Undergraduate Academic Affairs

News

The undergraduate experience at the University of Washington is, like our students, dynamic and diverse. Gain behind-the-scenes insight into the way UAA deepens and expands academics at the UW through stories about the people and programs in UAA.

Feature stories


  • UW undergraduate receives prestigious Gates Cambridge scholarship

    February 26, 2025

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Photo of Gates Cambridge Scholar Tristan Jafari.

    Tristan Jafari, pursuing his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the University of Washington, was selected for the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship.  Jafari, a departmental Honors student set to graduate a year early this June, will receive a full-cost scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in philosophy in Population Health Sciences at the University of Cambridge,…

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  • Robinson Center now hiring a wellbeing and academic success counselor

    February 24, 2025

    dhollan

    Square graphic with a purple background that reads: Hello, we're hiring! Black W logo for Undergraduate Academic Affairs is at the bottom.

    The Robinson Center has an outstanding opportunity for a wellbeing and academic success counselor to join their team.  The purpose and role of the wellbeing and academic success counselor is planning, organizing and delivering a comprehensive school guidance and counseling program that personalizes education and supports, promotes and enhances the academic, personal, social and career…

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  • Outstanding opportunity for an EEP/Academy Academic adviser

    February 20, 2025

    dhollan

    Graphic with a gold background and purple text: We're hiring! Make a difference, join the Husky family.

    The Robinson Center Early Entrance Program (EEP) and UW Academy (Academy) Academic adviser/coach will guide and support students in exploring, questioning and navigating the events and significance of their undergraduate education. They will provide academic planning services and support for students, including helping students explore academic opportunities and working with students to connect their personal…

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  • More than money: Scholarships, jobs, internships map to students' interests

    February 18, 2025

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Illustration of figures and representations of dollar bills floating in a sunrise sky. People are catching the dollars, floating with them.

    Funding opportunities abound across UAA with a broad range of funded opportunities — scholarships, internships and jobs — that connect to and support students’ interests.

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News items


  • UW undergraduate receives prestigious Gates Cambridge scholarship

    February 26, 2025

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Photo of Gates Cambridge Scholar Tristan Jafari.

    Tristan Jafari, pursuing his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the University of Washington, was selected for the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship.  Jafari, a departmental Honors student set to graduate a year early this June, will receive a full-cost scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in philosophy in Population Health Sciences at the University of Cambridge,…

    Read more


  • Celebrating the 2023–24 Undergraduate Medalists

    February 5, 2025

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Image of the 2023–24 Undergraduate Medalists

    Each year, the University of Washington awards the President’s Medalist Award to its top undergraduates. For 2023–2024, Samuel Perkowski, Mia Grayson and Cher Zhang were chosen for their academic excellence, including high GPAs, rigorous coursework and Honors classes. All three biochemistry majors have pursued impactful research and embraced the Husky Experience through activities like lab…

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  • Dialogue, disagreement and democracy course highlights reel

    January 22, 2025

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Photo of Kate Starbird

    In the leadership course, "2024: Dialogue, Disagreement and Democracy," students learned tools to engage thoughtfully with contentious issues. Offered in the autumn of 2024, this class helped undergraduates navigate complex topics, forge meaningful relationships and have productive conversations in a polarized world.

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  • UW Community College Research Initiatives awarded $1.7 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to continue STEM Transfer Partnerships program

    January 14, 2025

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    The University of Washington’s Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to continue its STEM Transfer Partnerships (STP) program, which aims to increase equity in STEM education for low-income learners across Washington state. This funding extension builds on an earlier $1.17 million grant, continuing the work…

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  • From mentorship to MBA

    January 10, 2025

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Photo of Izaiha Ellis with Seattle skyline in the background

    Alumnus Izaiha Ellis, ’20, began his interdisciplinary journey at the University of Washington with the Honors Program course, “Leadership, Democracy and a More Thoughtful Public.” Each week, he read essays by global politicians and writers, exploring how individual actions shape community dynamics. The course challenged students to consider how their choices impact the support or…

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  • Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind, Stayed on Freedom) [video]

    December 20, 2024

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Photo of Ed Taylor gesturing while talking

    Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs Ed Taylor shares his talk, "Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind, Stayed on Freedom)" at the College of Education's EduTalks: Thriving Generations on March 28, 2024. Taylor is also a professor in the College of Education.

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  • Bridging science and humanity

    December 7, 2024

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Photo of Daniel Chen in a lab

    Daniel Chen’s journey into research began with a fascination for ancient cultures and extinct creatures. As a middle schooler, he was captivated by archaeology and paleontology, dreaming of working at excavation sites, unearthing ancient bones and tracing the histories of lost civilizations. Over time, that early curiosity shifted toward biology, particularly as computational modeling emerged as…

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  • UAA statement on leadership transition for the Robinson Center for Young Scholars

    December 6, 2024

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    ""

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs is recognizing Dr. Kristina Henry Collins for her leadership of the Robinson Center for Young Scholars. After much consideration, Dr. Collins has decided to resign from her position of executive director of the Robinson Center, effective Jan. 27, 2025. She intends to continue her research, teaching and leadership foci of broad-based advocacy…

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  • Sean Gehrke named assistant dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    November 26, 2024

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Photo of Sean Gehrke.

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs is pleased to announce Sean Gehrke’s new role as assistant dean. Sean Gehrke has served over 20 years in higher education, holding a variety of administrative, research and assessment roles.

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  • University of Washington recognized as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting

    November 26, 2024

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Illustration of Husky dog voting.

    The University of Washington is one of 471 colleges and universities recognized for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation in the 2024 election.   The University of Washington joins 471 campuses in being named a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting! The UW has been recognized by the ALL…

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  • Rosa Ramirez named assistant dean of finance and personnel

    October 26, 2024

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Photo of Rosa Ramirez in front of Drumheller Fountain.

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs is pleased to announce Rosa Ramirez’s new role as assistant dean of finance and personnel.

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  • Bridging histories in the American South

    October 16, 2024

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Zoe and LeVera stand outside Crumbville, TX, holding boxes of cupcakes after a tour of Project Row Houses in Houston's historic Third Ward. They are smiling, reflecting their intertwined journeys of family history, values and a passion for nursing and public health.

    What if learning about the American South meant building bridges to both the past and the future? Instead of merely skimming the surface of history, what if you could dive deep, discovering the connections between place, community and the resilience born from oppression? What if history became personal, revealing the stories of beloved communities shaped…

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  • The Robinson Center Husky Experience: A parent’s perspective

    September 27, 2024

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Photo of the Gopal family, mom, dad and three adolescent daughters with Husky dog Dubs.

    Nearly 50 years ago, UW professors Halbert and Nancy Robinson envisioned a school to serve academically talented students with accelerated needs. Today, the Robinson Center stands as a refuge, a long-awaited home for scholars eager to embark on journeys of intellectual and self-discovery. The Center’s focus, experience and infrastructure in nurturing gifted young scholars within…

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  • 15 Seconds at a Time: Honors Program

    August 26, 2024

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Screenshot of video interview with Stephanie Smallwood.

    In this video, Honors Program Director Stephanie Smallwood takes on the challenge of explaining the Honors Program in less than 15 seconds at a time. 15 Seconds at a Time is a series where we find out if various Undergraduate Academic Affairs departments can explain their work in only 15 Seconds at a Time.

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  • The Path to UW and beyond

    June 28, 2024

    Undergraduate Academic Affairs

    Photo of Chloe Sarmiento in front of big W.

    "When I first embarked on the Path to UW program, I was daunted, to say the least," said Chloe Sarmiento, a journalism and public interest communication major. Chloe Sarmiento’s UW coursework and hands-on learning experiences allowed her to kick-start her dream career in the music industry.Photo by Jayden Becles As a first-generation college student, Sarmiento,…

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