About the Spark Award
Introduced in 2024 at the onset of OMA&D’s 55th year, the Spark Award honors an individual whose diversity, equity, and inclusion leadership inspires early-career changemakers, and exemplifies the spirit of the Charles E. Odegaard Award. Each year, the award will recognize the accomplishments of a University of Washington alum who graduated within the last 10 years and who has made significant DEI contributions during their time as a student and continues to do so post-graduation. .
2025 Spark Award Timeline
Open call for nominations – June 17, 2024
Deadline for nominations – September 16, 2024
Award Announcement – November 2024
Award presented at the 2025 Annual Celebration Gala – Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Who can submit a nomination?
Any person, both internal and external to the University of Washington may submit a nomination for any other person that meets the nomination criteria below. Self-nominations are not permitted. There is no limit on the number of nominations a person may submit.
Spark Award nomination criteria
Nominees must meet all criteria to be considered.
- Graduated from the University of Washington with an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree in the past 10 years.
- Formally connected to OMA&D as a student.
- DEI leadership, advocacy and/or activism as a UW student, especially within organizations affiliated with the Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center and/or social justice organizations
- Continued DEI leadership, advocacy and/or activism in local, regional, and/or national communities post-graduation.
Selection Process
A subcommittee of the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Board of Trustees will review nomination materials and select three finalists to be moved forward to the full board for award consideration. The FEOP Board of Trustees will select the award recipient in fall/winter 2024. The recipient and their nominator(s) will be notified after selection.
2024 – Mariama Suwaneh, ’17