UW Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Congratulations to Anouk-Belle Janess, Lorenzo Roel Flores McCleese and Jaycee Williford for receiving the Udall Scholarship. The scholarship honors students’ environmental and Tribal policy work. We’re so proud of these students’ efforts to protect our region’s natural resources and improve Tribal relationships. Read more about these students and their incredible work: bit.ly/2026-udall-scholars

It's that time of year again!

The annual Undergraduate Research Symposium is here. On Friday, more than 1,700 students across disciplines will present their research to friends, family, peers, faculty, staff and the public. Everything from engineering to mathematics to social sciences to performance to visual arts will be represented.

Want to take part in the fun? Visit bit.ly/2026-symposium-preview to learn more about the Symposium!

When Adelina Grace Sudarman found out she received a 2026 Truman Scholarship, she thought of her family – all of the work her parents put into her education, the struggles her Indonesian-speaking grandma faced in the American medical system, and the support her community has given her throughout her studies.

She also thought about her dreams to practice as a physician while pushing for policy changes that make health care more accessible to non-English speakers.

“Receiving this recognition is a signal that other people believe in those dreams, too,” Sudarman said.

Read more: bit.ly/2026-truman-scholar

Congratulations to the UW’s 2026 Goldwater Scholars! The scholarship provides financial assistance for graduate school for sophomores and juniors who wish to pursue careers in science, engineering or mathematics.

Our scholars research vaccines to combat malaria, help create maps of mouse brains, and analyze the effects of climate change on the West Coast. We’re so proud of Luciana Calle, Lorenzo McCleese, Alen Poehlman and Rachel Yin.

Read more about these students and their work here: bit.ly/goldwater2026

Undergraduate Academic Affairs is hiring a communications specialist!

The Communications Specialist serves as the lead writer and content manager for much of Undergraduate Academic Affairs’ (UAA) external communications and select internal communications coming from the dean's office. UAA is a central unit supporting nearly the entire undergraduate student population on the Seattle campus, engaging students throughout their academic journey. This position collaborates with colleagues to increase awareness about and grow constituents’ relationships with UAA through clear, creative and compelling communications, predominantly written. This role requires excellent writing, storytelling and editing skills, sound judgment and the ability to explain complex ideas in an accessible and engaging way across platforms, including web, social media, e-newsletters and print.

As content manager, the specialist oversees the full content lifecycle — from idea through publication and promotion — for UAA’s e-newsletters. This includes planning, editorial calendar management, stakeholder coordination and collaborating with designers and staff to bring projects to completion on schedule. Additional responsibilities include maintaining website content using WordPress and ensuring messaging remains current and aligned with UAA priorities.

Visit uw.edu/uaa to learn more about UAA.

Interested applicants can apply to Job Requisition ID REQ-0000127903 on the UW Employment site.

More info and links to apply: bit.ly/uaa-comms-specialist.

Applications will be reviewed beginning January 22.

First Year Programs announces new name: New Student & Transfer Programs

Undergraduate Academic Affairs is excited to share that First Year Programs has
officially changed its name to New Student & Transfer Programs.

This new name more accurately reflects the unit’s work and the full range of new, first-year and transfer students it serves at the University of Washington. It also aligns with a University-wide shift toward more inclusive, student-centered language and offers greater clarity about the populations we support.

Huge gratitude to the NSTP team for their continued commitment to helping every Husky feel seen, supported and connected from day one. 💜

Read the full announcement at bit.ly/UWNSTP

At a time of mounting public health challenges, University of Washington senior and neuroscience major Shubham Bansal, ’26, has been named a 2026 Rhodes Scholar — one of only 32 students selected across the U.S. and the UW’s 38th Rhodes Scholar.

Read the story to see how Shubham is combining neuroscience, anthropology, community health and leadership to tackle urgent public health challenges.
bit.ly/2026RhodesUW

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐬: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞

UW undergraduates don’t just earn degrees — they become the teachers, nurses, engineers, storytellers and civic leaders our communities rely on.

In this piece, Fran Lo and Sophie Pierszalowski make a powerful case for why research, community engagement and leadership education aren’t “extras” — they’re transformative experiences that prepare students for real-world impact.

The investments we make in undergraduates today shape the communities we all live in tomorrow.

Read the commentary at: bit.ly/whathappensUW

Get in, Huskies — we’re going to University of Washington Honors Program Global Challenges!

Tuesday, Nov. 12, 6-8 p.m., Kane Hall.

UW STEM educators will discuss trust, credibility and responsibility in science, guided by student moderator Clara McAdams.

Are you a UW undergraduate looking to present your research?

Join UW Office of Undergraduate Research on May 15, 2026, for the 29th annual UW Undergraduate Research Symposium.

The Undergraduate Research Symposium is a moment to celebrate research at the culmination of the academic year with students from across over 100 disciplines, 10 partner institutions, and through posters, talks, a design showcase and performances.

Student applications open Jan. 6 and are due Feb. 12.
Learn more at uw.edu/urs/steps/