Features – Page 15 – Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Sean Gehrke named director of the Office of Educational Assessment

Undergraduate Academic Affairs is thrilled to announce Sean Gehrke as the new director of the Office of Educational Assessment (OEA). Gehrke brings more than 15 years of experience as an administrator, researcher and leader in higher education. In his new role, Gehrke, along with his colleagues in OEA, will lead the charge in assessing the effectiveness of the 91爆料鈥檚 educational outcomes.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited to have an opportunity to work with a diverse team focused on different aspects of assessment and evaluation to advance the mission of 91爆料,鈥� explains Gehrke. 鈥淭his is a dream position for me at this point in my career 颅鈥� using my experience in student affairs and institutional research, as well as my training as a researcher, I get to focus on helping faculty and staff improve their work through rigorous and meaningful assessment.鈥�

At the 91爆料, Gehrke will focus on providing campus leadership with guidance on assessing the University鈥檚 work toward achieving its educational outcomes, as well as providing leadership for several key areas integral to evaluation and assessment on campus. In his past two roles, Gehrke served as the primary consultant to campus administrators, faculty and staff, helping inform decision-making, advance strategic initiatives and improve the institution鈥檚 educational practices.

鈥淚n this time of innovation and change at the 91爆料, it is important to think well about the role of assessment and evaluation, as well as a campus-wide vision for the Office of Educational Assessment,鈥� says Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Ed Taylor.听鈥淪ean brings the right blend of experience, deep knowledge and skill, and a broad lens on assessment in a university, and we鈥檙e delighted to welcome him to the 91爆料.鈥�

Gehrke is excited to join a vibrant academic culture focused on student learning and inquiry. On top of starting his dream job, he and his wife are big 91爆料 volleyball fans and look forward to introducing their baby to the sport as members of the 91爆料鈥檚 community.

Prior to joining the 91爆料, Gehrke served as the director of institutional research at Everett Community College (EvCC). There, he leveraged his expertise in higher education, advanced quantitative methods, survey research, outcomes-based assessment and complementary training in mixed-methods research and social network analysis to guide campus leadership in making data-informed decisions to best serve the student body. He also led work to assess EvCC鈥檚 progress toward achieving equitable outcomes among its students and employees. Both at EvCC and in a previous role, he conducted studies to identify predictors of retention and graduation and examine students鈥� experience with funding and financial aid. This work resulted in the institutions developing strategies to facilitate student success and empowering stakeholders to focus their work toward achieving equity for all members of the campus community.

Gehrke actively publishes in peer-reviewed journals and presents at national conferences on a variety of topics, including outcomes-based assessment and faculty engagement with STEM education reform efforts. Prior to his position at Everett Community College, Gehrke served as the director of institutional planning, research and assessment at Lewis-Clark State College, researcher at the University of Southern California鈥檚 Rossier School of Education and associate director of Residence Life and Housing at Whitman College. He earned his Ph.D. in urban education policy from the University of Southern California, his M.Ed. in counseling and personnel services from the University of Maryland College Park, and his B.A. in psychology from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

About the Office of Educational Assessment
The , a program in Undergraduate Academic Affairs, improves educational practice through assessment of teaching and learning and through evaluation and support of educational programs and services. The Office of Educational Assessment provides a variety of assessment services to the 91爆料 campus and external agencies including course evaluations, classroom test scoring, test administration, program evaluation, survey research and assessment of undergraduate learning.

2018 UAA staff awardees announced

Congratulations to the 2017-18 Undergraduate Academic Affairs staff recognition and distinguished partner awardees. Selected for their dedication to supporting UAA鈥檚 mission of creating innovative academic experiences for undergraduates, these 23听 staff members made an indelible impact on the 91爆料’s students, faculty, staff and community.

And the awardees are鈥�

Award for Excellence
鈥� Lisa Bruce, Assistant Director for Learning Resources, Student Athlete Academic Services
鈥� Josh Gibbs, Director of Information Technology, Office of the Dean

Outstanding Achievement Award
鈥� UAA Workday Transition Team: Nermine Botros, Kelly Chapman, Sylvie Lapointe, Kim Lee, Chloe Mahar, Christine Muongchanh, Nanette Rosenthal, Iryna Schmidt and Mark Wu
鈥� IASystem Team: Raquel Chavez, Luda Kourenina, Trevor Leffler, Joanna Loss and Debbie McGhee

Outstanding Student Employee Award
鈥� Annie Lewis, Lead Tutor for the Writing Center, Academic Support Programs and Peer Advisor, Undergraduate Advising.
鈥� Ann Margaret Stompro, Coordinator of Environmental Alternative Spring Break, Pipeline Project

Distinguished Partner Award
鈥� Leilani Lewis, Assistant Director, Diversity Communications Outreach and Jeanette James, Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Projects, Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity
鈥� Office of Regional and Community Affairs

Award for Excellence

Awarded to employees who have worked in UAA for at least five years, this award celebrates the employee鈥檚 leadership in creating formative student experiences and building the necessary infrastructure to support their vision. Lisa Bruce shaped all student athletes鈥� undergraduate experience by transforming and elevating the tutoring systems and processes. Through the use of innovative technologies, Josh Gibbs built computer systems and software to ensure that 91爆料鈥檚 students鈥�, faculty and staff have the tools they need to have a leading-edge student experience.

Lisa Bruce, the humble builder

鈥淟isa is a no-nonsense and high output individual, whether working one-on-one with students or executing initiatives/task relates to the Student-Athlete Academic Services (SAAS) tutoring program. It is easy to see the lasting impact that Lisa has on her students because they often stay in touch or stop by to see her when they are on campus. She is quick to celebrate the achievements of others, and she never looks for recognition herself 鈥� instead, her focus is on the experience and success of our student-athletes.鈥�

鈥� Student-Athlete Academic Services department

Achievements of note:听 Named the Intercollegiate Athletics Star Performer in 2018 for her growth mindset, committed service, humility and grit. Provided high-level leadership in areas of scheduling, managing, training and mentoring tutors. Overhauled policies, procedures and systems for the SAAS鈥� tutoring program, resulting in higher tutor job satisfaction and significant cost reductions without change to the students鈥� experience with the program. Traveled with the men鈥檚 basketball team to China in 2015, playing an important role with helping the students get the most out of the cultural experience and assisted with a class they were taking to prepare for the trip.

Josh Gibbs, the technology guru

鈥淲hile Josh鈥檚 contributions to the undergraduate experience stand out, it鈥檚 his caring and genuine support of our staff that I get to see most often. Josh has a philosophy that鈥檚 visible across his daily interactions and present throughout the technological infrastructure he has built here. The philosophy that we each come to UAA with our own unique knowledge and experience, talents and preferences, and that the role of technology in our work should be nothing more than a set of tools to boost what we鈥檝e already brought with us.

鈥� Jeremy Caci, Software Engineer, Office of the Dean

Achievements of note:听Led UAA through several generations of technology, providing support and tools for effective work. Built the Assigned Advising Dashboard to help advisers manager their caseloads and student check-in systems for advising, CLUE and Dawg Daze. Developed check-in and tracking systems for the Commuter and Transfer Commons and the Center for Learning and Undergraduate Enrichment. Manages student data for UAA.

Outstanding Achievement Award

Recognizing the innovation, collaboration and tenacity it takes to initiate change, this award acknowledges the teams behind some of UAA鈥檚 innovative programming.听The UAA Workday Transition Team prepared UAA for the largest administrative transition in 91爆料鈥檚 history. The Instructional Assessment System [IASystem] Team responded to the feedback from the Transforming Administration Program (TAP) initiative survey, and is now updating the IAsystem to better serve the faculty鈥檚 needs.

UAA Workday Transition Team, the magicians of change

鈥淭hey made this transition easy for us by taking on all of the hard work themselves. They all took time out of their regular work to take hours of training to prepare our unit for Workday. They worked well as a team and were effectively able to make sure all individual departments were taken care of and that no employee would go without a paycheck in the process.鈥�

鈥� Micah Trapp, Executive Assistant to the Vice Provost and Dean, Office of the Dean

Achievements of note:听Attended two years of monthly status meetings leading up to the launch date. Identified the impact of changing business processes and workflows for each unit, and revamped processes as necessary. Responded to six months of repeated requests for data collection and cleanup of employees in the payroll system. Constructed the new 鈥渟up org鈥� model of identifying and organizing all employees within UAA. Completed 40-80 hours of training each. Served as first point of contact for all staff and students during the transition period.

Team members: Nermine Botros, Kelly Chapman, Sylvie Lapointe, Kim Lee, Chloe Mahar, Christine Muongchanh, Nanette Rosenthal, Iryna Schmidt and Mark Wu.

IASystem Team, the astute architects

鈥淚n my estimation, what Debbie, Joanna, Luda, Raquel and Trevor are doing with this project is truly outstanding in several ways. First and foremost, while many around the 91爆料 have approached the TAP initiative with a great deal of caution, the IASystem team has seized it as a genuine learning opportunity. Further, they have embraced the entire process with an uncommon sense of wholehearted humility 鈥� something that is especially hard to do when the results and action plans are publicized to the whole institution.鈥�

鈥� Jason Johnson, Senior Associate Dean and Associate Vice Provost, Office of the Dean

Achievements of note:听Improved IASystem training and user experience by offering links to additional resources. Added the ability for instructors to create and manage their course evaluations. Enhanced communications with faculty through quarterly emails. Addressed concerns about response rates by offering updated best practices. Built a stable base of college/university licensees of IASystem. Built and released a new version of IASystem in response to customer needs and interests.

Team members: Raquel Chavez, Luda Kourenina, Trevor Leffler, Joanna Loss and Debbie McGhee

Outstanding Student Employee Award

Student employees are an integral part of the UAA staff. This award recognizes the outstanding achievements of two student employees.听Annie Lewis鈥� leadership as a writing tutor and a peer advisor has helped the Center for Undergraduate Advising, Diversity and Student Success become more supportive for our students.听Under Ann Margaret Stompro鈥檚听leadership the Pipeline Project鈥檚 Environmental Alternative Spring Break Program (EASB) has had more applicants in the past three years and has been able to expand the student team.

Annie Lewis, the analytical innovator

鈥淗er innovation can be seen in her commitment to making our center stronger both in terms of our daily operational procedures and the critical thinking around writing. Annie is not afraid to raise important and often difficult but critical questions about the support needed for an organization to thrive. She is also not afraid to have challenging, but nuanced and necessary conversations with tutors she has to oversee. I think she鈥檚 been remarkable in this regard, as it is quite difficult to move from being a peer to being a peer-leader.鈥�

鈥� Ryan Burt, Senior Program Manager, Academic Support Programs

Achievements of note: Recipient of the Bonderman Fellowship, the Thomas Paper Prize, the Grand Prize of the Library Research Award, the Dean鈥檚 Medal for Social Sciences, the Husky Leadership Certificate, the Peter L. Thorpe Scholarship, the Fay A. Wilson Scholarship, and the Honors Undergraduate Scholar Award. Member of Phi Beta Kappa. Presenter at the 2017 Spring Celebration of Service and Leadership and the 2017 and 2018 Praxis Conference. Undergraduate nominee for the Luce Scholars Program.

Ann Margaret Stompro, the giving leader

鈥淪he builds leadership through creating a platform for others: Ann Margaret was an excellent facilitator of the winter EASB class, and was prepared each week with a comprehensive PowerPoint, but didn鈥檛 need to always be in the spotlight. She distributed leadership opportunities among others and always was open to feedback and ideas. Her ability to distribute leadership opportunities has led to more students than ever interested in continuing in EASB with a leadership role in the program next year.鈥�

鈥ㄢ€� Sarah Bishop, Assistant Director, Pipeline Project

Achievements of note:听Led and coordinated the EASB Program for two years. Trained students on developing curriculum for the program. Successfully grew the EASB program from a student team of 4 to 5. Incorporated Pipeline Project鈥檚 racial equity goals into the EASB course.

Distinguished Partner Award

The Undergraduate Academic Affairs Distinguished Partner Award recognizes a colleague, program or department whose collaborations with Undergraduate Academic Affairs have made significant advances in the 91爆料鈥檚 undergraduate academic experience. These collaborations enhance, enrich and deepen the undergraduate experience. The reciprocity of these relationships benefits undergraduates and the broader campus community.

Leilani Lewis and Jeanette James, leaders of change

“Leilani Lewis’ and Jeanette James鈥� work with the 91爆料鈥檚 Race and Equity Initiative, is broad-reaching and has been influential across UAA through hiring, on-boarding and other HR practices, influencing communications work, to steadfastly moving this critical work forward in a host of other ways. Though they are based out of the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity, their work stretches across and into so many aspects of campus, and their partnership with UAA truly has been distinguished.”

鈥� Ed Taylor, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Office of Regional and Community Affairs, stewards of community

“Sally Clark and her team in the Office of Regional and Community Affairs have been visionary and stalwart partners in our work to launch the Othello-91爆料 Commons site. UAA and other areas of the University have been involved in community-based work in South Seattle for decades, and this project provides a space to gather, to more deeply anchor our work in the community, and Sally鈥檚 community expertise and enthusiasm for this project have been invaluable.”

鈥� Ed Taylor, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Five 91爆料 undergraduates receive prestigious Fulbright scholarships for 2018-19

2018-06-OMSFA-Fulbright Scholars-600x200 — Finalists and alternates from left to right, top to bottom: Jake Hansen, Kylie Luse, Yesenia Navarro-Aguirre, Philip Palios, Anika Patel, Caleb Perez, Nicole Shermer, Tammy Tarhini

Continuing in the 91爆料鈥檚 tradition of producing globally-minded students, five undergraduates and bachelor鈥檚 alumni have been selected for the 2018-19 Fulbright Student program. In addition, 10 graduate/professional students and alumni were named finalists. Three undergraduates and two graduate students were also selected as alternates. Acceptance to the Fulbright program is competitive, and recipients are selected based on academic and professional achievement, as well as record of service and leadership potential in one鈥檚 chosen field.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for United States students to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide. This year鈥檚 undergraduates will teach English, conduct research and pursue graduate studies across the globe

This year鈥檚 undergraduate Fulbright finalists are:

Jake Hansen,听’18 // Major: Russian Language, Literature, and Culture // Fulbright: English Teaching Assistantship in Russia
Yesenia Navarro-Aguirre, ’17 // Major: Human Evolutionary Biology; Anthropology of Globalization 听// Fulbright: Public Health research in Peru
Philip Palios, ’18 // Major: Culture, Literature, and the Arts (91爆料 Bothell) //听Fulbright: Studying at鈥� University of Glasgow in the UK
Caleb Perez, ’18 // Major: Bioengineering // Fulbright: Engineering 鈥╮esearch in Switzerland
Tammy Tarhini, ’17 // Major: Human Evolutionary鈥� Biology; Anthropology of Globalization // Fulbright: Germany, English Teaching 鈥ˋssistantship

This year鈥檚 undergraduate Fulbright听alternate finalists are:

Kylie Luse, ’17 // Major: Psychology; Spanish鈥� // Fulbright: Alternate to Spain for English Teaching Assistantship
Anika Patel, ’17 // Major: Biochemistry and 鈥↖nterdisciplinary Honors 听// Fulbright: Alternate to鈥� Thailand for English Teaching Assistantship
Nicole Shermer, ’16 // Major: International鈥� Studies // Fulbright: Alternate to Peru for Economic Development research

听

for this impressive group of undergraduates as well as those who reached the semifinalist stage. .

The Fulbright US Student Program application process is supported by the , a UAA program. OMSFA collaborates closely with the , and in supporting Fulbright applicants at all three campuses. OMSFA also works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards.

Note: This story was updated to reflect one graduate student declining the award to accept a different award. February 19, 2019.

91爆料 undergrad presents her research to senators in the “other Washington”

Jasmine Graham (bioengineering, ’18) represented the 91爆料 and state of Washington at this year’s Posters on the Hill.听 Joining 46 other undergraduate researchers from around the country, Graham, along with her peers, presented their research to congress and advocated for continued funding of undergraduate research. Jasmine takes us through her preparation and whirlwind two days in the nation’s capital.

Jasmine Graham presents her research to congress members at Posters on the Hill.

Getting ready to present my research to congress

Jasmine Graham discusses the importance of undergraduate research with Senator Maria Cantwell.

February-April: I鈥檓 accepted to 鈥� a conference in Washington D.C. hosted by the (CUR) 鈥� where I鈥檒l be the sole representative from the 91爆料 and Washington state. Delighted, I tell my mentors and parents about this amazing opportunity and register for the conference. With the help of a travel agent, I book my 91爆料-sponsored flights and hotel.

The conference鈥檚 purpose is to show that undergraduate research is important and should continue to be funded. I tune in to CUR鈥檚 advocacy webinar to learn how to discuss the impact of undergraduate research with congress members and their staff. I plan my elevator pitch to include a mention of the NSF funding I received for my capstone and the ways research helped me define and pursue my career goals. I practice my poster and pitch for with mentor, who helps me to frame my research developing a dental acidity indicator. The conference鈥檚 attendees include government staff from a variety of non-science backgrounds, so I take out technical jargon. To establish common ground between my research and their dental experiences, I will discuss how my research aims to help prevent cavities by identifying at-risk teeth earlier and allowing targeted preventive treatment.

Arriving in Washington D.C.

April 17: I arrive in Washington D.C. at 7 a.m. and check into my hotel early to take a nap. At the CUR office, I meet the other student presenters and connect with Amber, a presenter from Mississippi. As we walk through the National Museum of American History, we chat about our shared goals of pursuing graduate school and becoming leaders in our field. We agree it鈥檚 inspiring to be at a conference with so many like-minded young scientists. After more sight-seeing, the evening formally wraps up with an orientation dinner at the American Chemical Society, who is a sponsor of Posters on the Hill. After appreciating the lit-up monuments on the National Mall, I head to the hotel to prepare for tomorrow鈥檚 meetings.

Meeting Washington鈥檚 state senators

Jasmine Graham shared her research with Senator Patty Murray.

April 18: My morning starts with coffee 鈥� and senators! Both Senators and hold weekly coffees with their constituents 鈥� a.k.a. voters. To sign up, you just need to email the senators鈥� offices in advance. The coffees are informal discussions in which the senator and their staff chat with each visitor, answer questions and give updates on Senate debates.

Senator Patty Murray is a ranking member of the education committee and wrote the Higher Education Act, which sets standards for the accessibility, affordability and accountability of colleges. Several faculty members from Washington colleges are at Senator Murray鈥檚 coffee to advocate for undergraduate research funding. I jump into the discussion to share how undergraduate research helped make me competitive for grad school and solidified my career goals. The faculty agree and add that their students also learn skills not taught in classrooms, prepare for their careers and build support networks through research. Senator Murray comments that it鈥檚 great to hear about students benefiting from undergraduate research, and these stories will give her fuel for when she supports research funding. Senator Cantwell鈥檚 coffee proceeds similarly, with the senator responding to people鈥檚 concerns in a lively and insightful manner.

Getting the V.I.P. treatment

April 18: One perk of visiting your senator鈥檚 office is touring the U.S. Capitol with an intern, which includes riding an underground train to the Capitol building, giving you a behind-the-scenes peek of capitol history. Another perk is a Senate Gallery ticket, where I watch the senators popping into the chamber to vote for the NASA administrator nominee. I get a sense of the incredible amount of American history in the past and in the making.

I am paired with the 91爆料鈥檚 Federal Relations Associate McKinzie Strait, who’s based in Washington D.C. Before this conference, I didn鈥檛 know that the 91爆料 has full-time staff in D.C., and am thankful that we do. McKinzie helped schedule all the day鈥檚 meetings, accompanies me to my one-on-one talks with US representatives鈥� staff, and easily navigates our way through the maze of representatives鈥� offices. I reiterate the importance of funding undergraduate research to Rep. Rick Larsen鈥檚 legislative assistant and Rep. Pramila Jayapal鈥檚 congressional fellow. I especially connect with Rep. Pramila Jayapal鈥檚 congressional fellow over our research experiences. Her additional roles as a research mentor and STEM outreach leader are special to me, since I want to take on the same roles in my career.

Advocating to congress for undergraduate research

April 18: It is finally time to see all 47 students and their posters at the evening CUR reception. Though I don鈥檛 get any technical questions from the congressional and funding agency staff attending, I do appreciate the enthusiasm they show about my research after I share my poster鈥檚 story with them. With a variety of compelling projects in areas from biotech to the social sciences, the poster session fosters continued support on Capitol Hill for undergraduate research. Undergraduate research has been such an impactful part of my time at 91爆料, and I鈥檓 proud to advocate for future undergraduates to have similar experiences.

April 19: I catch my flights back to Seattle and get right back into classes and lab work. The photos taken at the senators鈥� constituent coffees arrive by email, and I send thank you notes to the congressional offices.

Jasmine Graham visits the National Museum of American History.

About Jasmine Y. Graham
An experienced undergraduate researcher, Jasmine Graham published a first-author paper on her dental research in 鈥淟asers in Dentistry鈥� earlier this year. In addition to her experience at Posters on the Hill, she has presented at conferences in San Francisco and Seattle. Her exceptional promise as a researcher has earned her a Levinson Emerging Scholars Award, a Mary Gates Research Award and a National Science Foundation award for a summer research experience for undergraduates. In addition to her lab work, Graham is an active member of the 91爆料 community, serving as a Dawg Daze leader welcoming first-year students to campus, outreach leader for the 91爆料鈥檚 Biomedical Engineering Society and an听Undergraduate Research Leader听for the 91爆料 Undergraduate Research Program.听Next fall, she will start a Ph.D. program in bioengineering at U.C. Berkeley.

Learn more about Undergraduate Research at the 91爆料.

The Undergraduate Research Program facilitates research experiences for undergraduates with 91爆料 faculty members across the disciplines. URP maintains a听listing of current 91爆料 research opportunities听and national programs.听The Undergraduate Research Program works to ensure that all 91爆料 students have access to undergraduate research opportunities by creating initiatives that expand research opportunities; providing a public forum for students to present their work; and helping听faculty integrate undergraduates into the knowledge-making process.

UAA鈥檚 Associate Dean Janice DeCosmo elected to president of national Council on Undergraduate Research

Janice DeCosmo, associate vice provost and associate dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs Photo: Photo by Bryan Nakata

Janice DeCosmo, associate vice provost for undergraduate research, associate dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, and affiliate faculty member in the has been elected president of the national nonprofit听听(CUR).

A longtime proponent of undergraduate research, DeCosmo was the first director of the 91爆料鈥檚 and has been involved in or running the Undergraduate Research Symposium since its inception in 1997. Her work has been instrumental in developing a national model in undergraduate research at the 91爆料. In 2016-17, more than 8,400 undergraduates participated in undergraduate research. In the recent 2018 Undergraduate Research Symposium, more than 1,250 students presented their work.

鈥淥ur Undergraduate Research Program 鈥� its size, breadth and excellence,” says 91爆料 President Ana Mari Cauce, “is one of the crown jewels of our Husky Experience.鈥�

鈥淢y early experiences with undergraduate research were as a graduate student,鈥� says DeCosmo, 鈥渨here myself and my peers found ourselves mentoring first-generation college students who were struggling with coursework and finding their way at a large university. As the students learned our protocols and became part of our teams, we saw them blossom and gain new confidence; their grades also improved. That experience stayed with me, and later I jumped at the chance to develop a grant-funded undergraduate research initiative.鈥�

DeCosmo says the community and network of CUR members helped bring ideas and collegial support as the 91爆料鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Program developed and matured.

For nearly two decades, DeCosmo has been an active CUR member. Her diverse volunteer experiences within CUR include service on program review and nominations vetting committees, undergraduate research programs division chair, two terms on the governing board for the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, and a term on CUR鈥檚 executive board. A prolific writer and presenter on undergraduate research scholarship, DeCosmo serves as issue editor for CUR鈥檚 flagship journal,听听(SPUR).

鈥淚 am humbled to be president-elect of [CUR],鈥� says DeComo, 鈥渁nd I look forward to advancing opportunity for students in all disciplines and types of institutions to have the chance to develop their creativity, critical thinking, and communications skills 鈥� so essential to their future success in work and life 鈥� through research.鈥�

DeCosmo earned a BS in physics from the University of Iowa in 1979 and a Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences from the 91爆料 in 1991, specializing in atmosphere-ocean interaction. She oversees the 91爆料鈥檚 Center for Experiential Learning and Diversity, which includes undergraduate research, service learning, leadership, and scholarship programs. She represents the 91爆料 on statewide higher education policy groups that oversee new academic programs and the transfer process for students from Washington鈥檚 two-year colleges to four-year institutions. DeCosmo was director for 10听years of the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium, a NASA-funded effort to support innovative education and research initiatives across the state.

91爆料 Undergraduate Research Program

The facilitates research experiences for undergraduates with 91爆料 faculty members across the disciplines. Its signature event is the annual , which happens each May. This year, more than 1,250 students presented their research. The Undergraduate Research Program is an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program, housed in the Center for Experiential Learning and Diversity.

91爆料

The is one of the world鈥檚 preeminent public universities. Our impact on individuals, our region and the world is profound 鈥� whether we are launching young people into a boundless future or confronting the grand challenges of our time through undaunted research and scholarship. Ranked No. 13 in the world on the听, the 91爆料 educates more than 54,000 students annually.

Council on Undergraduate Research

The听听supports faculty development for high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship. More than 700 institutions and nearly 13,000 individuals belong to CUR. CUR believes that the best way to capture student interest and create enthusiasm for a discipline is through research in close collaboration with faculty members.

This announcement draws upon and is based on .

Two 91爆料 undergrads receive the Udall Award

Udall scholars Ashley Lewis (left) and Alishia Orloff (right).

Juniors Ashley Lewis and Alishia Orloff will join 50 students from around the country as Udall Scholars. A competitive award, the review committee selected this year鈥檚 scholars from 437 nominees based on the student鈥檚 commitment to careers in the environment, Native health care or tribal policy, as well as their leadership potential, public service and academic achievement.

The scholarship provides each student with up to $7,000 for use on tuition, room, board or supplies. The Udall Foundation also hosts a five-day orientation in Tucson, Arizona. There, scholars will meet each other and program alumni, complete a case study and interact with community leaders in environmental fields, tribal health care and governance.

For both Lewis and Orloff, this scholarship aligns closely with their career goals.

Ashley Lewis

Udall Scholar Ashley Lewis

Hometown: Elma, WA
Graduation: 2019 (projected)
Major: Aquatic and Fishery Sciences; Communications

“Being named a Udall scholar for the second time provides more opportunity to strengthen tribal nations and to protect resources of the Pacific Northwest, I couldn’t be more proud to be among a group of people that are committed to changing our world.”

Business owner and outdoor enthusiast Ashley Lewis is eager to protect the outdoors she loves so much. As a female Native American fishing guide, she is eager to show the world that leaders come in all forms. Through her fishing business, she has become a leading voice in the community: as a brand ambassador for Shimano, and as a contributor to ESPN鈥檚 show 鈥淭he Outdoor Line.鈥� Connections to her community are strong. As an active member of the Quinault Indian Nation, Lewis is dedicated to working with her tribe to advocate for our natural resources. She also volunteers with The Fallen Outdoors, where she supports American Army Veterans鈥� rehabilitation through connecting with nature.

The combination of her passion for the outdoors, with her drive to protect our Northwest environments, prompted her to return to college. She is currently pursuing her bachelor鈥檚 degree, with the long-term goal of earning a master鈥檚 in aquatic and fishery sciences. Professionally, she plans to work in public policy, where she can help strengthen Pacific Northwest fisheries, and show that investing in outdoor spaces benefits the larger community. 听听听

Alishia Orloff

Udall Scholar Alishia Orloff

Hometown: Tacoma, WA
Graduation: 2019 (projected)
Major: Environmental Science and Resource Management

An active researcher, Alishia Orloff has a strong interest in terrestrial and riparian environments. Fascinated by the interdisciplinary processes that drive our environments, Orloff is dedicated to continuously learning more about these complex ecosystems. Throughout her research, Orloff has partnered with the University of Minnesota Duluth, Ojibwe Resource Management and the Tulalip Tribes. Orloff believes the management of natural resources affects each person鈥檚 daily life. She views helping people understand the source of these resources is crucial to protecting the environment. Recognizing the importance of community involvement, she currently volunteers as a Students Expressing Environmental Dedication (SEED) executive, where she promotes sustainability on campus, and as a native plant nursery volunteer, where she cultivates native plants.

In the future, Orloff aspires to earn a doctoral degree and become a leading researcher at an organization that proactively engages the community to preserve our natural resources.

鈥淭he Udall award serves as a recognition of my stewardship in the environment with a specific focus in traditional ecological knowledge thus far. Through this award, I can more vigorously develop a stronger connection to protecting our natural resources and serving the communities that are impacted. I am greatly appreciative of this opportunity to collaborate with other great stewards from around the nation and work together to broaden our understanding and exposure of environmental and social issues.鈥�

Learn more about scholarship opportunities at 91爆料

The Udall Scholarship application process is supported by the (OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards.

Spring Celebration honors Huskies’ commitment to service and leadership

91爆料 students鈥� dedication to community-based service and activism will be recognized at the on May 23 from 1:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Husky Union Building (HUB) on the 91爆料 Seattle campus. The annual event showcases 91爆料 undergraduate and graduate students who develop their leadership skills while committing their time and talent to serving their communities. On campus and off, 91爆料 students are expanding definitions of service and leadership and blurring the boundaries between classroom and community. This year鈥檚 theme 鈥� Explore. Ignite. Impact. 鈥� encapsulates how 91爆料 undergraduates are engaged with leadership, service and activism. In 2016-17, more than 5,500 students engaged in academic service-learning, volunteering an astounding 495,152 hours.

This year鈥檚 Spring Celebration features culminating presentations from nearly 200 participants, including students in the and Undergraduate Community Based Internship (UCBI), , Jumpstart, and Ellis Civic Fellowship programs; as well as breakout sessions from students in the , social sciences and . To cap off the celebration, we鈥檒l hear from members of and about their community-based work. The entire 91爆料 community and network of community partners are welcome to attend.

In offering their valuable skills and time, students support the work of numerous organizations while simultaneously growing their own capacity for leadership and reflecting on the value of service.

Heaven Tesfamarium, a junior in medical anthropology and political science, stays connected to her Eritrean roots by organizing young people in the region and across the country through the Young People鈥檚 Front for Democracy and Justice (YPFDJ). Heaven is leading her peers in YPFDJ to listen to the needs of youth serving organizations in Eritrea, and mobilize resources from the U.S. to address the community鈥檚 articulated needs. Ultimately interested in a global health career, she also volunteers as a nurse鈥檚 assistant at the Bryant Elementary health room. Through her service and leadership activities, she is finding ways to address global and local health concerns.

A service-learning class during her first year at the 91爆料 introduced Jessica Lo, a senior in biochemistry and neurobiology, to a community member with traumatic brain injury (TBI). That interpersonal connection ignited her academic curiosity about the condition, and inspired her to find ways to help individuals with TBI. Over the last two years, Jessica founded the 91爆料 chapter of 鈥� a national organization connecting those with TBI to university students and community resources. In addition to her work with Synapse, and her research studying how to regrow brain cells, Jessica supports folks with TBI and other chronic illnesses through a Undergraduate Community Based Internship with Full Life Care.

Public health and neurobiology double major Ruweida Ahmed鈥檚 project focuses on youth tutoring in Rainier Vista. Her focus is to increase parents鈥� engagement with their child鈥檚 education. Through her work, she helps her students increase their reading level, strengthen their math skills and grow their confidence. Over the course of the year, she鈥檚 proudly watched her students continually push themselves to better understand their classwork.

and Ruby Linsao Scholar Eya Lazaro is passionate about education for all. As an immigrant to the U.S., education didn鈥檛 feel like a realistic option for her. Yet, she persevered and is now a junior at the 91爆料 majoring in early childhood and family studies. Grateful for the opportunities given to her, she is dedicated to giving back to her community and inspiring the next generation of Pacific Islanders to attend college. Through her involvement with the and Jumpstart, Lazaro is reaching out to marginalized communities to help them find paths to higher education. Along with the Sisterhood of Pi Nu Lota, she is organizing an event to highlight the Pasifika culture and its values through early literacy.

The Spring Celebration of Service and Leadership is planned and coordinated by programs in , , and the .

Schedule overview

All events take place on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 and are in the HUB Ballroom, unless otherwise noted.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Digital Storytelling and Global Citizenship
1:30-3:20 p.m. in HUB 250

Ellis Civic Fellowship Capstone
2:00-3:00 p.m. in HUB 214

Exploring Internships in the Social Sciences: Story Share and Panel Discussion
2:00-5:00 p.m. in HUB 145

School of Medicine Service-Learning and Advocacy Groups
6:00-7:30 p.m. in HUB 250

POSTER SESSIONS
3:30-5:00 p.m.

PROGRAM AND AWARDS
5:00-5:30 p.m.

CELEBRATION AND RECEPTION
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Celebration! Food, photo booth with Dubs, networking

Undergraduates to present research spanning academic disciplines on May 18, 2018

On Friday, May 18, more than 1,200 91爆料 undergraduates and visiting undrgraduates student scholars will participate in the 21st Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium 鈥� an event that is one of the largest of its kind in the nation.

The Symposium runs from 11 a.m.鈥�6 p.m. on the 91爆料 Seattle campus. Students will present their research in poster, oral and performing arts sessions in Mary Gates Hall and Johnson Hall, and in a visual arts and design showcase in Odegaard Undergraduate Library (see event details below). 91爆料 President Ana Mari Cauce is scheduled to provide opening remarks at 11 a.m. in Mary Gates Hall.

Through undergraduate research, students contribute to groundbreaking work and gain the experience necessary to one day lead innovative research themselves. 91爆料 undergraduates are getting involved in research in increasing numbers 鈥� more than 8,400 students participated in research in 2016鈥�17.听More than 1,000 faculty, post-doc, research staff and graduate student mentors supported this year鈥檚 Symposium presenters through their research, helping students develop subject area knowledge, transferable skills and an entrepreneurial perspective that will prepare them for future employment, education and civic engagement.

Students will share their research on topics as diverse and broad as better diagnosis of pediatric concussions; improving regional climate prediction; innovations in pain management; predicting tooth decay; gratitude in relation to adolescent mental health; the complexity of the canoe in Samoan culture; forensic anthropology; and much, much more.

The titles of students鈥� presentations gives more detail about the range and complexity of their projects. A small sampling of titles include:

BrainNet: First Three-Person Brain-to-Brain Communication System
Star Formation in Low Metallicity Environments
Curation: A Performance
My Work as an Artist and Designer on the DFL鈥檚 3D Game, Hug the Line
Forensic Anthropology and Human Rights in Latin America

The Symposium is open to selected undergraduates from other institutions, and we are thrilled to welcome presenters from听22 other institutions in addition to听, the Seattle Colleges, Montana State University, Washington State University and the University of Victoria听(complete list below).

The Symposium is organized by Undergraduate Academic Affairs鈥櫶�Undergraduate Research Program.

Event Details

What: The 21st Annual Research Symposium at the 91爆料

Who: More than 1,200 inspiring undergraduates at 91爆料 presenting ground-breaking research and selected undergraduates from other institutions

When: Friday, May 18, 2018, 11:00 a.m.颅鈥�6:00 p.m.

Where: Mary Gates Hall, select rooms in Johnson Hall, and Odegaard Undergraduate Library
Plan ahead: See event schedule and search the Online Proceedings at听

Institutions Represented

Bellevue College
Boise State University
California State University San Marcos
College of St. Scholastica
Edmonds Community College
Everett Community College
Grays Harbor College
Heritage University
North Seattle College
Pacific Lutheran University
Pierce College
Portland State University
Shoreline Community College
Seattle Pacific University
South Seattle College
Seattle Central College
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Wenatchee Valley College
Western Washington University
University of Puget Sound
University of Wyoming
Whitman College

Photos by David Ryder.

Three 91爆料 undergrads earn competitive Goldwater scholarships

The Goldwater Foundation honored four 91爆料 students this year. Selected from 1,280 nominees from across the country, Nelson Lui, Kimberly Ruth and Tyler Valentine were named Goldwater Scholars. Andrew Luo earned an honorable mention.

Goldwater Scholarships are granted to sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise and plan to pursue research careers in math, engineering or the natural sciences.听 .

Nelson Liu, scholarship recipient

Major: Computer Science; Statistics; Linguistics
Expected graduation: 2019

Andrew Luo, honorable mention

Major: Computer Science; Bioengineering
Expected graduation: 2019

Kimberly Ruth, scholarship recipient

Major: Computer Engineering; Mathematics
Expected graduation: 2020

Tyler Valentine, scholarship recipient

Major: Earth and Space Sciences
Expected graduation: 2019

Learn more about scholarship opportunities at 91爆料
The听Goldwater Scholarship听application process is supported by the听听(OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards.

First-year Interest Groups celebrate 30 years of shaping student experience

Dr. Lovenoor Aulk presents his data to UAA staff at the 30-year anniversary celebration of Freshman Interest Groups. According to his team’s study, FIGS increase the graduation rates for undergraduate students, especially those in the underrepresented demographic. Photo by Bryan Nakata.

Among this year鈥檚 milestones for Undergraduate Academic Affairs is the 30^th anniversary of , formerly known as Freshman Interest Groups. To mark the occasion, hosted an event marked by lively conversations between attendees led by FIG leaders, a faculty panel discussion and a presentation of a recent study that demonstrates the FIG program鈥檚 impact on undergraduate student persistence through to graduation.

First Year Programs created FIGs in 1987 as a way for students to find a smaller, more connected community within the large university. In FIGs, a cluster of courses are linked with peer instructors, who are typically upperclassmen who help guide the new students through the university setting. These 2-credit general studies courses have continued expanding since its inception, starting as four clusters and growing to more than 150 today: About 48% of first-year students enroll in a FIG.

For the anniversary, new data was released on FIGs by the , which demonstrated just how integral FIGs have been for the 91爆料. was led by , a Ph.D. student in informatics science, and looked at an estimated 58,000 students between 1998 and 2018.

Results of the research showed that students who participated in FIGs have a higher chance of re-enrollment compared to their counterparts: 94% of students who participated in FIGs re-enrolled the following quarter, 3% higher than those not in FIGs.

This trend was also reflected in graduation rates; those who participated in the FIG program saw a 6% increase in the likelihood of graduating within 6 years. The greatest impact was shown with underrepresented student demographics.

鈥淲hen looking at underrepresented students, the differences are huge,鈥� Aulk said at the event while presenting his team鈥檚 findings. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a 14% difference in graduation rates 鈥� [that鈥檚] double digits.鈥�

Archive photo of students gathering for their FIGs, circa 1997. Photo Courtesy First Year Programs at the 91爆料.

For the 91爆料, which is already the national average for six-year graduation rates, the impact FIGs have for underrepresented students is increasing in importance. Students from this demographic graduate at lower rates than their peers, and FIGs increase their chances greatly. In addition, since 2006 the enrollment of underrepresented and international students rose by 6% and 13%, respectively. This means that more students of color are coming to the school and will look to the program to help them navigate their first quarter.

For both international and minority students, it can be especially challenging to connect with others during their first year. Nearly half of students in the study said that FIGs succeeded most by helping them make friends and find community.

“There was a different energy because they were walking in [to class] together,” said panelist Dr. Andrea Carroll, senior lecturer in the Department of Chemistry. “You can see that community feeling… that’s huge.”

On the other side, the program is an opportunity for older students to practice teaching skills and make valuable connections. One such student, Alyssa Eckroth, enjoyed teaching her FIG so much that she is already preparing for another one next fall.

鈥淚 had one student come up to me and say 鈥榯his is the best class I鈥檝e ever taken,鈥� Eckroth said. 鈥淚t made my heart feel warm.鈥�

Whether the focus is on graduation rates, peer-led courses or student experience, the FIG program has positively shaped our university 鈥� and will continue to do so in years to come.

鈥淔irst Year Programs鈥� mission is really to think about strategic programming for all undergraduate students: freshman, transfer, first generation, low income and international students,鈥� LeAnne Wiles, director of First Year Programs said at the event. 鈥淭o think about how they can strategically plug into the university and aim to have a smoother transition while they鈥檙e here.鈥�

The FIG program is one way 鈥� and a successful one at that 鈥� to achieve that smooth transition for new students.