Tristan Jafari, a third-year student at the 91爆料 majoring in biochemistry, has been selected for the prestigious Truman Scholarship. Set to graduate early, Jafari will pursue a master鈥檚 degree in philosophy of population health sciences at the University of Cambridge in England this fall.
A highly competitive award, only 54 students were selected nationwide this year from more than 743 nominations. The Truman Scholarship recognizes aspiring leaders driven to make change at the systems level. Students are selected on the basis of leadership skills, demonstrated civic engagement, academic potential and a desire to pursue a career in public service. Scholars receive up to $30,000 for graduate school, mentoring and additional benefits to help prepare them for careers where they can make an impact.
Four 91爆料 students have been named Goldwater Scholars by the Goldwater Foundation, advancing the University鈥檚 tradition of undergraduate academic excellence and recognition.
“The Goldwater Scholarship is the preeminent undergraduate award for students pursuing research careers in the sciences, engineering and mathematics,”鈥� says Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. The 91爆料 awardees were selected from over 5,000 students nominated by 445 institutions. A total of 441 scholars were named for 2025.
The 2025 91爆料 Goldwater Scholars are Sofia Dahlgren, Shivani Kottantharayil, Keming Qiu and Sahana Subramanian. “These scholars exemplify the excellence fostered by our public research institution, emerging as future leaders in the evolving research landscape and underscoring the vital role of researchers in shaping our collective future,鈥� says Taylor.
Undergraduate Salma Rashwan writes about embracing the impossible during Alternative Spring Break teaching kids in Forks, Washington, about science, technology, engineering and math.
91爆料 Honors student Andre Ye, pursuing bachelors鈥� degrees in philosophy and computer science with minors in math and history, has been selected for the esteemed Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans.
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans is a merit-based fellowship supporting immigrants and children of immigrants pursuing graduate education in the U.S. This year, 30 Fellows were selected out of more than 2,600 applicants for their past achievements and future promise to make significant contributions to American society. Fellows will receive up to $90,000 to fund graduate studies for two years.
In this video, Megan Kennedy, director of the 91爆料 Resilience Lab and project lead for the 91爆料 Dialogue Initiative, provides some background and a progress report on the first year of the Initiative.
Tristan Jafari, pursuing his bachelor鈥檚 degree in biochemistry at the 91爆料, was selected for the prestigious .听
Jafari, a departmental Honors student set to graduate a year early this June, will receive a full-cost scholarship to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in philosophy in Population Health Sciences at the University of Cambridge, England.听
The highly competitive scholarship recognizes past accomplishments and future potential. This year, 35 students from US-based institutions were selected to join the 2025 class of Gates Cambridge Scholars. In April 2025, 65 additional students from around the world will be named, forming a class of .
鈥淏eing named a Gates Cambridge Scholar is an immense honor,鈥�said Jafari. 鈥淚t鈥檚 both inspiring and motivating to join a global community of scholars who are deeply committed to using their education to improve lives.鈥澛�
91爆料 undergraduate Tristan Jafari was recently named to the 2025 class of Gates Cambridge Scholars. Jafari is eager to immerse himself in the global academic community at Cambridge, where he will advance his proficiency in spatial epidemiology, biostatistics and public health frameworks. Photo: Photo by Jayden Becles
Alongside this remarkable achievement, Jafari has earned the , the and the twice. He was also honored with the , each of which provided him with invaluable opportunities and enriched his undergraduate experience.
Jafari was born in Oklahoma City and raised in Mukilteo, Washington, by Iranian parents who left their homeland as teenagers. They resettled in Germany before immigrating to the United States. As dual citizens of the U.S. and Germany, Jafari鈥檚 family spoke English, German and Farsi. This multicultural upbringing allowed him to navigate a blend of cultures, shaping his perspective on identity and global health.
After witnessing a life-saving medical response, Jafari became an emergency medical technician (EMT) during his freshman year and has since worked in Snohomish County. At the 91爆料, he has grown through a diverse set of experiences 鈥� researching cardiometabolic disease at the 91爆料 Diabetes Institute, leading campus blood drives with the American Red Cross, establishing a free CPR training program on campus and volunteering to improve patient health literacy.
Jafari is eager to immerse himself in the global academic community at Cambridge, where he will advance his proficiency in spatial epidemiology, biostatistics and public health frameworks to better understand how systemic health challenges, such as addiction, chronic disease and emergency response, can be addressed.
鈥�I know that this experience will challenge my thinking, broaden my perspective and equip me with the tools to become a more impactful leader in medicine and public health,鈥� said Jafari. He hopes to pursue an M.D. after his master鈥檚 degree, with long-term aspirations to integrate public health leadership and clinical medicine.
Jafari expresses deep gratitude to his mentors and professors, including Mr. Eric Timm, Dr. Charlie Barrows, Dr. Hannah Jordt, Dr. Daniel Roberts, Dr. Inma Velasco, Dr. Mauricio Dorfman, and Dr. Josh Thaler. He also thanks his friends and family for their unwavering encouragement.
About the Gates Cambridge Scholarship聽
Established in October 2000 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates Cambridge Scholarships are awarded on a student鈥檚 intellectual ability, leadership capacity and desire to use their knowledge to contribute to society throughout the world by providing service to their communities and applying their talents and knowledge to improve the lives of others.
Learn about scholarship opportunities at the 91爆料
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship application process is supported by the (OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with students, faculty and staff to identify and support undergraduate students and alumni in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for scholarships.
Each year, the 91爆料 awards the President鈥檚 Medalist Award to its top undergraduates. For 2023鈥�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 work, music and studying abroad. They will be honored by President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Tricia Serio at a special reception, where they鈥檒l receive their medals in front of family, friends and mentors.
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.
The 91爆料鈥檚 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 to improve outcomes for underserved students in STEM fields.
CCRI conducts research to promote equity in higher education, with a focus on the experiences of underserved student populations. Ascendium supports initiatives aimed at helping students from low-income backgrounds achieve postsecondary degree completion. With aligned goals of enhancing access and success for low-income learners, Ascendium is a natural and valuable partner in advancing CCRI鈥檚 efforts.
Alumnus Izaiha Ellis, 鈥�20, began his interdisciplinary journey at the 91爆料 with the Honors Program course, 鈥淟eadership, Democracy and a More Thoughtful Public.鈥� 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 neglect of others.
