residents from Seattle Children’s Hospital for our preschool families to learn more about the vaccine and discuss their concerns and questions. I felt proud hearing from a COVID-19 vaccine forum attendee who said: “I enjoyed that it gave those who are unfamiliar with the vaccine and the medical field in general a place to go where they could ask questions or start up a conversation about the vaccine.”
Seeing the pride in Yuna’s eyes as we read Elisa Kleven’s “The Lion and the Little Red Bird” showed me firsthand the power of early intervention. Knowing I played a small part in shaping Yuna’s trajectory fills me with pride, and has deepened my belief in the importance of early intervention.
I’m majoring in public health, and the reason I’m drawn to it is that, like Jumpstart, it focuses on upstream interventions to improve population health. Pediatrics is especially meaningful to me after my work in Jumpstart because of the impact health education at a young age can have on future adult health outcomes. As a future pediatrician, I will bring what I learned about the cycle of poverty and the importance of intervening early through early childhood education to improve future health incomes to my work. I will be dedicated to serving my communities with compassion, equity and the belief in each patient’s ability to thrive.
About Jumpstart
Jumpstart is a leading national nonprofit organization working toward the day every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. Jumpstart at the University of Washington was launched in September of 2003 as a collaborative effort between Undergraduate Academic Affairs, the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity, the College of Education, and the Work Study Office. Since 2003, UW undergraduates have worked with Seattle preschool children through the Jumpstart program.
Kylee-Ann Tawara is majoring in public health-global health. She’s completing her third year at the University of Washington and in Jumpstart.
UW Junior Sophia Carey named Beinecke scholar
University of Washington junior Sophia Carey was recently selected for the Beinecke scholarship! Carey, who is majoring in English and comparative history of ideas and minoring in theatre studies, was selected from 95 applicants to join this year’s class. Each year the Beinecke Scholarship offers 20 scholarships to undergraduates who intend to pursue a master’s or doctoral program in the arts, humanities or social sciences. The selected students receive $30,000 to be used for graduate study and $4,000 in their senior year. The last time a UW student received this award was 2011.
Carey entered the UW through the Early Entrance Program at the Robinson Center for Young Scholars and has since focused her interdisciplinary studies in the arts, humanities and social sciences into a passion for community-based theater and the intersections between public policy and the performing arts. She is also in the Interdisciplinary Honors Program.
Research and leadership experiences have been hallmarks of her time as a UW student. Her past research includes the paper “Performing Beyond Utopia,” which explored how residents of Lima, Peru, in the 1970s used community-based theater to resist and transcend dictatorial state agendas. Outside of performance studies, Sophia’s research has been featured in an open glossary of law, society and justice terms, and in 2019, she won the UW Library Research Award for Undergraduates for her paper investigating barriers to Latin American youths’ access to educational support services.
Sophia is currently the president of the Early Entrance Drama Society, a student-run drama club at the UW. In almost three years of involvement in the club, she has co-facilitated the translation of a 2020 production into a virtual format, performed in and directed several productions, and hosted drama-related events designed to build community and provide performance opportunities for students interested in arts and arts leadership. In addition to her work with the Early Entrance Drama Society, Sophia has acquired significant experience with local nonprofit and community-directed theater, as a directing intern at Stone Soup Theater, a development assistant at ArtsWest, and currently as a volunteer at the Seattle Rep.
She plans to continue studying the potential for community-based theater to bring about material and political change through graduate research in a Ph.D. or MFA program that combines practical approaches and critical scholarly research methods in the study of theater.
About the Beinecke
The Beinecke Scholarship program is open to juniors in studying the arts, humanities and social sciences. The scholarship provides funding for students to pursue a masters or Ph.D. in these fields. Since 1975 the program has selected more than 664 college juniors from more than 110 different undergraduate institutions for support during graduate study at any accredited university.
About the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
The Beinecke application process is supported by the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards (OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards.
UW junior awarded selective Goldwater Scholarship
Congratulations to University of Washington junior Daniel Chen, whom the Goldwater Foundation honored with its undergraduate scholarship for students studying the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. Chen, who is majoring in informatics and microbiology, is one of 410 undergraduate students selected for the award from a pool of 1,256 students nominated by 438 institutions across the country.
Goldwater Scholarships are granted to sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise and plan to pursue research careers in math, engineering or the natural sciences. These scholarships award up to $7,500 a year to help cover costs associated with tuition, mandatory fees, books, room and board.
Chen’s interest in challenging himself can be seen through his academic choices: In addition to majoring in two disciplines, informatics and microbiology, he is pursuing departmental honors in microbiology. Chen has previously been awarded the Levinson Emerging Scholars award and the Mary Gates Endowment Research Scholarship, and is also listed on the annual Dean’s List.
He began his college path early, entering the UW after middle school through the Early Entrance Program. To balance out his rigorous academic and research work, Chen enjoys hiking in nature preserves and crocheting amigurumi animals, hobbies that suit the environment of his hometown of Sammamish, WA.
“This news is simply wonderful,” says Undergraduate Academic Affairs Vice Provost and Dean Ed Taylor. “Through his involvement in undergraduate research, Daniel has shown a dedication to furthering science and understanding as well as to the purpose of making people’s lives better. As a University community, we couldn’t be more proud of him. I extend my warmest congratulations to Daniel as well as his faculty mentors and others who have supported him on his journey so far.”
As an undergraduate, Chen was one of the co-authors of the research paper, “Multi-Omics Resolves a Sharp Disease-State Shift between Mild and Moderate COVID-19.”
Chen currently conducts research under Dr. Yapeng Su and Professor Jim Heath in the Heath lab at the Institute for Systems Biology. His research is focused on using the single-cell multi-omic paradigm to analyze COVID-19 peripheral blood mononuclear cells to identify the disease state effects of SARS-CoV-2 on patient immune systems. Such research has also branched out into investigating heterogenous patient responses to COVID-19 in convalescence along with interrogation of patient epigenomes to identify the early-stage immune cell subpopulations responsible for humoral immunity formation and the epigenomic changes that may guide such. In combination with Chen’s previous research investigating melanoma subpopulations using single-cell transcriptome (scRNA-seq) and epigenome (scATAC-seq) data, his current research projects have continued to push and develop his passion for biomedical informatics particularly when applied to clinically relevant problems.
After his undergraduate studies, Chen intends to pursue an M.D.-Ph.D. centered on leveraging computational resources and advances to solve human medical challenges such as cancer and infectious diseases. He particularly looks forward to identifying best practices and applications for such research to develop more accessible medical solutions for the given problem. He eventually hopes to pursue a faculty position at a university to conduct translational research in biomedical-informatic oriented fields.
For more information, contact Robin Chang, director of the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, at robinc@uw.edu.
Celebrating the 2019–20 President’s Medalists
From the thousands of undergraduate students at the University of Washington, three are selected each year for the prestigious President’s Medalist Award.
Sam Colgan, Natasha Lavides and Nuria Alina Chandra are the medalists for 2019–20, selected by a committee for their high GPAs, rigor of classes and numbers of Honors courses. All three are students in the Honors Program completing the Interdisciplinary Honors track.
Each medalist has carved a unique path at the UW, but they’re united in their passion for their chosen areas of study — from psychology to computer science to economics and English. While the pandemic prevents us from holding the customary UW Undergraduate Medalists Reception, each recipient received their medal, along with a message from University President Ana Mari Cauce and a special celebratory gift, at their home. Read on for more about these exceptional students who embody the Husky Spirit.
Meet this year’s medalists:
Sam Colgan, junior medalist
Majors: English and economics
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Twelve years after Sam Colgan moved to Seattle, he began his first quarter at the UW — just a mile from his family’s first home in the Ravenna neighborhood. Coming full circle made Colgan think about how the city has changed over the last decade.
“Much of my time at the UW has involved critically reexamining the city by learning about early Seattle history,” says Colgan, who was inspired to dive deeper into how redlining and gentrification have shaped the city’s race and class dynamics.
Driven to better understand Seattle history as well as the current housing crisis and rising cost of living, Colgan decided to study economics. Double-majoring in English as well, he’s learning how to explain those greater forces at work through his own story — and the stories of others.
“I’m particularly interested in the causes and consequences of gentrification, globalization, homelessness and urban decay,” says Colgan, an Interdisciplinary Honors student whose sights are set on graduate school for economics. “I think I could be effective at representing the economic dynamics for a popular audience.”
Colgan credits the UW’s emphasis on interdisciplinary education for broadening his horizons and encouraging him to study subjects outside his majors, from epidemiology to artificial intelligence.
In his free time, Colgan writes short fiction and enjoys jotting down story ideas and developing character sketches. He has also interned on a political campaign and volunteered as a tutor for students who are first-generation Americans.
Natasha Lavides, sophomore medalist
Major: Psychology
Minor: Education, learning and society
Hometown: Kirkland, WA
Growing up on Seattle’s Eastside, Natasha Lavides fantasized about attending college in a different city or state. All that changed when she started applying to schools.
“I realized how much I appreciated where I grew up and how meaningful it was to stay close to home,” says Lavides about why she chose the UW. Beyond the proximity to family and friends — her support system — the University’s breadth of programs gave the psychology major the chance to discover her calling.
“I love working with people, and if there’s one thing I want to do for the rest of my life, it would be that,” explains Lavides, who currently helps other students as a peer academic advisor and advising student associate.
For Lavides, finding a supportive community at the UW has been as meaningful as finding her major. In addition to advising students, she’s worked as a research lab assistant and interned with the Asian Student Commission, giving her the opportunity to interact with a wide cross-section of campus.
After graduation, she’s thinking about a gap year before pursuing a graduate degree in clinical psychology. Whatever her career path, she will likely be a mental-health advocate.
“I hope that I can combat the stigma surrounding mental illness in marginalized communities and work on removing barriers for these groups,” Lavides says about her goals.
Nuria Alina Chandra, freshman medalist
Major: Biochemistry (current); computer science (intended)
Minor: Global health
Hometown: Olympia, WA
When a chemistry professor introduced Nuria Alina Chandra to the Python programming language, she was immediately hooked — and inspired to take more computer science courses.
Soon the biochemistry major, who had originally envisioned a career in medicine, realized that computer science better reflected her interests and strengths.
“Computer science combines my love of math and quantitative problem-solving in powerful ways that can reshape systems and improve people’s lives,” says Chandra, who grew up in Olympia and is minoring in global health. Being around fellow students and professors who care about their chosen field helped Chandra feel supported in her decision to switch majors.
Outside the classroom, Chandra is sharpening her skills as both a researcher and a writer. At the Seattle Children’s Pediatric Pain and Sleep Innovations Lab, under the mentorship of UW Medicine anesthesiologist Jennifer Rabbitts and with the support of the Mary Gates Research Scholarship, she is investigating how acute pain becomes chronic pain. She also writes for The Daily and edits for Voyage UW, a student-run travel magazine.
Although Chandra is still exploring possible career paths, she wants to combine her creativity and computational thinking to fix issues stemming from structural inequalities.
“I’m still very interested in medicine and health-care inequality,” says Chandra. “I hope to have a career that allows me to use the methods that I love to help solve problems that I care about.”
Note: All photos featured in this story were taken following appropriate safety protocols.
Husky Stories show there are many, many ways to be a Husky
Each and every Husky goes through their own journey, undergoes their own unique experiences and, most importantly, has their very own story to share. Husky Stories is a mini-series in which Huskies share their successes, failures, experiences — their stories. There is no one way to be a Husky. Indeed, the culmination of individuals’ stories shape the picture of what it means to be a Husky.