Welcome to the end of another academic year! As usual, the cherry blossoms on the quad were spectacular!  Visitors from all over the area and the world once again made the trip to campus to see them. 

This newsletter features a number of outstanding transfer student profiles articles and updates and changes within various UW Colleges, Schools and Departments. I hope you enjoy all of the submissions.

It's a busy and exciting time on campus. While newly admitted transfer students are beginning to receive their admission materials and are looking forward to Advising and Orientation before too long, current transfer students are settling in to life at UW or are preparing to graduate. 

Thanks to all who supported our efforts and participated in the UWCC Advising Conference on April 19th. We once again had almost 200 registrants and we hope it was a good experience for all! If you missed it this year, or want to check out information from past conferences, follow the link to the website, above.  

Also, please spread the word that the applications for the Martin Family Foundation Scholarships are available and are due on July 8, 2019.

I hope everyone is having a great spring and is looking forward to a fantastic summer!

-Tim McCoy

Student Profile: Ji Hae Hong, Geography Major: College of Arts and Sciences

In Just Two Short Quarters, Transfer Student Ji Hae Hong Finds Opportunities for Success at UW - and Abroad!

Finishing up her first year at UW, geography major Ji Hae Hong has made the most of her short time on - and off - campus! Currently studying abroad in Leon, Spain, with the Department of Spanish & Portuguese Studies, Ji Hae spends four hours per day studying the Spanish language, with plenty of time left for exploring the city. And in the autumn, Ji Hae heads abroad once more for a quarter studying in South Korea! Before Ji Hae took off for Spain, she participated in a spring break career exploration trip to New York City organized by the UW Alumni Association. Here, Ji Hae describes the UWAA Career Trek, how this "huge opportunity for networking, learning, and growing" opened up career possibilities, and how all of these experiences are contributing to her time as a Husky transfer student!

On deciding to participate in the Career Trek & making travel arrangements: "I heard about the UWAA Career Trek in New York just by email. I was scrolling through my daily emails and all of a sudden this caught my eye because an opportunity to explore careers in New York with UW alumni seemed nothing short of amazing!

Travel arrangements were super easy! UWAA arranges all the flights and transportation for you, and all we had to do was get the itinerary and be on time! The cost of the program was not high at all, considering that it's New York. But there was an opportunity for additional funding if students met the need. I would say the cost for the program was definitely affordable as a student who works part-time and does school full-time."

A day-in-the-life during the trip: "In the morning we always had a brief meeting around 8am to go over the plan for the day, discuss any questions and ideas for the visits for the day, and a re-cap/reflection of the day before. Then we would head out and get started with our site visits. On one of the days we started at Morgan Stanley [investment banking]. You are provided with a full, detailed itinerary with LinkedIn profiles of the people that you are going to meet during the visits for that day so you can do in-depth research and prepare specific questions ahead of time. After Morgan Stanley, we headed to VirtualHealth [technology company]. We had a catered lunch there and then after we headed to International Flavors and Fragrances. Later that evening we had a Student/Alumni Mixer, which was one of my favorite parts of this career trek! The mixer ended around 8pm and we had the rest of the night to ourselves to explore the city even more if we wanted to."

Reflections on the experience: "One of the most surprising things from this experience was realizing how willing people in their professional careers were to support students. They literally will take the time out of their day to explore your interests with you, answer any of your questions, and/or just talk about life. I feel like it can be intimidating for students to approach higher-ups in companies or people in their professional careers in general, but this trek really made me realize how these people are not scary at all and they are very open to talking to students!

The most exciting thing was realizing how obtainable our dreams and goals actually are. Hearing people in their careers talk about their life and their journeys made me even more excited about my own dreams and goals!

Having a full schedule was totally worth it and every was very well planned out, but being 100% honest it was a bit tiring to have such a full schedule. You will be exhausted at the end of your days and tired the next morning. Other than that, this trip filled me to the brim with new growth, challenges, and excitement."

On future plans: "This experience has honestly been life-changing, and that is not an understatement. I wouldn't say it's for everyone, but I will say that if you're seeking growth and opportunity, and especially if you're a fast-paced city person, take up this opportunity to network and explore careers that are out there! Even if you don't see yourself moving to New York one day, it's a great experience to have under your belt with all the opportunity to get to know people in their professional careers. Every single person I met had a valuable piece of advice for life that I was able to take with me. For me, I went into this not really having my mind set on moving to New York, that was never a solid plan of mine, but after this trek I've realized that moving to New York is what I want to do with my life after I graduate. I don't see myself living there forever, but it's a place I see myself being able to grow and really launch my career pathway for after I graduate. I saw a lot of opportunities there that I want to pursue.

Also, this whole experience made me realize that students need to take advantage of the Career and Internship Center!!! They are there to help us and guide us in the right direction for success! I learned a lot about them during this trip and realized even I need to take advantage of these resources more."

On connections with the geography major: "Being a geography major means a lot of things to me and I can always find something that connects back to what I'm studying or what I'm interested in. Particularly, with the New York Career Trek, I was able to see and meet people who were studying subjects along similar lines of me and that was very cool to be able to connect on that kind of level. Sometimes I find it hard to try and explain to other people what my major is. I think a lot of people have this misunderstanding about how geography majors become these geographers that make maps or something, which can be the case, but that's not all there is to geography. The things that I'm taking from my education as a geography major applies to so many different aspects in life. And it's not just about being a geography major, it's about being a student. There are certain things that you learn just by being a student that'll prepare you for the real world after you graduate. I was able to hear stories about how student life in general helped people gain problem solving skills that they were able to use in their jobs. Furthermore, geography is about people and places, politics and international relations, research and statistics, inequalities and development, and so on! All of these things can be applied to multiple jobs across multiple companies everywhere. In New York there were a lot of jobs and companies that I was personally able to visit and saw a potential for working for one of them.

More specifically, I can give an example of a company that I visited which I felt a strong connection with as a geography major. I recently took GEOG 271 Geography of Food and Eating. In this class, there was a huge focus on environmental sustainability which I took very seriously. I know that there are many issues with bigger companies who take advantage of our world's natural resources. One of the companies that we visited had a huge discussion about environmental sustainability being a core value for them and how the CEO of their company was very passionate about that. That was huge for me because I think transparency, especially about that topic, is important in this day and age. So, it was really intriguing to hear about that, especially from a bigger company, and being able to ask questions right then and there."

On approaching the wide variety of opportunities at UW: "Anywhere I am and anywhere I go, I make sure I go with intention. My intentions for going on the NY Career Trek and studying abroad have everything to do with where I want to take myself in life! The people I meet and the things I learn from each place adds that much more value to my experiences. No matter where I go, I learn something new that helps me in one way or another. Being able to go to so may different places definitely gives me huge opportunities for networking with people from everywhere. What I realized in New York is that any and all experiences you have under your belt before you graduate and start looking for a career as a 'real' adult is going to help you! Not everything is about 'work' or 'in-office' experience. Successful companies and even start-ups are going to look for people with potential and people who are willing to continue to learn and grow. They're not looking for a perfect student that knows how to memorize things and get straight A's. And for me, studying abroad and learning in multiple different environments is giving me a wide variety of experiences in so many different aspects, offering me experiences of a life time through many challenges and diving in towards growth!"

Advice for transfer students to make the most of their time at UW: "UW is such a big school that it may seem intimidating at times and overwhelming especially as a transfer student. But you have to realize that big schools also come with a ton of resources. Don't wait for people to tell you what to do, you have to take action and make your own choices in order to succeed! As a UW student I've realized that you have everything you need (and more) in order to make things happen! Read the emails, take note of all the fliers and promotions posted around campus, talk to your advisors, get to know your professors - these are all little things, but they sure add up. All you have to do is start with minimal effort and that'll take you a long ways. Another important thing to take note of is to apply for things even if you don't think you'll get in! I've been rejected from more than just a few things, but the amount of times that I've gotten into things that I didn't expect to surprises me every time. Lastly, make sure you know what you want to get out of each experience, class, etc. I think it's important to stay focused on your passions and to have goals."

Martin Family Foundation Honors Scholarships are available!

Applications are being accepted now for scholarships supporting WA community college transfer students transferring to UW Seattle this summer 2019, fall 2019 or winter 2020. Deadline to apply: July 8, 2019.

The Martin Family Foundation was formed with the vision of its founder, Benn Martin. His goal was to fund scholarships for students currently attending Washington State community colleges who desired to complete their baccalaureate degree at the University of Washington Seattle campus. Benn Martin was particularly interested in assisting students who have had a positive impact in their community.

Complete program and eligibility information is available on the UW Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards’ website. The Foundation offers two scholarship programs each year:

• The Martin Honors Scholarship enables Washington State Community College students (from any WA community college) of exceptional ability and outstanding achievement to complete their baccalaureate degrees at UW-Seattle. The scholarship provides $12,000 per year for up to three years at UW-Seattle. This scholarship is offered annually, May-July, for students planning to transfer in summer, fall or winter of the application year (including those who already transferred but have not yet earned more than 18 credits at UW). Learn more and apply by July 8, 2019 at https://expd.uw.edu/expo/scholarships/martinfamily.

• The Martin Achievement Scholarship funds students who have demonstrated signs of exceptional ability in art, humanities, music, science, and/or leadership at one of the fifteen community colleges located around the Puget Sound region. The program will select Martin Achievement Scholars early in their community college career and provides $5,000 in support for their second year in community college and up to $12,000 per year for up to three years at UW-Seattle. Annual deadline is in April for students who still have another year to complete at their community college before transferring to UW.

Student Profile: Jon Schroeder, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences: College of the Environment

I transferred to UW in the fall of 2018 after earning my AS from South Puget Sound Community College.  I found UW’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (SAFS) completely by accident while searching for degree programs during my last year in the military and it was love at first sight.  I was intrigued by the research being done and all I knew was that I wanted to be a part of it.  It was exciting to find something that I immediately became passionate about.  I’m one of the lucky few who found exactly where they wanted to be on the first attempt.

My first interaction with UW and SAFS was the “Future student day” in August of 2017.  I was able to come to campus, attend a few seminars, tour the fish collection and speak with current faculty and students from all over UW.  The people I met that day at SAFS, and basically every day since, have been instrumental in helping me find my place in the UW community.  I expected the shift from community college to UW to be hectic and painful, however, it was anything but.  The only painful experience I’ve had was the long wait to find out if I had in fact been accepted. Everything since then has been surprisingly painless.

Since my arrival at SAFS I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer in Wood Lab exploring the parasite burden of ling cod, work on a group project exploring the effects of table salt on burrowing shrimp and Dungeness crab in Willapa bay, gone on countless amazing class outings exploring Puget Sound and surrounding waters and I am set to spend three weeks on the Bering Sea helping conduct a bottom trawl survey with NOAA. There is no end in sight to the excitement either, each quarter seems to be better than the last.

After I finish my degree I plan to take a year off and work in the field while I prepare for graduate school.  My hope is to one day be conducting research for NOAA, perhaps with the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, unless other opportunities present themselves.  UW and SAFS have provided me with opportunities that I would never have known existed if I hadn’t stepped outside my comfort zone.

Student Profile: Lauren McGhee- Integrated Social Sciences (ISS)

The Integrated Social Sciences Program at University of Washington is an online Bachelor’s Degree completion program. ISS has approximately 200 active students (more than half of them transfer students) and more than 290 graduates as of Spring quarter 2019.

Student Profile: Lauren McGhee

ISS Graduate (December 2018)

Transferred to ISS from Bellevue College (January 2017)

A few years after graduating from Bellevue College, I decided to go back to school. I knew that my area of focus needed to be something do with people and their behavior because I always came back to finding these studies the most interesting and important to me. At the time, I was working in a job with supportive management, good pay and benefits, and I didn’t want to lose that by heading back to school full time. So, when I happened upon the University of Washington Integrated Social Sciences online program, I truly felt I had met my match. This program would allow me to keep my job while exploring my passions and finding my next path in life.

Prior to UW, I had taken a couple online classes at Bellevue College and knew that I could succeed in this format. What I didn’t know was just how much the online format would lend itself to the sometimes rather sensitive topics discussed in the Integrated Social Sciences program. Often times I felt I could be more honest with my classmates about my opinions without the added pressure of a bunch of people staring at me as I made my statement or asked a question.  I saw this sincerity come through from my classmates as well. The online format provided me time for a more thoughtful, articulated response, which I found comforting. While human interaction and behavior is often on the fly and resembles more of an in-person learning environment, I was happy to find how enlightening and candid the setting could be. I feel that this was a very important part to the self-discovery I experienced in this program, as well as the new perspectives and understandings I now have of the world.

The Integrated Social Sciences program has encouraged and enabled me to examine the world around me and reflect on my own experiences in it through a social science lens. Early on, we were asked to choose keywords that we would revisit throughout the program, adding and changing them as our educated minds continued to expand. The keywords I chose were “multiracial” and “feminism,” two words that hold more weight now than they did when I first selected them.

I am a mixed-race woman, and I am continuously searching for my truth and reality while redefining and fighting the boundaries and barriers society has set up for people like me. A term I came across while reading pieces written by Kimberle Crenshaw was intersectionality, which provides an approach to social issues with consideration of social groupings such as gender, race, and class. It was as if this word had been on the tip of my tongue my whole life, but I always had a hard time describing why my experience of sexism was different than a white woman’s experience, or why I felt further behind, even though I thought I was fighting the same fight as other women.

After taking classes in women’s health, black cultural studies, and anthropology, I am more aware of societal patterns and systemic dilemmas and have more tools to break these cycles, specifically by connecting people and offering a different perspective. Recently I have volunteered for organizations dealing with mental illness and hunger, and have invited friends and coworkers to join me in these activities. I have always tried to be an open-minded individual, but what the ISS program taught me is that it is only through sharing these experiences, approaches and ideas with others that society can grow to be more connected and understanding of other people's hardships and successes.

Updates: Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences-Bachelor of Science: College of Arts and Sciences

Speech and Hearing Sciences Bachelor of Science (SPHSC) Updates
Thank you for being a valued partner in helping us prepare and recruit quality students for our Bachelor of Science undergraduate program in Speech and Hearing Sciences (SPHSC). To maximize efficient student progression through our B.S. degree program, we have recently made some important changes to the admissions process and degree requirements for both UW and transfer students.

Three big updates to the Bachelor of Science Degree Program effective academic year 2019-2020

1. New Admission Requirements
2. New Admission Deadlines
3. New Degree Program Requirements

1. New Admission Requirements

Five prerequisite courses are now required for admission into the major. The good news is that four are the same major requirements of previous years. Starting with the Autumn 2019 entry (and beyond), students are required to complete the following courses prior to applying to the SPHSC program.

o 1 Biological Science course: introductory human- or animal-based biological science, anatomy and physiology, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, human genetics, or veterinary science. Laboratory component not required. 3-5 credits.

o 1 Physical Science course: introductory chemistry or physics only. Laboratory component not required. 3-5 credits.

o 1 Social/Behavioral Science course: introductory psychology, educational psychology, sociology, anthropology, or public health. 3-5 credits.

o 1 Statistics course: non-remedial, historical, or methodological; must be computational. 3-5 credits.

o 1 Linguistics course: must provide introductory knowledge of phonology, phonetics, morphology, syntax, and semantics. 3-5 credits.

Temporary Exception for Transfer Students – Statistics & Basic Science

To ensure community college students have enough time to prepare for these new admission requirements, we will allow transfer students to apply to the major for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic years, without having completed the prerequisite statistics and science courses, on an as needed basis. However, these four courses are still required for ththe B.S. degree, and any accepted student will be required to complete these courses concurrently with the major. Starting with applications to academic year 2021-2022, all Community College/Transfer students must complete these admissions prerequisites in order to apply for admission.

Permanent Exception for Transfer Students – Linguistics

We recognize that the new introductory Linguistics course requirement may be challenging for some students to meet, as these courses are not typically offered at the community college level. Thus, any transfer students may apply to the major without a Linguistics course, if it is not offered at your institution. However, the Linguistics course is still a requirement for the B.S. degree, and all accepted students will be required to complete LING 200 or LING 400 at the UW during their first two quarters.

2. New Admissions Deadlines
• Currently, we accept student applications for Autumn and Winter quarter entry. However, starting with applications for the academic year 2019-2020, we will accept major admissions for Autumn quarter entry only.
• To accommodate the shorter notice, for two years we will work with transfer students and allow them to apply for Winter admission if necessary. However, students will be advised of the time and financial impacts of any decision to start “off cycle”.
o We will accept applications as needed for Winter 2020 and Winter 2021
o Winter 2021 will be the last Winter entry quarter period

3. New Degree Program Requirements
• Effective 2019-2020 will have revised our degree and course requirements for all students. The degree program now requires 50 credits and we no longer offer multiple tracks or options; all students complete the same requirements. This streamlining will provide students with the most comprehensive and least restrictive avenue to their degree.

You can learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences, our new courses, and the application process by checking out our website (https://sphsc.washington.edu/new-majors) or contacting our Academic Advisor, Gabrielle Gruber (gruber@uw.edu).

Update: Integrated Social Sciences (ISS)

100% Online, 100% UW!

When your students are ready to take the step toward a four-year degree, the online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Social Sciences program at the University of Washington is ready to help them on their journey. ISS is fully online, with part-time and full-time options so students can find their own balance between school, work and family. They can view lectures and complete classwork on their own schedules, from any location.

As a degree completion program, ISS is designed with transfer students in mind, allowing them to explore the broad sweep of the social sciences while also seeing how these areas interconnect. ISS students take courses in diverse fields such as Anthropology, Ethnic Studies, Geography, International Studies, Women Studies, History, and Philosophy.

ISS students have access to top-notch resources, including the same renowned UW faculty who teach on campus, experienced academic advisers, career counseling, and reliable technical support throughout the program. It’s all designed to make a 4-year college degree a reality.

Applications for Autumn 2019 are now open, and the deadline is July 1. For more information, including registration for webinars and details on how to apply, visit https://www.socialsciencesonline.uw.edu/. ISS advisers are always ready to answer your questions; just drop us a line at issinfo@uw.edu.

Student Profile: Emily Mayor, Public Health-Global Health: School of Public Health

Student Profile: Emily Mayor, Public Health-Global Health Major, School of Public Health

The Public Health-Global Health Major values community engaged learning and no one embodies that more than our wonderful transfer students. The profile below highlight how our students take their learning out in to the world.

Emily Mayor is a Public Health-Global Health Major from Bonney Lake Washington who has also lived in Portland, Oregon, Unalaska Alaska, Honolulu Hawaii, and Micronesian Islands and the Marshall Islands. She transferred to UW Seattle and the Public Health-Global Health Major from North Seattle College.

What influenced your decision to major in Public Health-Global Health? My greatest influence for me to choose to go back to school and narrow down my major were my travel experiences. I traveled because I knew there was so much more than just Washington and the places in the United States I had experienced. I wanted to know how others lived and try to understand a different perspective on life. Once I experienced how people live via traveling and working in 11 different countries including Haiti, the Marshall Islands, Peru, Colombia and Brazil, I then decided that I wanted to make a meaningful impact, so after nearly a decade I went back to school. I was lead to public health as I wanted to positively impact communities. 

What experience/s have been the most impactful for you outside the classroom?

My Service-Learning Capstone with Virginia Mason Bailey-Boushay House has un-earthed why we do what we do. It is easy to lose sight of the human aspect of this degree, to get lost in the papers we write and the academic performance of a University life. But my capstone has brought back the reality of why I chose this degree. Working with the guests and clients at BBH has helped me remember that we all are human and deserve to live healthy lives. 

Currently, what are your future goals?

My future long-term goal is to move to Mexico to live, but for now I am avoiding seniorits and want to finish my last two quarters well and start applying for Public Health jobs that use my past skills and as well as my new skills from my degree. 

Student Profile: Jaehyun Kwon, Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health Major: School of Public Health

Name: Jaehyun Kwon

Major: Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health

Year: Junior

Hometowns: Federal Way, WA, and Richmond, BC, Canada

Transferred from: Highline Community College

Why did you choose UW Seattle?

I wanted to expand my social circle and have more interaction with my fellow students and UW Seattle seemed like the right place to do that. The student body is really diverse—people are from multiple cities and are of different ages. I want to build long-term relationships with people I connect with.

What influenced your decision to major in Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health?  In my first quarter, I was trying to discover opportunities that would suit my strengths. I am interested in public health, so I met with the Public Health-Global Health Major adviser. We talked about their course offerings and the timing to complete the degree and realized it might not be the best fit for me. When I told the adviser about how much I love organic chemistry, they pointed out that organic chemistry is all about principles, rules, and exceptions and then told me how that related to systems and suggested I look into the Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health major. In this major, we focus on the food system and its impact on nutrition and health outcomes and it really falls in line with my interests.

What experience has been the most impactful for you outside the classroom? I’ve been at UW Seattle for only 6 months, so my experience here so far is limited. However, when I was at Highline, I was a chemistry tutor for about a year and half. I tutored for 19 hours a week in a drop-in setting for all of the chemistry courses offered at Highline. I liked it so much because chemistry is my favorite subject—I see it as a puzzle and you have to figure out how the pieces interconnect with each other. I worked with many students each quarter and most of them struggled with chemistry because it’s so abstract. I could tell when students “got it” by their reaction and then asked them to explain it back to me in their own words and they could. Then I knew that I helped them to learn and understand it.

Students would come back at the end of the quarter to tell me how well they did in their courses and it felt great to hear this and made me want to discover more resources available on campus to further help any student. I also realized I’m really good at teaching other people about the things I know and am good at. When I saw students struggle, I could see myself in their shoes in a different subject. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and there are resources to help you out.

What advice would you give a prospective transfer student considering the UW?

Definitely take advantage of the resources available at UW. You’re going to be in some really big classes and if you need help, ask for it! You can ask for help from your professor, but there are other people to reach out to, such as your TAs, peer tutors, CLUE, and your adviser. When I transferred to UW, I didn’t realize that TAs were a resource for me, but now I know and I take advantage of that by reaching out to them and going to their office hours when I need help.

I also think time management and being diligent about your homework AND your health is important. You have to study a lot, but you also need to take care of yourself and eat well. I also recommend segmenting your studies with breaks. For me, this is a break with no social media and I set an alarm. When the alarm goes off, it’s back to work. That might not work for you, so I think it’s good to experiment with different study methods, like studying on your own or joining a study group.

What are your future goals? 

I hope to become a pharmacist. I’ve been interested in that since I was about 7 or 8 because of health challenges a family member had. They were unable to access health care and this made me interested in a health care profession. With the Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health major, I believe it can help me further think outside the box and on a broader scale about health.

Student Profile: Joshua Driscol, Atmospheric Sciences Major: College of the Environment

Joshua Driscol
Joined ATM S in Autumn 2017
Contact: joshuadr@uw.edu
Role: Undergraduate
Undergraduate Program: B.S. in Atmospheric Sciences, Climatology track
Prior Institutions: North Seattle Community College, Seattle University

Why did you choose to study atmospheric science?
I knew that I liked programming and math, but wanted to study something concrete that I could apply those skills to. I was also interested in supercomputers before I transferred to UW, and I found out that many of the world’s fastest supercomputers are used for weather and climate prediction. Plus, I wanted to educate myself about the environment and how it was changing due to global warming. For me, atmospheric sciences was the perfect fit.

What is something that surprised you about the transfer experience?
I was surprised by how many opportunities there are for students. I have had multiple internships and research positions, but students can engage with the university in plenty of other ways. Students can participate in education outreach programs, join a student organization, or go on faculty-led field trips.
One of my favorite experiences here at UW was hiking up to a glacier and analyzing its snow and ice properties as part of one of my classes!

What has been your favorite part of the ATM S department so far?
The Atmospheric Sciences department has small cohorts, and students get personal attention. As a transfer student, this was encouraging and was another reason I was drawn to ATM S. Additionally, all of our professors are very approachable. They value how much we learn, and encourage students to work on problems together. This tight-knit relationship between students, faculty, and staff has been my favorite part of our department so far.

What are your future plans?
In graduate school, I plan to study machine and deep learning. I knew when I enrolled at UW that I wanted to go on to graduate school, but over the course of the past two years my interests have changed drastically. One thing that I have valued about my education in the Atmospheric Sciences department is how much I was encouraged to study what interested me.

Do you have any advice for new ATM S community members, or for students considering a major in Atmospheric Science?
Take advantage of the fact that our department is part of the College of the Environment. You will be able to interact with people from departments like Earth and Space Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Oceanography, International Studies, Economics, Philosophy, and more. I would tell new or prospective students to not be afraid to take a variety of classes to help hone in on what you are passionate about. With that, take your time to find what you are interested in and realize that everyone’s academic path is different.

Interested in learning more about the Atmospheric Sciences major? Visit our website at:
https://atmos.uw.edu/students/undergraduate-program/academic-program/

If you’d like to schedule an in-person or phone appointment, you can call: (206) 543-4576
Questions can also be emailed to: atmosadv@uw.edu

We look forward to chatting with you, no matter where you're at in the transfer process.

Program Profile: School of Social Work: UW-Seattle

Hi! We are Kayla and Karissa, two students getting our Master of Social Work degrees at UW. We wanted to answer some common questions about our Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare (BASW) program.

What is social work? What do social workers do?

Social workers help people and enhance the quality of life for all – especially those most impacted by systemic oppression. Passionate about social justice and effecting change, they fight inequity. They serve in schools, hospitals, nonprofits, mental health clinics, prisons, community organizations, and more using a uniquely holistic, strengths-based, person-in-environment approach.

Why should transfer students consider UW’s Social Welfare major?

UW’s BASW program offers hands-on skill building through community service and 480 hours of supervised field experience, a close-knit cohort model, and strong post-grad opportunities. Completing the BASW with a 3.0 GPA in each class (or 3.5 cumulative) makes you eligible to apply for the 10-month Advanced Standing Master of Social Work degree. Classes focus on practice skills and intervention strategies to create equitable futures for all. During the course of study, students develop social work skills in a range of settings that include working with individuals, families, communities, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

As recent college graduates completing our Master’s degree…

We want to encourage you to use all the resources at the university! In undergrad we went abroad (to Berlin and Buenos Aires), did thesis research on racial disparities and special education, and led a women of color sorority and an interfaith council. We want to encourage you to get out there and explore. There is so much to take advantage of here at UW: including coming to visit the School of Social Work Office of Admissions! We would love to talk to you, and we host open office hours Thursdays 10am-12pm and 1-3pm, or you can call us at 206-543-5676 or email us at sswinfo@uw.edu to setup a visit or to ask questions.  

The two year, 67 credit, cohort model BASW program begins each September. Students are admitted to the major just once per year, to begin in Autumn quarter; the BASW departmental application becomes available in February and is due in April. BASW applicants must have earned a minimum of 65 college credits and completed two prerequisites (one qualifying course each in Psychology and Sociology, with a 2.0 “C” grade or higher) with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Visit http://socialwork.uw.edu/admissions for details. Prospective UW transfer students must also submit the separate application for UW transfer admission (see UW’s Admissions website for deadlines and details) in addition to the BASW departmental application.

Go Huskies!

Updates: Milgard School of Business: UW-Tacoma

The Milgard School of Business at UW Tacoma offers a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration degree with options in Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, and General Business as well as a unique minor in Corporate Responsibility.

AUTUMN 2019 TRANSFERS

Our Autumn 2019 application remains open through July 1. At this point, students must have taken the Writing Skills Assessment (WSA) at any UW campus within the last two years in order to be considered. 

WINTER 2020 TRANSFERS

We will start accepting Winter 2020 applications in August. The Winter 2020 application deadline is October 15. WSA test dates on the UW Tacoma campus for the winter admission cycle are July 12, August 9, and October 11. 

Students first apply to transfer to UW Tacoma and then second apply to the Milgard School of Business.

2019 UW TACOMA MILGARD CASE COMPETITION

On February 1, Milgard hosted the 13th annual Social Responsibility Case Competition for UW Tacoma students. Teams of 3-4 students presented their recommendations on a strategic corporate reasonability issue to Palantir, a software company specializing in big data analytics. The top three teams earned cash prizes and the winning team represented UW Tacoma at the international Milgard Invitational Case Competition on Social Responsibility in March. The winning team included transfer students from Tacoma Community College and Pierce College!

SUMMER OUTREACH

Community College Advisors – please contact me if you are interested in scheduling an information session or any on-site business advising on your campus this summer!

Heidi Norbjerg

Undergraduate Recruiter & Advisor

Milgard School of Business

University of Washington Tacoma

Email: norbjerg@uw.edu / Phone: 253-692-4717

 

Updates: Department of Landscape Architecture: College of Built Environments

Landscape Architecture

If you are interested in design thinking and the interaction of human and ecological systems, landscape architecture might be the major for you. We recently added two pages to our website to better show the exciting opportunities in our program.

Studios

Studio courses are central to students’ education—where they bring together technical skills and contextual background to address real world issues in communities in Seattle and around the world with design solutions. You can read about some of our recent studios at larch.be.uw.edu/gallery/student-work.

Student Experience

Through our program, students have the chance to experience a variety of exciting opportunities, including practice-focused studios, capstones, internships, and independent research. These projects allow our students to apply the knowledge they gain and to guide their learning. Read about some of these experiences and the exciting opportunities students can engage in from their own perspective at larch.be.uw.edu/gallery/student-experience.

Learn More

You can learn more about the Bachelor in Landscape Architecture, our Urban Ecological Design minor, new courses, and the application process by checking out our website (larch.be.uw.edu) or contacting our Academic Advisor, Nick Dreher (ndreher@uw.edu).

Updates: Marine Biology and Aquatic Science Majors: College of the Environment

Study Marine and Freshwater Science at UW

The College of the Environment is excited to offer a new major in Marine Biology alongside the two existing marine science majors of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences and Oceanography. Students at the UW can now explore the interconnected elements of the marine environment through multiple learning pathways. All three have similar, shared foundations in general science and math which can be taken at community colleges across the state. As open majors leading to a Bachelor of Science, each can be declared upon admission to the UW, and students can begin these studies within their first year.

Aquatic and Fishery Sciences

• Aquatic & Fishery Sciences studies aquatic organisms, the rivers, lakes and oceans in which they live. This major draws on the disciplines of natural history, physiology, ecology, evolution and quantitative sciences, and applies these principles to the conservation and management of marine and freshwater resources.
• All students complete a year-long faculty mentored capstone project and have access to field stations including research facilities in Southwest Alaska.
• For more information, view our four-year sample plan for transfer students.

Marine Biology

• Marine Biology is the study of marine life focusing on the individual organism, from genetics up to population levels. This major examines marine biodiversity, ecology, and ecosystems and how they are impacted by ocean change.
• All students complete an integrative field experience (research or field course) by studying at Friday Harbor Laboratories, the UW’s marine field station on San Juan Island.
• Visit our website for more information and resources for transfer students.

Oceanography

• Oceanography studies the physical and chemical properties of the ocean, from climate regulation and ocean acidification to our planet’s most extreme environments and geologic coastal interactions. This major brings together ecology, chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, and geology to help understand and predict how life is sustained by the ocean.
• All students work with individual faculty on a senior project with a research cruise aboard one of the UW’s research vessels.
• Visit our website for more information and resources for transfer students.

If you are interested in pursuing a degree in the marine sciences or have any questions please contact one of our advisors.

Joe Kobayashi - Marine Biology

Samantha Scherer - Aquatic and Fishery Sciences

Michelle Townsend - Oceanography

Student Profile: Justin Matias, Health Informatics and Health Information Management Major: School of Public Health

Health Informatics and Health Information Management is an exciting and evolving field in information and data governance. The University of Washington HIHIM program is a degree completion program offering late afternoon and evening classes. One transfer story is about Justin Matias.

Justin Matias is pursuing a B.S. in Health Informatics and Health Information Management, he will be graduating in Spring, 2019. Justin grew up in Renton and transferred from Bellevue College.

What influenced your decision to major in HIHIM?

My school advisor at Bellevue College recommended HIHIM to me and told me it is becoming a fast-growing profession. I attended the information session was immediately interested Personally, I loved how diverse and growth of the profession; I am always eager to learn.

Have you been involved in Service Learning, Research, Internships or Community Service?  What kind of capstone project did you do?  

My capstone project was on Alaska healthcare systems, conducting an industry overview and analyzing the primary diagnosis and most performed procedures in the state. I also volunteer at Swedish Hospital at Metropolitan Park for the record analysis department. This was impactful for me because it was my first experience networking within the HIHIM field. I spoke with many employees creating new relationships and learning their career paths, taking advice on how I should approach my own.

What are your future career goals?

My short-term goal is to pass the RHIA exam and to acquire an HIHIM job that will lead to a quality improvement or data analytics position. My long-term goal is to increase my knowledge and to move up in my HIHIM career. A persona goal is to grow my networking circle within the HIHIM profession.

Graduates in HIHIM:

• Manage health information, focusing on patient health records and patient information systems
• Direct and coordinate information gathering, data analysis and interpretation
• Analyze clinical and administrative data and oversee data quality
• Lead and participate in design, implementation and maintenance of health information systems
• Advocate for legal, ethical and professional programs for information privacy and security
• Manage operations in healthcare organizations
• Direct health information services departments in varied settings
• Work as analysts, coordinators and specialists in health care

Transfer student interested in pursuing this dynamic and fast growing field should check out the HIHIM website.

Student Profile: Rico Gonzalez, Environmental Health Major: School of Public Health

Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Student Profile

Rico Gonzalez was born in California but moved to a small town in Idaho as a baby. Shortly after they graduated, they moved to Seattle to pursue a higher education. They were motivated to move to the Seattle-metropolitan area because it has a much larger population than where they grew up, and there were more opportunities towards a successful life. The first college they attended was Highline Community College in Des Moines, WA. They received an Associates of Biology from Highline College and then transferred to UW in the fall of 2017.

How did you first become interested in Environmental Health? What Environmental Health challenges are you hoping you can address as a student, and in your career?

I became interested in Environmental Health after learning more about the human impact on our planet. I am most interested in a society that is healthy, happy, productive, and sustainable. I believe that health plays the most pivotal role in achieving these qualities.

In both my future career and time as a student, environmental health challenges that I hope to address are environmental chemical health hazards. Such environmental challenges range from how wildfire smoke exacerbates cardiovascular disease and increases respiratory morbidity, to issues around how lead in drinking water affects cognitive performance.

Tell us about your internship and research experiences.

I applied and was accepted into the Environmental Health Research Experience Program (EHREP) where I participated in a ten-week internship during the summer of 2018 in Port Angeles, Washington. As part of my research, I surveyed community members and local organizations to determine their needs around access to local communications of the health risks posed by surrounding wildfire smoke. Additionally, I installed a purple air monitor on the local fire department's roof to collect data and determine the efficacy of low-cost air monitors.

During my time at the Port Angeles Health Department I had the opportunity to shadow the working professionals. I traveled across all of Clallam County participating in various environmental health activities the health department was responsible for. One of my favorite activities was attending their code enforcement meetings. During these meetings, different departments would come together with law enforcement and collaborate on how to best address cases of squatters, hoarders, and narcotic distributors. The most valuable experience I gained during shadowing was the interactions I had with professionals across many disciplines. I learned a great deal engaging in conversations with those had the privilege of working with and had a fun experience throughout my internship.

Is there anything in particular about your experience as an Environmental Health major that would inspire you to recommend your program to a prospective student?

From all my experience as an Environmental Health major, I would say the most inspiring aspect would the opportunities to communicate with and learn from others in the department. My experience reaching out to mentors has been extremely positive, and was pleasantly surprised on how willing and happy people on campus are to help out students.

The Environmental Health path is good for many other related fields besides strictly environmental health. The EH path incorporates required courses for entrance to medical schools, and is saturated with professors and advisers with valuable connections to professionals to ease a students pursuit of their academic and professional goals. I definitely recommend prospective students with an interest in this field to apply for the Environmental Health major.

What do you currently plan to do after graduation?

After graduation, I hope to work in the field of occupational safety, namely as an industrial hygienist. I think this would put me in a good position to get relevant work experience and allow me time to settle down a bit and prepare for grad school at UW. I would like to continue my education at UW in their Environmental Toxicology Ph.D. Program.

Updates: Social Work and Criminal Justice Program: UW-Tacoma

The Social Work & Criminal Justice Program at UW Tacoma offers Bachelor of Arts options in Social Welfare (BASW), Criminal Justice (CJ), and Criminal Justice Online Completion (CJO), as well as part-time Master of Social Work (MSW) programs (3-year or 18-month Advanced Standing). In the past academic year, we have made changes to our BA programs’ admission criteria, listed in the program highlights below.

Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare (BASW) - Our updated BASW admission requirements eliminated two prerequisite courses (a biology course and economics course). As of the Autumn 2019 application cycle, candidates will be reviewed on the following three courses:

• • English Composition
  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Introduction to Sociology

Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (campus and online) - Our updated CJ admission requirements eliminated two prerequisite courses (Introduction to Sociology and Introduction to Political Science OR American Government). As of the Autumn 2019 application cycle, candidates will need 5 quarter credits of English Composition to be considered for admission to either CJ program.

Autumn 2019 applications are still open! Both the BASW and CJ programs are still accepting applications for Autumn 2019 programs. New applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the programs fill.

Visit our website to learn more or contact the Social Work & Criminal Justice Program Recruiter and Advisor Amanda Breslin at swcj@uw.edu.

Future Student Visit Day: College of the Environment

High school juniors, seniors, and prospective transfer students who are passionate about exploring how the world works are invited to join the UW College of the Environment for Future Student Visit Day. Explore College of the Environment majors, meet faculty, and hear from current students. 

When: Friday, July 12, 2019
Where: University of Washington’s Seattle Campus
Learn more & Register: environment.uw.edu/visit-day

For questions and more details contact coenvadv@uw.edu