Congratulations to Stephanie Smallwood, acclaimed professor and historian, who has been appointed the new director of the , officially beginning her term in September, 2022.
The University Honors Program, , serves as an academic core of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, bringing students and faculty from every corner of campus together for original learning opportunities focused on collaborative, cross-disciplinary curriculum, experiential learning, research and critical reflection.
Professor Stephanie Smallwood has been named the next director of the Honors Program. Photo: Photo by Dennis Wise
In the past eight years under the direction of geography professor and poverty researcher, Victoria Lawson, the Honors Program has contributed to the deepening of its interdisciplinary focus and approach to intentional community building, innovative thinking and global citizenship. As Lawson prepares to retire from the 天美影院, she expresses admiration for Honors鈥� incoming director, stating: 鈥淚 am a huge fan of Dr. Smallwood and I am confident she will love leading within this community, as I have.鈥�
Fostering collective and diverse brilliance
Honors by the numbers听
The 天美影院Honors Program facilitates Interdisciplinary, College and Departmental Honors for over 1,400 undergraduates annually.
83% of Honors students come from public high schools.
100+ 天美影院majors represented by Honors students and faculty.
70% say Interdisciplinary Honors admission is a top reason they chose the UW.
Smallwood says she鈥檚 excited by the Honors Program鈥檚 trajectory and sees great opportunities to continue expanding this interdisciplinary educational hub at our public research university. Smallwood鈥檚 vision of fostering collective and diverse brilliance aligns with the program鈥檚 long arc toward education that centers public needs and un-siloed, collaborative inquiry.
鈥淚nterdisciplinarity informs my scholarship, my mentoring, my teaching, and informs everything I do,鈥� shared Smallwood. A narrow singularly disciplinary lens cannot adequately approach the questions which animate her work, or the questions that remain most urgent and pressing to our society today.
鈥淯ndergraduate Academic Affairs is a unit devoted to changing lives of students by deepening their 天美影院experience,鈥� shares Vice Provost and Dean Ed Taylor. 鈥淪tephanie Smallwood has the vision, knowledge and experience to move the program and experience of students into a future that is much in need of their potential to help make the world better.鈥�
Guiding students in intellectual exploration
Smallwood is an associate professor in the , where she holds the Dio Richardson Endowed professorship, and she has a joint appointment in the . She has devoted the past 15 years at the 天美影院 to undergraduate teaching and mentorship on the histories of slavery, race and colonialism in the early modern Atlantic world. Guiding students in their exploration of the challenging problems that have profoundly shaped our world remains as fresh and rewarding for her today as when she began her career as a teacher-scholar nearly 25 years ago.
Her book 鈥溾�� (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007) was awarded the 2008 Frederick Douglass Book Prize; the award for best book written in English on slavery or abolition by the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition at Yale University; and was a finalist for the 2008 First Book Prize of the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians.
“The 天美影院 is so fortunate that Professor Stephanie Smallwood has accepted a three-year term as director of the Honors Program. Professor Smallwood is a prize-winning historian, gifted teacher and exemplary University citizen. She will bring her gifts of shrewd analysis, excellent judgment and visionary leadership to this position,鈥� shared Glennys Young, chair of the Department of History.
A history story
Smallwood鈥檚 interest in history began as an undergraduate at Columbia University, stemming from her involvement in anti-apartheid demonstrations. In 1985, on the anniversary of the assasination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Smallwood demonstrated in a domestic divestment campaign. When camping out on the steps of an administrative building for three weeks was followed by a summer of disciplinary hearings, she was led directly toward learning more about the history behind the political actions she found herself engaging in.
For the first time in her life, Smallwood began to read African history 鈥� and found herself blown away. She spent the last two years of her undergraduate studies taking graduate-level seminars. 鈥淚 knew then that history was what I wanted to do and study,鈥� said Smallwood. Under the mentorship of , she was guided towards an interdisciplinary M.A. in African and African-American studies at Yale University.
Smallwood became a research assistant to renowned historian , who was beginning to examine the 17th- and 18th-century slave trade. During days spent in the Yale library鈥檚 microfilm room, Smallwood poured over newspapers from 17th century Maryland and Virginia, reading the announcements of arrivals of slave ships. Her time there would prove to be invaluable, as she began to piece together the literal connections between African and African-American history. 鈥淚t was the first time, that past, that period, was animated for me intellectually,鈥� she said. Transcended beyond just responding to contemporary politics, she sought out to study the entire expanse of Black history. Smallwood would go on to earn her Ph.D. in early African-American history at Duke University.
鈥淚 am incredibly excited to see Professor Smallwood鈥檚 leadership and inclusionary vision applied to the Honors Program as its community continues to grow and build connections across campus. Her support and encouragement enabled us students to reach our full potential and I know she will do the same for the many students who come under her guidance as she takes on the role of director,鈥� shared Erin Nicole Kelly, senior.
The role imagination plays
The interdisciplinary impact of her studies and research have informed the lens for all of her ongoing research, leadership and publications. Smallwood recognizes that a key component of the role of a historian is to imagine. 鈥淭he fact of the matter is that historians have to imagine, to tell stories.鈥� She cites the fiction of novelist Toni Morrison as being in relationship and conversation with her historical research. 鈥淲e have to be able to use the gifts that only a Toni Morrison can bring to the table, to guide us in how to dare to imagine. You can鈥檛 ask good questions if you can鈥檛 imagine outside of the box,鈥� Smallwood said.
Smallwood connects the value of the Honors Programs to its interdisciplinary imagination. A program that curates small classes and dynamic curriculum where students experience, as she describes, 鈥渢he freedom of when you’re not already locked into a particular methodology or a set of rules that govern a particular discipline.鈥�
Her recent experiences teaching the classes, Honors Historical Method and Race and Slavery Across the Americas, have served Smallwood as continued affirmations of what鈥檚 possible in intimate learning environments. 鈥淜nowledge production happens best when we put different disciplinary methods in relationship to one another,鈥� she shared. 鈥淥ften our best and most innovative learning happens in collaboration.鈥�
Our best learning happens in collaboration
Smallwood remains continually fueled and reinvigorated as an educational collaborator and mentor. Facilitating class experiences for undergraduates to engage in intellectual discovery and risk taking, Smallwood is focused on new approaches to learning that can meaningfully advance a social justice mission.
Smallwood sees her appointment as director of the Honors Program as an honor within itself. She intends to use her skills and background of scholarship and teaching in a public research university to serve students and boost their capacity to imagine, contribute and make change. 鈥淭o be at a public research institution like the 天美影院means you鈥檙e in a community of extraordinary scholars with extraordinary resources,鈥� said Smallwood. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the best possible combination of what it takes to be a scholar and for the largest impact you can have on reaching and touching people.鈥�
From the thousands of undergraduate students at the 天美影院, three are selected each year for the prestigious President鈥檚 Medalist Award.
Piper Coyner, Olivia Brandon and Catherine Chia are the medalists for 2020鈥�21, selected by a committee for their high GPAs, rigor of classes and numbers of Honors courses. All three are students in the University , completing the Interdisciplinary Honors track.
Each medalist has carved a unique path at the UW, but they鈥檙e united in their passion for their chosen areas of study, ranging from neuroscience to anthropology to film studies. They鈥檙e also dedicated to giving back to the community, in both their extracurricular activities and their post-graduation career plans.
The students will be recognized by University President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Mark Richards at a special reception, where each recipient will receive their medal in front of family, friends and mentors.
Read on to learn how these exceptional students embody the Husky Spirit.
Piper Coyner, junior medalist
Majors: Near Eastern studies鈥搇anguages and cultures; cinema and media studies Hometown: Olalla, WA
The moment Piper Coyner learned that the 天美影院had a Near Eastern studies major, she knew she wanted to become a Husky. Since childhood, her dream had been to study the Middle East 鈥� and she was thrilled she could do it so close to home.
At the UW, Coyner has been able to dive into many aspects of Middle Eastern culture, history and language, studying Persian and Arabic. She has also discovered a second major in cinema and media studies, thanks to her involvement with the 天美影院Film Club, where she leads a team of 20 writers. When she鈥檚 not exploring a canon of classic films or writing reviews, she鈥檚 an avid reader who enjoys contemporary fiction and history.
Whether focused on the screen or the pages of a book, Coyner takes inspiration from 鈥渟tories of perseverance and self-sacrifice, of people caring deeply for others and making change in the world.鈥� It鈥檚 with this model of making a difference that she hopes to attend law school after graduation.
For Coyner, who was also recognized in 2020 as a freshman medalist, this award is an important validation of her passion for and pursuit of the humanities.
鈥淚 often compare myself unfavorably to those in STEM and buy into the narrative that my work is not as important,鈥� Coyner says. 鈥淭his award shows me that鈥檚 not true 鈥� that students who study arts, cultures and languages are just as valued.鈥�
Olivia Brandon, sophomore medalist
Majors: Neuroscience and public health鈥揼lobal health Hometown: Seattle, WA
Olivia Brandon became fascinated with the study of human physiology during an introductory survey class 鈥� and that has shaped her 天美影院journey.
Realizing her true passion, she packed her schedule with chemistry, biology and global health classes. She landed on neuroscience after learning about brain pathology as a research assistant in 天美影院Medicine鈥檚 Neonatal Neuroscience Lab.
In her research role, Brandon works closely with 天美影院faculty to help develop treatments for babies at risk for encephalopathy. 鈥淏eing able to ask a scientific and medical question, create the database, extract the necessary variables, analyze the data and convey the information has sparked the scientist in me,鈥� she says. Later this spring at the 2022 Pediatric Academic Societies medical conference, she plans to present a research project she spearheaded.
Inspired by her lab mentors and her physician parents, Brandon plans to attend medical school after graduation.
鈥淚 hope to become a physician who has an impact on improving people鈥檚 health, but I also want to be an advocate for improving equity in global and public health systems,鈥� says Brandon, who is also majoring in public health鈥揼lobal health. During her first year at the UW, Brandon gave a TedX talk about the importance of addressing global issues like climate change.
As an animal lover, Brandon is also president of the 天美影院equestrian team and has raised funds and volunteered for an equine rescue and rehabilitation center.
Catherine Chia, freshman medalist
Hometown: Redmond, WA Majors: Biochemistry, neuroscience and anthropology
Catherine Chia got a firsthand look at the UW鈥檚 Seattle campus 鈥� and its many opportunities 鈥� when her older brother became a Husky. That glimpse helped shape her decision to attend the UW.
With a goal of attending medical school, she found herself naturally drawn to studying biochemistry and neuroscience.
鈥淚 love the mechanistic nature of both subjects, where I can learn to look for sources of a disease from the tiniest mechanisms of the body,鈥� explains Chia, who is balancing her two science majors with anthropology. That subject serves as 鈥渁n important reminder that innovation and development should always be aimed at helping others.鈥�
Outside the classroom, she鈥檚 an undergraduate research assistant in Prof. Jonathan Posner鈥檚 lab, which is developing a diagnostic test for hepatitis C. The supportive community of the lab has built Chia鈥檚 confidence as a scientist and made her feel more at home at the UW.
Chia鈥檚 volunteer work includes helping elementary school students develop reading skills, leading summertime science activities at the Pacific Science Center and mentoring her fellow students in the 天美影院Honors Program. As a future physician, Chia hopes to improve people鈥檚 lives in a holistic way. She鈥檚 passionate about rectifying education disparities and plans to continue volunteering in learning spaces.
鈥淩eceiving this honor is not just for me,鈥� Chia says, 鈥渂ut also for everyone who has been there for me along the way.鈥�
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鈥檝e 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 programs incorporating resilience and mindfulness work to give students the tools to care for their mental health. It鈥檚 the dedication to meeting students where they are at. Programs are also maintaining some virtual programmatic offerings this year to increase students鈥� 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, , online academic resources, and schedule a meeting with an academic success coach .
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鈥檚 CLUE tutors why they were interested in becoming tutors, many shared that last year鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.
Above: A tutor provides free tutoring in 2018. This year, CLUE is offering in-person and virtual tutoring. Of course, all CLUE participants are following the UW鈥檚 current face covering policy. Photo: Bryan Nakata
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鈥� access to tutoring: Some students don鈥檛 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鈥檚 mind. Conversations can range from time management and study strategies to concern over disappointing test results 鈥� 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 do well on my first test; now I鈥檒l never get into my major鈥︹�� 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鈥� (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 help students make connections with other Huskies who have similar lived experiences, interests and aspirations. Here, the peer network leaders share their group鈥檚 focus.
First-year networks are social groups run by peer leaders. The 14 networks鈥� 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 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, 鈥淭he 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.鈥� There is also great power in hearing peers talk about similar experiences, with another participant sharing, 鈥淏eing 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.鈥�
First Year Programs also has 听
Honors: Introducing a student-led mentorship program
The new, student-led Honors Peer Mentoring Program launched with a welcome event on October 21, 2021. Photo: Provided by Shannon Hong
The Honors Program鈥檚 new wellness-oriented program is student-led. Shannon Hong, a junior majoring in neuroscience, first experienced peer mentoring through the student-led . Finding it valuable, she approached Honors to start a similar program for them. The , 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. 鈥淢y peers and I initially created the Honors Peer Mentoring Program to help students feel more supported and engaged in the Honors community,鈥� explains Hong. 鈥淏ut since then, it has grown into something bigger 鈥� a program that empowers students to become leaders and take initiative in their 天美影院Honors experience.鈥� These mentoring relationships are available throughout the entire year.
Applications for the Honors Peer Mentoring Program winter cohort will open on January 3, 2022. 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 and request copies of the .
The Resilience Lab鈥檚 work centers on promoting well-being among students, faculty and staff at the 天美影院. 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. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really powerful to do this with colleagues,” explains Sasha Duttchoudhury, Resilience Lab graduate student assistant. 鈥淒oing this on 鈥榳ork time鈥� shows value, that the 天美影院values our well-being.鈥�
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 .
Another way the Resilience Lab is bringing well-being practices to the campus community is through the 鈥淲ell-being for Life and Learning鈥� 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鈥檚 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:
天美影院News recently ran a story about the Resilience Lab鈥檚 work, including an interview with director Megan Kennedy. Read the article here.
Robinson Center: Intentionally bringing students to campus and creating community
Students sign blankets for one another as a community-building activity at this year鈥檚 orientation.
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 鈥� students who spend what would be their ninth grade year preparing to fully matriculate into the 天美影院the following year 鈥� 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. 鈥淢any parents have told me that the May Activity Day was the highlight of their student鈥檚 year,鈥� shared Scott. This group of students returned to the 天美影院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, 天美影院Academy and Transition School students. Though each orientation was fine-tuned to meet the groups鈥� specific needs, common threads included building community, exploring campus and learning about campus resources.
Learn more about the .
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, 鈥淵ou can feel the community in this space.鈥�
Student-Athlete Academic Services: Keeping the pulse on student-athlete well-being
Illustration: Burke Smithers
(SAAS) has been checking on the well-being of the UW鈥檚 650 student-athletes throughout the pandemic through their regular pulse surveys. These 10-question surveys asked about what鈥檚 going well to what鈥檚 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鈥檚 focus was building community 鈥� community within the 22 teams, within the student-athlete community and the broader 天美影院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鈥檚 services. They also participated in the NCAA鈥檚 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 works with students to find research opportunities across all fields, including the humanities, arts and sciences.
The Undergraduate Research Program is building community within their 43 undergraduate research leaders (URLs) 鈥� 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, 鈥淥ur 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.鈥�
The URLs are proactively thinking about ways to continue to support their peers and are pitching ideas 鈥� unprompted 鈥� to URP鈥檚 leadership team. We鈥檒l 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, 鈥淚鈥檓 a first-year student. Is research for me?鈥� (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.
We belong together. I made that statement at this year鈥檚 , an annual event filled with academic flourishes to mark the beginning of a student鈥檚 university journey. This year鈥檚 event was decidedly different and intentionally formatted for public safety. We are still trying to emerge from a pandemic, after all, so this year鈥檚 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 鈥渘ormal鈥� and require all of us to continue to adjust our sails.
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 天美影院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鈥檚 undergraduates are tomorrow鈥檚 teachers, business people, civic leaders, doctors, nurses, scientists, artists. UAA鈥檚 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.
The 天美影院 is excited to build upon the success of to connect students to a baccalaureate degree at the UW. Historically, transfer students have had success at the UW, but there are still barriers. Prospective students need better information about options for majors and how to prepare for them. Newly admitted transfer students often need up-front academic support in order to transition to a research university. Investment in this partnership will provide information and support to ensure that Seattle Promise students can reach their academic goals.
A Seattle Promise student鈥檚 journey with this partnership
Year one of the student鈥檚 journey
Q. Who is eligible to participate in this opportunity?
Seattle Promise students who have completed their first year at Seattle Colleges.
Q. What happens in the first year of the partnership program?
Year one of the partnership program is designed to help students understand what academics at the 天美影院are like, to support their academic planning and career preparation, and to introduce them to opportunities that are unique to a research university. It helps them learn how to take advantage of the supports that exist at different institutions so they can have a successful transfer experience.
Details:
Academic preparation
From late-August to mid-September, Seattle Promise students who have completed their first year at a Seattle College take a three-week course focused on a subject that relates to what they are interested in majoring in.
Course is taught by a 天美影院faculty member.
Student will earn credit that will apply to their Seattle College AA degree.
Major and career exploration
The 天美影院is proud to offer more than 180 undergraduate majors and recognizes that some are better known than others. Part of our goal with this partnership is to support students鈥� exploration of majors that are both well-known and those that tend to fly under the radar but would still support students鈥� academic and career goals. To that end, this partnership will support students鈥�:
Academic planning for multiple majors.
Mapping academic and experiential learning opportunities to their career interests.
Research university opportunities
As one of the country鈥檚 leading research universities, we are excited to ensure Seattle Promise students are aware of the benefits and opportunities that exist at the UW. Students who earn their bachelor’s degree from a different institution still benefit from a deeper understanding of how a research university in their backyard connects to their lives.
Year two of a student鈥檚 journey
Q. Who is eligible to participate in the second year of this partnership?
Seattle Promise students who have been admitted to the 天美影院for autumn quarter. Some, but not necessarily all, will have participated in the first year of the program.
Q. What happens in the second year of the partnership program?
Year two of the partnership program will delve into preparing specifically for entering the UW鈥檚 Seattle campus.
Details:
Academic preparation
From late-August to mid-September, Seattle Promise students admitted to the 天美影院for autumn quarter take an intensive, four-week course focused on writing and research.
Course is taught by a 天美影院faculty member.
Students will learn about academic resources such as libraries, writing centers, tutoring centers.
Grounding and belonging
Research tells us that students who feel grounded and find a sense of belonging are more likely to persist through college and earn their degree. The unique circumstances and lived experiences of transfer students, coupled with their shorter time on campus can make it more difficult for them to find those points of connection and community. Year two of this partnership aims to lessen those difficulties in these ways:
Develop a cohort of Seattle Promise students who are new to the UW
Build community among other new transfer students
Connect this cohort with current 天美影院students who have already experienced what it鈥檚 like to transfer to the UW
Orient Seattle Promise transfer students to campus resources and opportunities before the beginning of autumn quarter
Operational details
Q. How many students will this partnership support?
We鈥檒l know how many students we will be able to support once all the details of the funding are known. That said, and while it depends on the final funding, we鈥檙e hopeful that we鈥檇 be able to serve 100 Seattle Promise students to start.
Q. How will this partnership be staffed?
A 天美影院adviser will be dedicated to this partnership and will work closely with Seattle Colleges and Seattle Promise students on admissions requirements, exploring majors and being academically prepared. Additionally, this adviser will be able to show how academics at Seattle Colleges specifically map to different majors at the 天美影院and they鈥檒l be able to connect students with financial aid and other student resources for Seattle Promise students who transfer to the UW.
Q. What kind of financial aid is available to students to participate in the program?听
The programs will be free for Seattle Promise students 鈥� all course costs will be covered by this investment in the partnership. Seattle Promise students who are admitted to the 天美影院as transfer students will be eligible for financial aid. Many of the current Seattle Promise students who are from low-income backgrounds will be eligible for the Husky Promise (which covers tuition and standard fees at the UW).
Q. What does the program cost to students? Will students have to pay tuition for the three- and four-week courses?
There is no charge to Seattle Promise students to participate in this program or the three- and four-week programs.
Q. What happens after 2023, when the federal funding runs out? Will the program continue?
While we don鈥檛 want to speculate about funding sources after 2023, we know that the UW鈥檚 commitment to continuing to build upon and improve partnerships to benefit transfer students will remain strong.
Q. Where can students learn more about and sign up for this program?
We鈥檙e glad you鈥檙e interested! We are working out those details with our partners at the Seattle Colleges. Please stay tuned and check back.
Q. Does this guarantee admission to the 天美影院for Seattle Promise students?
This partnership does not guarantee 天美影院admission for Seattle Promise students. We do anticipate that students who participate in the program beginning after their first year in a Seattle College will be well-positioned to be admitted.
Q. For participating students admitted to the UW, does this guarantee admission into the major of their choice?
This partnership does not guarantee admission into particular majors for Seattle Promise students. We do anticipate that students who participate in the program will be well-informed about their major options.
For more information about this partnership, please contact Michaelann Jundt, associate dean, Undergraduate Academic Affairs.
天美影院 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鈥檚 class. Each year the offers 20 scholarships to undergraduates who intend to pursue a master鈥檚 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 天美影院student received this award was 2011.听
Carey entered the 天美影院through the Early Entrance Program at the 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 .
Research and leadership experiences have been hallmarks of her time as a 天美影院student. Her past research includes the paper 鈥淧erforming Beyond Utopia,鈥� 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鈥檚 research has been featured in an open glossary of law, society and justice terms, and in 2019, she won the 天美影院Library Research Award for Undergraduates for her paper investigating barriers to Latin American youths鈥� access to educational support services.听
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.听
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听
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听 or Ph.D. in these fields. Since 1975 the program has selected more than 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听
The Beinecke application process is supported by the (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.
Congratulations to 天美影院 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 and , is one of 410 undergraduate students selected for the award from a pool of 1,256 students nominated by 438 institutions across the country.
天美影院junior Daniel Chen was selected for the competitive Goldwater Scholarship. (Photo taken following public health guidelines at the time.)
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 on a snowy hike above Pratt Lake in Washington.
Chen鈥檚 interest in challenging himself can be seen through his academic choices: In addition to majoring in two disciplines, informatics and microbiology, he is pursuing in microbiology. Chen has previously been awarded the Levinson Emerging Scholars award and the , and is also listed on the annual Dean鈥檚 List.
He began his college path early, entering the 天美影院after middle school through the . 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.
鈥淭his news is simply wonderful,鈥� says Undergraduate Academic Affairs Vice Provost and Dean Ed Taylor. 鈥淭hrough his involvement in undergraduate research, Daniel has shown a dedication to furthering science and understanding as well as to the purpose of making people鈥檚 lives better. As a University community, we couldn鈥檛 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.鈥�
As an undergraduate, Chen was one of the co-authors of the research paper,
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鈥檚 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.
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 鈥� 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.
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 鈥� 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.
Welcome to the very first episode of Husky Stories! Ryan Lowery is majoring in math and atmospheric sciences here at the 天美影院. Other than school, Ryan is also involved with the , a program within Undergraduate Academic Affairs. Here, he shares his stories of dealing with failure and resiliency. (Note: This interview took place prior to the coronavirus pandemic.)
The Resilience Lab is a campus partner in the Husky Health & Well-Being initiative. If you would like to talk with a counselor or simply learn more about the mental health resources available to students, visit the .
天美影院 junior Sophia Carey was recently selected for the Beinecke scholarship!