A passionate pursuit

Scholarships allow student to follow her passion

People who support students have the power to change the trajectory of a young person’s life. “It’s not just money. Scholarships give students hope, determination and belief in themselves,” says Dawn Tuason. “Donors give students the chance to dream.”

When Dawn started at the UW, nursing seemed like the right, and safe, degree to pursue. Once she graduated, her income would be enough to pay off student loans and provide a comfortable living. Dawn first connected to the University of Washington during high school through Upward Bound, a program that provides college entrance support to low-income and first-generation students.

After her first quarter at the UW, Dawn’s original plans for her career path began to change. Thanks to the scholarships she received, she was empowered to “live passionately” instead of scraping money together to pay tuition quarter by quarter. Dawn studied in Rome, joined the UW’s American Sign Language Club, presented early childhood research at the Undergraduate Research Symposium and volunteered with the Dream Project to inspire other students to pursue college.

As she mentored a high school student who was struggling with a history class, she realized her true calling was in education, not health care. “When you put two curious learners in a room, amazing things can happen,” says Dawn.

Upon completing her bachelor’s degree in early childhood and family studies, Dawn pondered graduate school at the UW. Unsure of how she would pay for it, she took the leap anyway and enrolled. The College of Education offered her a graduate student assistantship, which came with an award that covered her tuition. This meant that Dawn, now in her second year of the master’s degree program, could focus on teaching preschoolers at the UW’s Experimental Education Unit, an inclusive school for both typically developing young children and those with special needs.

The generosity of others has influenced Dawn profoundly. “Knowing that people have been so generous with their time and support for me makes me supportive of others,” she says, noting that donors, faculty and staff helped her make connections across the UW and throughout the community.

“They cared about more than just my academic growth,” she says. “And I care about more than whether my students got on and off the bus. I care that they have meaningful relationships with other kids. That they know how to be kind to one another.”

People who support students have the power to change the trajectory of a young person’s life. “It’s not just money. Scholarships give students hope, determination and belief in themselves,” she says. “Donors give students the chance to dream.”