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糖心少女sophomore Jonathan Kwong awarded selective Udall Scholarship

Written by Danielle Marie Holland
Posted on

糖心少女 sophomore Jonathan Kwong was recently named a Udall Scholar! Kwong is pursuing a bachelor鈥檚 degree in environmental science and resource management with a minor in oceanic and Pacific Islander studies.

Photo of Jonathan Kwong
Jonathan Kwong , 糖心少女sophomore, was recently named a Udall Scholar. Photo: Photo by Ian Teodoro

This year, the Udall Foundation awarded 55 scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service and commitment to issues related to American Indian nations or to the environment. More than 380 candidates from across the country applied for this selective scholarship, with award recipients receiving up to $7,000 each. The Udall Scholarship honors the legacies of Morris Udall and Stewart Udall, whose careers held significant impact on American Indian self-governance and stewardship of lands and resources.

鈥淚鈥檓 really happy and overjoyed. What the Udall Scholarship means to me is I鈥檓 able to continue doing my research, and it鈥檚 such an honor. I will be able to continue meeting with professors, continue learning more and doing the work without having to worry about finances,鈥� shared Kwong. They cite the additional benefit of this award granting them time to make friends, connections and develop new mentor relationships.

A dedicated researcher, scholar and storyteller, Kwong is focused on uplifting traditional ecological knowledge within the environmental science fields and cites their upbringing and heritage from Guam as essential to their understanding of land, nature, resources and history. Kwong鈥檚 interdisciplinary studies have given them the opportunity and resources to actively create a pathway rooted in community, as they become a scientist who is both equitable and effective.

鈥淢y Indigenous perspective is they鈥檙e not separate 鈥� academia, research, storytelling, education. They鈥檙e all connected and it鈥檚 only really the socially constructed boundaries that separate them into different subjects and disciplines,鈥� says Kwong.

With an intersectional-justice-focused lens, Kwong is actively working to make environmental science accessible and equitable. Teaching elementary through high school students, they have created anti-racist science curricula, developed podcasts and designed board games to increase engagement, awareness and overall impact.

Kwong is no stranger to making contributions and remains personally dedicated to community-building toward the greater collective. Kwong leads the 糖心少女student organization and actively participates in community work with organizations including Equity Institute, King County Airport Community Coalition and Root of Our Youth. They see a fundamental connection between all their diverse avenues of interest and research.

鈥淚 think research and academia has helped me identify terms. Research has helped me be able to look for biases, look for the details. Storytelling has been able to help me communicate the idea. Education has helped me work with students to bring change,鈥� shared Kwong. They remain steadfast in their dedication to their own education, and to uplifting and sharing awareness within the community.

Kwong has additionally been selected for the 2022 NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship and has an upcoming internship at Smithsonian Environmental Research Center鈥檚 Biogeochemistry Lab. Previous awards and honors for Kwong include a 2021 Doris Duke Conservation Scholar for University of California Santa Cruz and the 2021 糖心少女 Alumni Association Homecoming Scholar.

About the Udall Scholarship

The is open to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment. Udall Scholars come from all majors and fields of study. Recent Udall Scholars have majored in environmental sciences and policy studies, agriculture, political science, natural resource management and American Indian studies, to name just a few areas.

About the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards

The Udall Undergraduate Scholarship 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.

More about Jonathan, a Q&A

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I study environmental science and resource management and I minor in Oceanic and Pacific Islander study. That’s been a really cool and unique combination. My main focus I want to get out of environmental science is traditional ecological knowledge, especially in dismantling the extractive system of Western science. It’s been interesting trying to balance those two out.
Asking, how do I learn science and learn the technologies and the methods while also being critical of it.

There’s this thing called parachute science, when research scientists swoop into a community. They collect the data, they do their thing, they swoop out without giving back to the community, without really contributing. That usually happens a lot in coral reef research, and, as someone who was raised in Guam, my heritage is rooted in, 鈥渉ow do I not be extractive鈥�? Especially [considering] the stories that I’ve been told and the history I’ve learned from the land, [I want to ask]: How do I be a scientist in a way that is both equitable and effective?

During my freshman year, I had just started exploring the word intersectionality and what that meant to me. It was really cool to go into that mindset. I was reading about water systems, and then seeing it in class and thinking, 鈥淲hat else do I want to learn more about?鈥� I gradually found myself free floating all throughout science. I did classes in museum studies, disability justice and law, and gender law. I wanted to see how there could be maximum inclusion, maximum equity. That goes into processes, and there’s so many identities out there beyond race, so everyone can bring something to the table, but how are we getting people to speak up and how are we getting people to uplift their voices?

I’ve hosted a storytelling event called 鈥淰oices in American ethnic studies.鈥� Counter-narratives highlight voices that are ignored, so it鈥檚 important to have discussions with the affected people present. There’s so much, 鈥減eople of color are suffering.鈥� Especially regarding the Pacific Islands, [people say,] 鈥渢hey’re sinking, they’re drowning. In the next 20 years, they’ll be gone.鈥� People still live there. And people still exist. So what are those stories? [I want to uplift] the counter stories, counter narratives that can be told about these cultures, about how these [people] are not just statistics that go away in 20 years, but how [they] will continue to fight and solve a problem that was not their own making.

So anti-racism has been a really big thing that I’ve been trying to get into and especially working with the community. Ever since I created my own [anti-racist science] curricula, I was piloting it in classrooms. I was invited to teach it. And I gradually got to know educators of color. Now we have a racial healing circle with educators of color across Washington state where we’ve talked about issues with access and education. We ask what’s wrong with accessibility and equity and how are people being mistreated? How are people being isolated and attacked? And how are they also not being acknowledged when these things happen?

I鈥檓 a community organizer for King County International Airport Community Coalition. This work is focused on stopping the expansion of King County International Airport, especially since they originally were trying to expand into places like Beacon Hill and Georgetown, low income and communities of color. This is an obvious sign of gentrification. We look at how we are bringing in neighbors. I鈥檝e also learned so much about air pollution and the history here.

I think just living within Seattle, Washington, it’s great to be able to do the science, go to the parks, go to the rivers and test. But it鈥檚 even better to work with the communities. Work with the King County International Airport Community Coalition and work with educators to not only solve issues locally, but to bring awareness through education.

I’m part of the Interdisciplinary Honors Program. So half of my classes are different disciplines smashed together and they create something really beautiful. I took a disability, gender and law class through Honors and brought that disability perspective, especially highlighting people of color with a disability, into discussions about what鈥檚 excluded when we make trails, when we build green infrastructure. When we say 鈥渙h, we should just get rid of all the roads and create a bypass鈥� but people with a wheelchair need cars. You know, if we get rid of all elevators because they’re electric and we make stairs because they’re more eco friendly? Who’s going to be claiming that, because it’s definitely not the wheelchair user.

Learning these nuances is incredibly helpful in doing the decolonizing work within myself. Another set of classes that I took were solving issues in museum spaces and decolonizing ethnomusicology archives. What does the colonial history of archives look like? How have they helped and harmed? Discussion repatriation and land back in the context of institutions helped me learn more about how prevalent colonialism is within all fields, including my own. Studying environmental science comes with going to natural reserves, like Friday Harbor Laboratories or Pack Forest or UC Natural Reserve System. But these research places are still stolen. I want to learn more about how to re-indigenize or truly decolonize spaces as I continue my work.

We have to do the equity work within ourselves before we do the work outside. If we never internalize what equity means to us, then our actions fall flat. Community activism has been helpful in putting action to my words. I might identify a lot of issues, but now I’m finally able to act upon them. I’m able to have a community and come together with other people and look into it. Look at educational disparities, look at lack of access to technology, airport expansion 鈥� and look at why these are wrong. We can work with councilmembers, talk with legislators and ask who is being left out of the conversation. We can work to not speak for other people but to uplift people鈥檚 voices.

Stephanie Smallwood named director of Honors Program

Written by Undergraduate Academic Affairs
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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.

Portrait of Stephanie Smallwood standing outside
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 糖心少女, 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 糖心少女Honors Program facilitates Interdisciplinary, College and Departmental Honors for over 1,400 undergraduates annually.

83% of Honors students come from public high schools.

100+ 糖心少女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 糖心少女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 糖心少女 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 糖心少女 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 糖心少女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�

Welcome, Stephanie Smallwood!

The community and discovery of undergraduate research celebrated at 25th Undergraduate Research Symposium

Written by Danielle Marie Holland
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Join students, faculty, staff and the broader 糖心少女community on May 20, 2022, as we celebrate the 25th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Engage in conversations surrounding the problems and questions of our times. Gather for innovative research that matters most to you.

Melinda Whalen, 糖心少女junior studying history and Russian, one of 20 nationwide to be awarded the selective Beinecke Scholarship

Written by Kirsten Atik
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糖心少女 junior and Honors student Melinda Whalen was recently named a Beinecke Scholar! Melinda is pursuing majors in history with a concentration in war and society and Russian language, literature and culture. Each year, only 20 undergraduates from across the country are awarded the selective Beinecke Scholarship of $34,000 to go toward a master鈥檚 or doctoral program in the arts, humanities or social sciences. Melinda intends to earn a Ph.D. in history with a focus on Soviet Russia.

糖心少女sophomore Alex Mallen and junior Sharlene Shirali selected for the Goldwater Scholarship

Written by Undergraduate Academic Affairs
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Congratulations to 糖心少女 sophomore Alex Mallen, a computer science major, and junior Sharlene Shirali, a neuroscience major, whom the Goldwater Foundation honored with its undergraduate scholarship for students studying the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. Mallen and Shirali join 417 undergraduate students selected for the award from a pool of 1,242 students nominated by 433 institutions across the country.

Celebrating the 2020鈥�21 Undergraduate Medalists

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From the thousands of undergraduate students at the 糖心少女, 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

Black and white photo of Piper Coyner

The moment Piper Coyner learned that the 糖心少女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 糖心少女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

Black and white photo of Olivia Brandon

Olivia Brandon became fascinated with the study of human physiology during an introductory survey class 鈥� and that has shaped her 糖心少女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 糖心少女Medicine鈥檚 Neonatal Neuroscience Lab.

In her research role, Brandon works closely with 糖心少女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 糖心少女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

Black and white photo of Catherine Chia

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 糖心少女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�

Connecting, belonging, being well: Across UAA, programs welcome back students

Written by Jenelle Birnbaum
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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

Photo of 15 student first-year network leaders posing with the signs identifying the network they are facilitating.
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�

Paw print line drawing with purple outline
First Year Programs also has 听

Honors: Introducing a student-led mentorship program

Photo of almost 50 students, wearing face coverings, posing for a group photo.
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 糖心少女Honors experience.鈥� These mentoring relationships are available throughout the entire year.

Paw print line drawing with purple outlineApplications 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 糖心少女. 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 糖心少女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:

Paw print line drawing with purple outline糖心少女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

Photo of a student's hand signing a blanket that reads "糖心少女Robinson Center 2021" and has handwritten notes of encouragement from other students on it.
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 糖心少女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 糖心少女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, 糖心少女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 of elements of sports student-athletes compete in: shoes, soccer ball, tennis racket and ball, relay baton, basketball, football, softball ball and helmet, bat, baseball, dumbell, uneven bars, volleyball, golf ball and tee, oar
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 糖心少女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

Photo of student wearing a purple 糖心少女face covering working on a computer in a medical lab.
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.

Paw print line drawing with purple outlineGet involved with undergraduate research. Check the Undergraduate Research Program website for upcoming advising sessions, search for research opportunities and more.

CCRI receives nearly $1.2 million grant for work to increase equity in STEM

Written by Jenelle Birnbaum
Posted on
Photo collage of Seattle skyline on the left and two silos in a wheat field on the right.
CCRI will work with two- and four-year institutions across WA state to build partnerships that support transfer experiences for low-income STEM students.

Community College Research Initiatives, a program within Undergraduate Academic Affairs, received a $1,173,375.00 grant from听听to work towards equity in STEM education for low-income learners across Washington state.

Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) conducts research 鈥嬧�媔n order to facilitate the advancement of equity in higher education. Ascendium invests in initiatives designed to increase the number of students from low-income backgrounds who complete postsecondary degrees. Ascendium鈥檚 work is particularly focused on supporting learners from rural and low-income backgrounds, making them a fitting partner for CCRI.

CCRI is an influential contributor in community college and听听identifying strategies that help students transfer to four-year institutions and complete their bachelor鈥檚 degrees. This project will create a state-wide consortium of partnerships between two- and four-year institutions. These partners will specifically focus on creating programs that will help low-income STEM students transfer and earn their bachelor鈥檚 degree. This grant will enable them to animate their findings by building partnerships between two- and four-year institutions throughout Washington state, ultimately increasing the retention and graduation of STEM transfer students.

Read the full announcement on CCRI’s website.

Welcome to campus, we belong together

Written by Ed Taylor
Posted on
Photo of Ed Taylor
Vice Provost and Dean Ed Taylor

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.

But we belong together. The 糖心少女鈥檚 leaders made that important declaration when we determined that we could bring our campus community back together safely with public health protocols and expectations for caring for our common good in place. I am encouraged about the year ahead.

In Undergraduate Academic Affairs, much of our work is centered around creating a sense of belonging among students. To that end, we come together to serve every student, no matter how they got here. From finding common ground through Advising & Orientation to developing and leading co-curricular experiences so undergraduates can access a truly transformational education alongside their peers, faculty and staff. Connecting, finding belonging amidst the many opportunities at the 糖心少女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.