UAA’s Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center is among the programs and organizations impacted by the federal government’s April 25 termination of $400M in AmeriCorps grants. The grant termination led to the abrupt cessation of CELE Center’s AmeriCorps K-12 Community-Engaged Learning Coordinator position. The impact of these grant terminations on the 40 CELE Center students currently enrolled in an AmeriCorps-affiliated program is not yet known.
This came about on April 25, when one of the CELE Center’s partners for AmeriCorps volunteers, the Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good (WACC), had its AmeriCorps grant terminated, effective immediately, along with 1,000 other AmeriCorps programs engaging over 32,000 AmeriCorps members across the country. WACC provides funding and support for AmeriCorps positions on more than 30 campuses across Washington state, including all three UW campuses. As AmeriCorps members, students and volunteers contributed to the success of our state and nation by supporting K-12 academic engagement, housing and food security and other critical social issues. AmeriCorps members receive modest education grants or stipends for living expenses, depending on their type of service.
As the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, AmeriCorps has provided opportunities for more than 1.3 million individuals to serve their country, providing billions of hours of service to meet basic needs, improve communities and positively impact young people.
Additionally, the CELE Center recently received notification from National Jumpstart, the umbrella nonprofit the University of Washington Jumpstart program is under, that all 31 of their university-affiliated partner sites will close by this summer. This includes the UW Jumpstart program. The national organization cited financial constraints, a shift in their operational model, and uncertainty about the future of AmeriCorps funding as factors leading to this outcome.
Over the last 20+ years of Jumpstart at the UW, more than 1,200 UW undergraduates worked with over 5,000 Seattle preschool children from low-income families across Seattle to promote quality early learning so all children can be prepared for kindergarten. The lifelong impact of early childhood education is well-documented, and we are proud to contribute to that work. In the last several years, Jumpstart at the UW — which launched in 2003 as a collaboration between Undergraduate Academic Affairs, the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity, the College of Education, and the Work Study Office — enrolled dozens of UW students annually to serve as AmeriCorps members to work with preschoolers. Read one student’s experiences here.
These programs make our communities, state and country stronger, safer and more compassionate. Community-engagement opportunities help student AmeriCorps members develop interpersonal, critical thinking and leadership skills that benefit them in their future communities and careers. CELE Center staff are exploring ways to support affected UW students, staff, AmeriCorps members and community partners.
Undergraduates in Jumpstart developed activities for kindergarteners from Federal Way to learn about different careers in the district’s Kinders to College event. Photo: Photo by Jayden Becles
The University of Washington’s Jumpstart program recently welcomed kindergarteners from the Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) to the Seattle campus. The visit was part of the FWPS’s new Kinders to College initiative that launched this academic year and aims to promote the importance of early college and career readiness.
“Our new Kinders to College program allows young kindergarten students to begin learning about the college and career opportunities available to them,” said FWPS superintendent Dr. Dani Pfeiffer. “With repeated exposure to multiple post-secondary pathways, over time students will build an appetite for success, and it’s important that this process begins early,” she said.
The collaboration between Jumpstart and FWPS extends Jumpstart’s commitment to providing equal educational opportunities to all young children and breaking cycles of poverty. Jessica Hunnicut Batten, director of Local P12 Education Partnerships at UAA’s Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center, expressed her excitement about the partnership and the benefits it will bring.
Batten emphasized the importance of exposing young scholars to college and post-secondary pathways early, as studies show that children begin contemplating their future careers in elementary school. “By offering students early exposure to a college environment, they can get excited about education and develop career aspirations, which will motivate them as they navigate their educational journey,” Batten said.
Nicole Collopy, a UW alum, cited her time as a former career and college readiness assistant with the Dream Project, which has been going to schools in the Federal Way School District for over a decade, as instrumental in shaping her approach to fostering educational equity and inclusion.
Supporting the amazing communities she worked with through the Dream Project allowed Collopy to evolve her understanding of the systems and structures that create barriers to educational equity. This brought her to her current position as FWPS’s college and career readiness facilitator, “The experiential learning I participated in, through what is now the CELE Center, shaped my journey by allowing me to apply my knowledge and explore my passions, eventually leading me to discover my love of college access work,” Collopy said.
Kindergarteners learn about dentistry by “flossing” playdough out of ice cube trays alongside instruction from a Jumpstart member. Photo: Photo by Jayden Becles
The Kinders to College event was organized in partnership with Batten and Collopy, with the help of the Dream Project’s sister program, UW Jumpstart. Jumpstart students designed and led groups of kindergarteners in hands-on classroom activities, introducing them to different careers such as dentistry, art, archeology and pediatrics. The event also included a visit by UW mascot Harry the Husky and a walking scavenger hunt to the fountain.
Magnolia Wood, ‘25, a Jumpstart leader majoring in speech and hearing sciences, shared her experience of the event. “I had a lot of fun watching the kids’ faces light up as they entered and again during our readings and activities,” Wood shared. She expressed her hope that such events will become a lasting memory for the children as they grow up and pursue their dreams.
Emely Dominguez, ‘25, Jumpstart leader majoring in education communities and organizations, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the value of exposing young minds to various career possibilities. “Seeing how happy they were in a college environment was satisfying because this not only helps the students have a positive view towards their education but also the belief that they can achieve any dream,” Dominguez said.
Jumpstart leader Carmela Paz, ‘24, reflected on the fulfilling experience of the Kinders to College event. She highlighted her role in preparing materials and creating a fun learning environment, particularly in the Bob Ross room where kids could express their creativity through art. “We had the children engage and apply what they read about by giving them canvases and watercolor paint to create their pieces of artwork,” Paz said. “I loved working alongside them and seeing their creativity roam, sharing with us and their classmates!” she said.
“It was a great start to our student’s educational journey toward success and we are thankful for our partnership with University of Washington’s Jumpstart program for joining us in this effort,” said Dr. Pfeiffer. The UW Jumpstart program remains committed to the ongoing partnership and advancing education equity across the region.
About Jumpstart
Through Jumpstart, UW students provide language, social-emotional and literacy programming for preschool children from under-resourced communities and promote quality early learning for all children. UW students gain experience in preschool classrooms, setting goals, teamwork and leadership skills.
“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.
Kylee-Ann Tawara in the Quad, pre-pandemic. // Photo courtesy of Kylee-Ann Tawara.
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.
What Jumpstart looked like pre-pandemic, left, and how corps members’ work shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Left: A Jumpstart corps member reads a story to preschoolers. Right: Jumpstart corps members follow COVID-19 safety precautions to assemble Earth Day activity kits. // Photos courtesy of Jumpstart
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.”
“Accessibility is key, so for all of our family outreach, we provide information in the four most commonly spoken languages of our preschool families.” Jumpstart corps members translate the materials into Vietnamese, Spanish and Chinese. // Fliers courtesy of Kylee-Ann Tawara
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.
Kylee-Ann Tawara in 2019 on a medical brigade to Honduras.
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.
University of Washington students’ dedication to community engagement and leadership will be recognized at the Spring Celebration of Service and Leadership on May 21 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Husky Union Building (HUB) on the UW Seattle campus. The annual event showcases UW undergraduates who serve and lead in their communities, both on and off campus, to expand their boundaries and make a tangible difference in the world. This year’s theme of “We>Me” will highlight student stories as they share how they have worked together to transform their campus and communities, develop collaborative leadership skills and learn from each other. In 2017-18, more than 6,000 students engaged in public service, volunteering an astounding 616,869 hours.
The Spring Celebration of Service and Leadership is planned by programs in Undergraduate Academic Affairs. The work of community engagement and leadership education at the University of Washington is sustained by community and campus partners throughout the region. Thank you to everyone who makes this event possible through time, funding, student support, participation and attendance.
Schedule overview
All events take place on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in The HUB.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Husky Leadership Certificate student presentations
2:00-5:00 p.m. in various HUB rooms
POSTER SESSIONS
3:00-5:00 p.m. in the HUB 1st floor street
PROGRAM AND RECEPTION
Celebration! Food, photo booth with Dubs, networking
5:00-6:00 p.m. (spoken program from 5:10-5:30 p.m.) in the HUB Lyceum
Undergraduate Academic Affairs is pleased to announce organizational shifts designed to more proactively align the unit’s community engagement and student leadership development work.
Each year, thousands of UW undergraduates engage in service and leadership projects on campus and in the community, bringing the classroom beyond the four walls that house desks and chairs. At the annual Spring Celebration of Service and Leadership, students showcase their work and learning related to these projects. Students, staff, faculty and community members hear about these dynamic experiences from the students firsthand.
UW students have a zeal for community service and activism. In 2012-13, more than 7,000 students engaged in academic service-learning, volunteering a staggering 465,000 hours with organizations such as Girls on the Run and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. That’s the equivalent of 53 years of service.
UW undergraduate Hanna Dinh volunteering at the Chinese Information and Service Center in conjunction with her English 121 class, “Social Issues.”
In recognition of this extraordinary accomplishment, the annual Spring Celebration of Service and Leadership showcases more than 100 UW undergraduates who have dedicated their time, skills and sheer hard work to service and leadership activities in the community.
The Spring Celebration takes place May 20, 3-6:30 p.m. in the HUB (gallery of projects on first floor, reception in Lyceum)on the UW Seattle campus. All students, staff, faculty and especially alumni of UAA programs are invited to attend.
This year’s Spring Celebration will include a Gallery of Student Projects, nine break-out sessions and a pop-up museum showcasing artifacts that represent the theme of “the art of powerful citizenship,” curated by students who attended Citizen University 2014, a national conference for educators and activists on civic engagement.
Service is, of course, about contributing your skills and giving your time to those in need. But this also leads to innumerable benefits for the volunteers themselves.
Daniel Hadidi, who graduated last winter quarter with a B.S. in biology, worked with Persian Circle, a cultural organization that works to bring together Persians at UW and in the greater Seattle area. Daniel found that his work not only helped strengthen the Persian community, but it also helped himself in many ways. “I have experienced great personal growth, becoming more confident in social situations and establishing closer relationships with others,” he says.
Professor Rick Bonus, associate professor of American Ethnic Studies, stresses the educational value of service-learning projects. “It’s not only a different kind of learning because of its location,” he says. “It’s a kind of learning that is wrapped around the practice of being of service to others. When serving others takes place, students learn how to empathize, collaborate, and participate in someone else’s lives. Indeed, many students tell me how being of service is such a humbling experience, and one that provides them with a deeper sense of meaningfulness beyond what a classroom session could offer.”
Hanna Dinh, a senior studying public health and medical anthropology, certainly experienced that. She volunteered with the Vietnam Health Center and served on its Public Health Committee to make educational posters and take-home notecards for patients in rural areas of Vietnam about public health issues such as water sanitation. Hanna was especially impressed by the amount of teamwork it took from volunteers, staff, advisers and other students to achieve a successful project. “We all volunteered and struggled together, but also challenged and supported each other to reach our potential […] Witnessing and experiencing this teamwork daily during our volunteering in Vietnam gave me the necessary energy and strength [to complete the project].“
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?
“This is probably one of my favorite photos. I was actually taking a photo for an open house for our office and one of my co-workers told me a joke to get me to smile. It’s a very ‘UW’ photo and I absolutely love it for that reason.”
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.
“In this picture, I am visiting Junior, the male jaguar at the Woodland Park Zoo, during my animal behavior psychology lab.”
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.
“This photo was taken around the U-District, right before I accompanied my youngest sister, who has autism, to her senior prom. It was a remarkable honor to be her date and chaperon for the evening!”
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.
“In this photo I’m on Capitol Hill in Seattle celebrating my cousin’s wedding.”
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.
“I’m trying to make a compelling case about some piece of African American literature at Rutgers University in summer of 2012.”
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.
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.
“I am the second from the left, and I am in front of Suzzallo Library with three of my orientation leader co-workers and Dubs!”
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.
In this photo “I was at the National Student Nurses Association Council of State Presidents in Pittsburgh, PA, representing the nursing students of Washington state.”
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!
“This photo was taken in summer 2012 in Moore’a an Island of Tahiti where my group and I went to visit and volunteer at a youth camp for children with disadvantage backgrounds. This was a photo taken during our activities.”
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.
“This is a picture of me outside of my favorite place to study on campus, Molly’s Cafe in the bottom of the Henry Art Gallery.”
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.
“This is me as Jumpstart Corps member, showing off a student’s artwork.”
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.
“On the UW Farm site at the Center for Urban Horticulture, at a work party!”
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!
“In this photo, I was actually standing in front of a chalkboard in my classroom, wearing the red Jumpstart shirts that corps members and team leaders wear when we go into the classrooms.”
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.
“In this photo, I am sitting at the edge of a dock staring at the beautiful view that is Lake Crescent on my way to Neah Bay to reconnect with the amazing community I first met through the Pipeline Project. I’m enjoying the last few weeks of summer prior to my senior year of undergrad. I’m feeling the breeze and the warmth of the sun in anticipation, excitement and hope for the year ahead.”
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.
“I’m in Leogane Haiti, improving relations with the locals after an incredibly hard day working with an amazing group of Haitian and international volunteers helping the Leoganese dig out from the 2010 earthquake.”
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.”
