Colleen Fukui-Sketchley, ’94, received the University of Washington’s Charles E. Odegaard Award and several outstanding student scholarship recipients were recognized at the 45th annual Celebration held May 7, at UW’s Husky Union Building.
The dinner and scholarship fundraiser was hosted by the UW Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMA&D) and the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). Thanks to the support of sponsors, donors and friends, almost $300,000 was raised to benefit scholarships for underrepresented minority, low-income and first-generation students.
Watch the video featuring Fukui-Sketchley>>
Watch the video featuring this year’s EOP scholars>>
Several of these students were celebrated for their contributions on campus and in the community, while achieving academic excellence. Top honors went to President’s Achievement Award winner Savannah Romero and Wells Fargo Vice President’s Award winner Max McDonald.
Watch the video featuring Romero>>
Watch the video featuring MacDonald>>
Also acknowledged as recognition scholars were Ashley Alday (Educational Opportunity Program Celebration Scholar), Diana Betancourt (Lydia A. Gonzales Scholar), Jocelyn Castillo (Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program Legacy Scholar), Natalie Guterson (Del Rio Global Citizens Scholar), Jimmy Nguyen (Murray, Pitre, Baker, Rosebaugh Scholar), Alecia Pak (Educational Opportunity Program Celebration Scholar), DeeAnna Personius (Robert T. and Nancy J. Knight Scholar), Keyaria Rhodes (Bank of America Scholar), Randy Salgado (Educational Opportunity Program Celebration Scholar), Chad Shapard (Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program Legacy Scholar), Danny Shelton (UW Athletic Scholar), Ashley Smith (School of Medicine Scholar), Sarra Tekola (William P. and Ruth Gerberding/Early Identification Program Scholar), Shanece Washington (Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program Scholar) and Nicole Yamane (QFC Scholar).
Established in 1973, the Odegaard Award honors a member of the community whose leadership sustains the former UW president’s distinguished work on behalf of diversity. It is the only University and community-based award, and is regarded as the highest achievement in diversity at the UW.
Fukui-Sketchley, diversity affairs director for Nordstrom, has been employed by the company since graduating from the UW in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication. For 16 years, she served as Nordstrom’s corporate diversity affairs specialist until being promoted to her current role in 2012. Her work has focused on developing and executing initiatives that support diversity and inclusion throughout the organization.
A second-generation Husky, Fukui-Sketchley’s deep commitment to giving back has been inspired by her family’s longtime efforts to do the same. For over 12 years, she was on the Friends of the EOP Board of Trustees, including stints as its president and vice president. She was also a member of the UW Alumni Association Board of Trustees, serving as president in 2010-2011 and helping launch UW Impact, UWAA’s legislative advocacy committee.
The youngest woman to receive the Odegaard Award, Fukui-Sketchley is active in national organizations that support Asian Pacific American women and people with disabilities. She is currently serving a four-year term as an appointed member of the Governor’s Taskforce for Disability Employment aimed to increase the employment of people with disabilities in the state of Washington.
This year’s Celebration program was emceed by reporter, anchor and TV host Angela King, ’95. UW Vice President for Minority Affairs and Vice Provost for Diversity Sheila Edwards Lange, ’00, ’06, and Wells Fargo Washington Senior Vice President Mark Dederer offered remarks. Wells Fargo has contributed to EOP scholarships since 1996 and served as Celebration’s presenting sponsor since 2003.
Also participating in the program were Friends of EOP Board Vice President Barbara Lord MacLean who presented the student awards and Boys & Girls Club of King County Chief Development Officer Greg Lewis, ’94, who facilitated the call to give. Betancourt delivered the student remarks and thank you on behalf of the scholarship recipients.
Photos by Mary Levin