April 28, 2025
Celebrating student leadership in action at the CELE Center’s 2025 Spring CELEbration
On May 7, the University of Washington’s Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center will present the 2025 Spring CELEbration, an inspiring undergraduate showcase of student service, leadership and community-engaged work.
The annual event features students in CELE Center programs and Mary Gates Endowment Leadership Scholars, presenting work focused on service, leadership and social change — from mentorship and educational equity to civic engagement and environmental justice.
“The Spring CELEbration embodies the Center’s core commitment to reflective learning — encouraging students to engage in critical introspection and explore the complexities of the world around them,” said Fran Lo, executive director of the CELE Center. “It creates an environment where students can examine their experiences and deepen their connections with communities through meaningful, service-oriented work.”
Spring CELEbration 2025
When: Wednesday, May 7 | 4:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Where: Husky Union Building (HUB)
Join students, faculty, alumni and community partners for an inspiring evening of student-led presentations on service, leadership and social change.
Come curious. Leave inspired.
The event will feature a lively evening of lightning talks, table presentations, video showcases and personal reflections on what it means to lead with purpose. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet students who are not only exploring big ideas but actively putting them into practice.
One of this year’s featured presenters is Salma Rashwan, a psychology major and Riverways intern, who recently returned from a STEM Alternative Spring Break in Forks, Washington. There, she helped introduce hands-on STEM curriculum to rural youth.
“I came to Riverways unsure of where I was headed, but I left Forks knowing exactly what I wanted to do,” Rashwan said. Her presentation will explore how her time with Riverways inspired her leadership journey and deepened her understanding of educational equity and learning through service.
Student presentations cover the range of CELE programs, including NextGen Civic Leader Corps, Husky Leadership Certificate, K-12 mentors and the Dream Project. Guests will engage with students during two presentation sessions, with opportunities to ask questions, explore shared interests and hear firsthand how students are integrating academics with action.