Christina Chan, 鈥�16, knows first-hand the adversity surrounding college entrance for many high school students, especially for low-income students like herself. When she entered her junior year at Franklin High School, college loomed before her, looking more and more like an unattainable goal. College application forms and personal essays were complicated requirements that she didn鈥檛 know how to complete.
Then Christina decided to apply to (CAN), a nonprofit organization that specializes in helping low-income high school students enter college. Four years later, she graduated from the 糖心少女 with degrees in English and sociology and returned to CAN as a 糖心少女community-based intern.
When you were in high school, what challenges stood between you and your dream of attending the 糖心少女?
I鈥檓 the first generation in my family to attend college. My parents are immigrants from China and didn鈥檛 receive any official education past the third grade. Ever since I was a child, they instilled in me the value of education. Attending the 糖心少女 was my dream, but when it came to actually applying, the process was overwhelming because there were so many things my parents and I didn鈥檛 know. All the required forms, like the FAFSA, the essays and preparing for the SATs, everything seemed so daunting. The FAFSA was particularly confusing 鈥� I鈥檇 never filed a tax report before! The jargon itself was discouraging.
How did you overcome the challenges of applying to the UW?
In my junior year of high school, I reached out to Franklin High School鈥檚 chapter of College Access Now. They really broke down the steps for applying to 糖心少女and made college look achievable. They helped me draft my personal statement and made sure I used it to show who I truly was. I had good, but average SAT scores, so I really believe it was the personal statement that helped me get into UW.
The experience that I went through as a financially disadvantaged student has influenced how I perceive the world, how I carry myself, and what I want to do in the future. Every opportunity, encounter and experience that I鈥檝e faced is an advantage because I鈥檝e developed resiliency when faced with adversity. This is something that I will instill in my future students; I want to share my experience and inspire them.
How did you return to CAN as their intern?
Because I knew how difficult it could be to apply to college, I wanted to intern at a nonprofit organization focusing on education. In my senior year of university, 糖心少女offered at nonprofit organizations in Seattle. I found out that CAN was actually one of the nonprofits that would be hosting an internship through UW! The timing was perfect and I was matched to CAN as their intern.
What do you do as an intern at CAN?
I work on the College Services team that specializes in supporting CAN students through college and beyond. We know that the obstacles you face as a low-income individual don鈥檛 just go away after graduating college so we wanted to create a support system for the alumni. In fact, we just recently hosted our first ever CAN alumni engagement event. I helped with the outreach and logistics for the event.
You just graduated from the 糖心少女. What鈥檚 next for you?
My journey is officially coming full circle as I will be serving as an AmeriCorps 11th grade college coach at my alma mater, . As the students鈥� mentor, or college coach, I鈥檒l be helping students apply to college and teach them how to better utilize their resources.
How does being an alumni of Franklin and CAN make your insight unique as a college coach?
I feel really passionate about coming back to Franklin High School as a college coach because I want to be the students鈥� support system. Being from South Seattle, I can relate to the issues that many students at Franklin High School experience. It鈥檚 one of the most diverse schools in Seattle, and听60-70% of their students qualify for free/reduced lunch. I also come from a low-income family. I鈥檝e been through the system, I鈥檝e been in their shoes. I鈥檝e seen so many people stuck in the same spot because of the role society sees them in. I want to help them break free of these restrictive labels and take a different path. CAN is a great way to do this because they give everyone a chance to work towards a better future.
Interested in learning more about the UW鈥檚 community-based internships? Contact the Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center Director, Rachel Vaughn,听 or 206-685-2705 or visit the website.
Students come from all across Washington state, the country and the world, but when they come here, they are all part of the same Husky family. Watch as they come together in one gigantic W. (Video)
Check out this fact sheet on Advising and Orientation, and learn about first-year students鈥� pathway into understanding 糖心少女values and the Husky Experience as well as the impact a thoughtful University transition has on student retention.
After 30 years of working at the 糖心少女, Catharine Beyer retired. During that time, she spent 17 years working in the Office of Educational Assessment and three in the Interdisciplinary Writing Program. We chatted with her to learn more about her time at the UW.
What drew you to the UW? At 37, we moved to Seattle with our two kids so my husband could start a Ph.D. in applied math, his long-held dream. I had taught college writing courses and worked as an editor for an engineering consulting firm, so, I applied for a lecturer position in the UW鈥檚 (IWP). The last thing I was told in my interview for the job was, 鈥淢icrosoft is hiring technical writers; you might check over there.鈥� This was 1984. Had I checked with Microsoft, I might be a millionaire today, but I got the job in the IWP and took it.
In your 30-year career at the UW, what work have you done that you believe is the most important to others? Institutionally and nationally, my big assessment projects 鈥� the and the , both of which resulted in books co-authored by beloved colleagues 鈥� would probably be considered my most important work. I loved that work, don鈥檛 get me wrong, but I think my teaching work might be more important over time. Not only did I have the honor of helping 13-years worth of students become better writers and thinkers, but I learned a ton about what undergraduates and faculty members experience that I then could carry into my later assessment work.
What have you found through your work that has most inspired you? Our students are always inspiring. They are amazingly bright, interested in and knowledgeable about such diverse things. Sometimes they are shockingly brave 鈥� recovering from failure and loss or navigating an environment that feels unwelcoming, for example. They come to us from great pinnacles of success, but they have to start over here, and what counts for success is often very different from what mattered before. They come here hoping to be challenged and to grow. We owe them an experience that does that for each one of them.
What advice do you have for students, faculty and staff about the value of teaching and learning? Because learning is complex, the ways we assess it must also be complex. Generic tests and surveys of students鈥� experience can鈥檛 tell us much about what our students have learned in college or how to improve our work. If we want to get that kind of information, we need to talk with students about their learning. We need to get faculty involved in looking at students鈥� work over time and discussing it together, identifying the growth (or lack of it) they find there. We need to also track learning that doesn鈥檛 fall neatly within our academic boundaries but that may inform them or have value beyond them.
You鈥檝e always had a rocking chair in your office. What meaning do rocking chairs hold for you? Rocking may well be our first memory of comfort. I have always had a rocking chair in my office at the 糖心少女and elsewhere because I want whomever is talking to me 鈥� friends, interviewees, colleagues 鈥� to feel at home, comfortable and accepted in my presence. My rocking chairs are always big, capable of accommodating every size, age, color, temperament, mood and shape.
What鈥檚 next for you? Really, I have no idea. I鈥檝e written a letter to the mayor and the chief of police asking them what changes they are making to get rid of discriminatory policing, but beyond that I鈥檓 reading, doing a little creative writing, and researching Angry Birds 鈥� once such an amazing, creative, beautiful set of games and now in the toilet. I want to find out what happened there. Other than that, I鈥檓 hoping to have the chance to get bored.
This has been a remarkable year for scholarships! Twenty students, including 10 undergraduates, received . These students will spend the year either teaching English or researching internationally. Graduating senior, Krittika D鈥橲ilva will be attending Cambridge University on a . Recent graduate Benjamin Lee will be working on issues of Chinese security as part of the . Fifteen students will be embarking on solo trips around the world on . And, this is just a handful of the many scholarships our students received.
The common thread running through the 糖心少女鈥檚 purple and gold tapestry is a campus-wide commitment to service and the public good. I am inspired to watch the Husky culture of service grow year after year.
The Nineteenth听Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium,听organized by the听, gives听research experiences for undergraduates in all academic disciplines. The Symposium gives听undergraduates the听chance to present what they learned through their research experiences to a larger audience. It also provides a forum for students, faculty and the community to discuss cutting edge research topics and to examine the connection between research and education. The event includes poster sessions, oral presentations, visual performances and art exhibits by students from all three UW听campuses, local community colleges and out-of-state universities, plus invited guests.
The Mary Gates Endowment expands opportunities for undergraduates by providing听 and scholarships that ask students to articulate their goals, identify mentors, reflect on their experiences and actively engage in their own learning processes.听Each year, a celebration dinner is held to honor the recipients of the Mary Gates Endowment for Students scholarship.
Ashley Alday in Omak, Washington while volunteering as part of Pipeline Project’s Alternate Spring Break.
Ashley Alday
Major(s): Social Work Minor(s): Education, Learning and Society and Diversity
What advice do you have for the incoming class?听Step out of your comfort zone and try something you never thought of trying! You never know, it may change your life! There are many opportunities here on campus that you can be a part of. By taking these chances, you create memories that will last you a lifetime while also expanding your network and developing a community you might have never knew existed if you didn鈥檛 try!
Tell us about your proudest achievement beyond the classroom (ex. community-based service, research learning, leadership, etc.): I鈥檝e had many proud achievements beyond the classroom. From being a team leader for Jumpstart and Pipeline Alternative Spring Break (ASB), to being an officer for the School of Social Work, to interning at the Children鈥檚 Administration and Northwest Adoption Exchange, to studying abroad in听Cambodia, to even being a part of a dynamic group of 糖心少女students as a Husky 100, all of my experiences have helped me grow in many different ways and I鈥檓 glad to have taken part in them! It was through these various experiences that I was able to deepen my skills and become the leader I am today, and I couldn鈥檛 be more thankful for all the experiences that 糖心少女had to offer me!
Who had the biggest impact on your Husky experience and why? (Ex. faculty, mentor, roommate, etc.) Oh boy, I can鈥檛 just choose one! My family definitely continued to motivate me to do my very best, my friends were always there to remind me that it was okay to take a break, and my Social Work cohort reminded me why I loved the field of social work so much! Along with these amazing people, I definitely have to say my Jumpstart and Center for Experiential Learning and Diversity (EXPD) family really contributed to my growth during my undergraduate career. They were there to push me during some of my roughest times and gave me the boundless opportunities I never knew I had. This office was more than an office to me, it was my home away from home and the place I spent TOO much time in during the past four years. I can鈥檛 thank all these individuals for supporting me along the way, and I couldn鈥檛 have done it without each and every one of them!
What advice do you have for the incoming class? Be a sponge. There is so much information surrounding you that you should soak up! Get involved with a program that aligns with your passions because it’s a great way to meet new people and do what you love.
Tell us about your proudest achievement beyond the classroom (ex. community-based service, research learning, leadership, etc.): Being a high school lead at Global Connections High School through the Dream Project. This experience not only allowed me to pursue my passion for educational equity, but it allowed me to help support other college students in learning about social justice within our society.
Who had the biggest impact on your Husky experience and why? (Ex. faculty, mentor, roommate, etc.) All of the staff members at the 糖心少女Disability Resource Center. Being able to work with such amazing people for the past three and a half years has been wonderful. I learned so much from each of these individuals and each one of them has contributed to me growing as an individual.
Major(s): International Studies Minor(s): Education
What advice do you have for the incoming class? Never stop asking questions. I am amazed by the resources on this campus and how some of these services can even be underutilized. I am a fan of using the Chat with a Librarian feature when I am stuck on a research question; I practice speeches at the Speaking Center in the Communications Building; and I even bought one of my required course books at the monthly sales at the HUB. Sometimes hours of work (and money) can be saved with a short email to the right person, or multiple people.
Tell us about your proudest achievement beyond the classroom (ex. community-based service, research learning, leadership, etc.):听 Riding on buses, trains and tuk tuks across five states in India was one of the most transformational experiences of my life. After my junior year, I studied abroad in the Women鈥檚 Leadership & Social Entrepreneurship program where I was humbled to meet an array of female leaders. These women run family businesses, hold top leadership positions at national organizations and participate in village governance. I draw life-long lessons from my peers and the individuals I met in India.
One of my proudest achievements at 糖心少女is developing a commitment toward my own self-care in the areas of meditation and mindfulness. It might sound so simple, but I am appreciative of just taking a step back and breathing. My time in India was crucial to understanding who I am as a person and a leader.
Who had the biggest impact on your Husky experience and why? (Ex. faculty, mentor, roommate, etc.)听 I am a first-generation college student from a Latinx farmworking family. The person who has made the biggest impact on my Husky experience has been Josue Cuevas, my roommate for two years and a dear friend who shares many aspects of my family background. Josue and I transferred to 糖心少女from Columbia Basin College in Eastern Washington. We鈥檝e gone through triumphs and trials as we navigate this huge university. On a long day, it鈥檚 so encouraging to see someone who is working toward his own amazing goals in a completely different field. Not to mention, Josue has the best jokes and gives great hugs. When I opened my acceptance letter to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, I will never forget that Josue was right there to support me.
What advice do you have for the incoming class? I always heard that college is both the most fun and most stressful time. Fun because everything is new and there’s so much to explore. Stressful because there’s so much you’re learning and growing in as a person. My advice is to make sure it’s both.
Tell us about your proudest achievement beyond the classroom (ex. community-based service, research learning, leadership, etc.): 听One of my proudest moments was actually not my own achievement, but rather a mentee’s in the Dream Project. I saw my mentee grow from being so confused in where to even start in the college application process, to enrolling at 糖心少女Tacoma and receiving one of Dream Project’s Live the Dream Scholarships. Seeing her with her family at the scholarship reception, I felt so proud to see where she was headed and excited to have been a part of that process as a mentor.
Who had the biggest impact on your Husky experience and why? (Ex. faculty, mentor, roommate, etc.) I was lucky to have a Husky experience with many impactful friends and peers. One of the very first and most lasting impacts came from my big [fraternity brother], Daryn Atkinson. He was one the first people I met at the 糖心少女and showed me the ropes for getting involved on the 糖心少女campus, staying strong academically and making time for fun and self-care. Daryn aided my transition into college and made sure I was able to start my full Husky experience.
What advice do you have for the incoming class? I would suggest that you gear yourself for the long haul. Transitioning to a four-year college is hard. You鈥檒l need to assemble a team that will help you throughout this journey. This means finding mentors, interacting with instructors and being best friends with your adviser. These people will help you in your journey in various ways. In this journey you are going to have some obstacles. You鈥檒l get frustrated, maybe have an instructor that鈥檚 not great or have a class that is really difficult. Yet, you have to be persistent and dedicated to succeed. Don鈥檛 let self doubt and resistance make you cynical. Lastly, take advantage of any opportunity, scholarships or internships.
Tell us about your proudest achievement beyond the classroom (ex. community-based service, research learning, leadership, etc.):听 Last September, I was selected to join the Sidor Lab to work with graduate student Megan Whitney. I was able to learn more about the diversity of extinct vertebrate fauna at an anatomical level. Being part of this lab has given me the opportunity of being a Mary Gates Scholar and presenting my work on evidence of cancer in a fossil specimen.
Who had the biggest impact on your Husky experience and why? (Ex. faculty, mentor, roommate, etc.): My family, close friends, mentors Megan Whitney and Christian Sidor who have supported and facilitated my excitement in learning. By collaborating with them, they have encouraged me to be independent in pursuing topics that suit my interest in bridging disease of the past with the present. While my research does not apply to Dr. Sidor and Megan Whitney鈥檚 larger research goals, examining diseases of听the past is fascinating and remarkable.
Major(s): Geography Minor(s): Education, Learning and Society
What advice do you have for the incoming class? Discover what you are passionate about and you will find a supportive community of like-minded individuals. While I have really enjoyed the outstanding academic experience at UW, my time as an undergraduate has been defined by my involvement outside of the classroom. Through my involvement programs on campus, RSOs and intramural sports, I have developed a greater sense of direction in college experience and future plans.
Tell us about your proudest achievement beyond the classroom (ex. community-based service, research learning, leadership, etc.): Over the past three years I have had the opportunity to volunteer and work with the 糖心少女Dream Project, a program on campus focused on supporting low-income and first generation high school students throughout the college application process. I’m proud to have the opportunity to represent and contribute to Dream Project. I currently work at Rainier Beach High School as a Dream Project college and career readiness assistant. I have really enjoyed getting to know students and feel fortunate to be a part of the community of staff and students at the school.
Who had the biggest impact on your Husky experience and why? (Ex. faculty, mentor, roommate, etc.) The Dream Project staff members and student leaders have had a powerful impact on my Husky experience. They saw some potential in me that I was not yet aware of and supported me unconditionally in my growth as a mentor and leader. I have dedicated myself to Dream Project in large part because of their passion and selflessness they demonstrate on a daily basis.
Major(s): History and the Comparative History of Ideas (CHID)
What advice do you have for the incoming class?听Take advantage of all the wonderful resources and opportunities the 糖心少女 has to offer. Do not be afraid to explore majors, and most importantly, find your community early. Being such a large school, finding that small group who support you and share in your successes and your struggles will make your undergraduate experience more meaningful and your transition to college more manageable. Also, do not forget to have fun, make friends and explore the beautiful city of Seattle!
Tell us about your proudest achievement beyond the classroom (ex. community-based service, research learning, leadership, etc.): Remaining involved in undergraduate research and seeing all of the opportunities that come from engaging in meaningful research is one of the things I am most proud of. Working with mentors and communities, analyzing sources and sifting through stacks of documents to craft my own original project has been such a wonderful experience, giving me tools to succeed in graduate school and beyond. However, my greatest accomplishment beyond the classroom is knowing that I am setting a good example for my children by showing them it does not matter where you came from, it only matters where you want to go and what you need to do to get there. When I wrote my personal essay for the transfer application to UW, I stressed the importance of obtaining an education to make my children proud. I could not have gone through this journey without the support of my family, to know that my children are proud to call me “mom” makes all of the late nights and hard work completely worth it.
Who had the biggest impact on your Husky experience and why? (Ex. faculty, mentor, roommate, etc.) The person who had the biggest impact on my Husky Experience is my research mentor, Professor Mar铆a Elena Garc铆a. No matter how crazy my ideas, she always supported and encouraged me to follow my dreams and to be true to myself. Her kindness, generosity and knowledge helped me to grow so much both as an academic and a person that there are no words to express how much I appreciate her.
Amy visited Copenhagen at the end of her 糖心少女Study Abroad program in Italy .
Amy Wang
Major(s): Human Centered Design & Engineering
What advice do you have for the incoming class?听Try a little bit of everything. Join organizations on campus and seek opportunities. 糖心少女is so huge that there is something for everyone to fall in love with. Academics are important but don’t make it your sole priority. Go have fun 鈥� you’re in college!
Tell us about your proudest achievement beyond the classroom (ex. community-based service, research learning, leadership, etc.): I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to run for president just after two months of joining an organization. The outcome of what I’ve created has been the proudest achievement of my college career. As a second-term president of the (SWE), I’ve grown our organization from what once was only 30 members to what is now 470 members. I’ve been able to build an organization from the ground up and create a supportive and inspiring network of women engineers. I am confident that 糖心少女SWE will continue to grow, helping students pursue degrees in engineering through career development, social events and community outreach. I’m proud to say that I built an organization that is here to stay.
Who had the biggest impact on your Husky experience and why? (Ex. faculty, mentor, roommate, etc.) There are so many people who I’m thankful for in helping me shape my Husky experience. Some of my biggest supporters have been my family (parents, brother, grandparents and relatives), Cathryne Jordan and Dan Feetham who supported my leadership development, my best friend Begum, my boyfriend Jordan, the SWE executive officer team, my mentor Megha, Human Centered Design & Engineering friends, professors and advisers, and friends who I’ve known since high school, my freshman year, and through summer internships. I’m really grateful for these people.
At the 糖心少女, undergraduates like Sasha Portnova research issues that can impact the world. Portnova, a senior in the , uses her research to help solve the difficulties individuals with spinal cord injury may face. Growing up in Kazakhstan, Portnova was discouraged from studying engineering, which was viewed as a more typical male subject.
After coming to the U.S. and enrolling in the 糖心少女, she discovered her passion for engineering and helping others. This passion led her to begin working on her project – a wrist assistive device for individuals who have lost hand movement. The 3-D printed device assists in hand movement for an estimated cost of $15. In addition to being cost-effective, the designs will be available online via open source for anyone to print their own.
Along the way, she has presented her research to multiple conferences including Posters on the Hill in Washington D.C. After graduating this spring, Portnova’s next steps include obtaining a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. She plans to use her passion for research to help others, specifically veterans.
