Meet Don Sciascia, UWAA San Diego President

San Diego chapter president Don Sciascia

Don Sciascia, ’90, has been one of the UWAA’s most active geographic leaders and volunteers. A geography major at UW, this San Diego leader and Spokane, Wash., native has loved the UW since childhood and attributes much of his life success to the things he learned at the University.

Don grew up in Spokane and attended Shadle Park High School where he was an outstanding athlete and student. He joined the Marine Corps in 1985 and served until 1993, taking advantage of the G.I. Bill while attending college. The UW was Don’s first choice after his family visited Seattle when he was in ninth grade. He was the first of his family to attend the UW, but there are now seven proud Huskies in his family.

As a freshman, Don lived in Haggett Hall but left to join Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, where he spent the rest of his college career. Much of Don’s can-do attitude and leadership skills he attributes to his time in ROTC and participating in Marine Drill. His entrepreneurial drive was shaped during his time in Sigma Phi Epsilon, where he developed a business selling beer he bought from the Navy Exchange in a converted Coca-Cola machine. Out of that sprung his company that sold plastic beer cups sponsored by beer companies to the fraternities for their parties. With the fraternities holding more than 20 keg parties each week, his business was very successful. Don’s creativity and perseverance helped him excel at selling ads for The Daily between classes and as an intern for a Seattle radio station.

Continuing with his career success from college and his work at The Daily, Don has worked in media advertising sales for 20 years. He was originally hired by Ackerley Communications and went to work for its NBC-TV station in Bakersfield, Calif. Currently, Don has been at the San Diego Union-Tribune for seven years, managing $15 million in advertising business.

When Don moved to San Diego in June 2000 to work for the ABC-TV station he didn’t know anyone in the area. However, after reading Columns magazine, Don attended one of the many Husky football viewing parties and met a lot of friendly Husky alums and supporters who loved college football as much as he did. He met his good friend, Lt. Col. “Yo” Adrian Lozano, a Navy pilot who went to the UW the same time as he did, and he also began working with the UWAA San Diego chapter president. Don began to take on more responsibilities within the San Diego chapter and in 2004 he became the San Diego UWAA chapter president.

In addition to his work with the UWAA, from 2002-08 he was very involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Team in Training. He began as a runner and worked his way up to an assistant coach for two training seasons. During that time he raised more than $17,500, completing 12 marathons. He still runs, but only half marathons. In April he completed his 30th half marathon and has four more planned this year. During his free time, Don likes to sail in the gorgeous San Diego weather, accompanied by his 3-year-old yellow Labrador, appropriately named Sailor. Don’s idea of a perfect weekend in San Diego includes a run at the beach, sailing with friends and a great bottle of wine, followed by a delicious home-cooked meal. Add in a Husky football game on the TV and this UW alum is in purple-and-gold heaven.

We are lucky to have such an avid UW supporter as part of our UWAA volunteer network, and we look forward to seeing what else Don will accomplish in the future. Please join us in congratulating Don Sciascia for a job well done!