The quarter is well underway and the next deadline for transfer admission will be here soon.  While you work on your application and personal statement, now is a good time to learn more about the nature of a UW education.

While academic pursuits are central to your time here, other components of your education contribute significantly to your overall development. Transfer students are encouraged to take full advantage of the Husky Experience.  The Division of Student Life defines the Husky Experience as a partnership between each individual student and the university in which students develop strong skills and deep understanding not only in their chosen discipline, but in these specific areas: critical thinking and research skills, career strategy, cultural competence, leadership ability, community engagement and health and wellness.

You may have heard that the UW is a top tier research university, but you might not really know what that means.  Kurt Xyst explains how this impacts all levels of the university as well as your individual educational experience.  Connect with advisers to find out how to get involved in Undergraduate Research, check out the many community service placements and internships available through the Center for Experiential Learning & Diversity, and consider going abroad to study for a while.  Consider joining student clubs and organizations that relate to your interests and find out how to develop your leadership skills through the Husky Leadership Initiative. Take advantage of the world of opportunity that the UW offers by actively engaging in your education.  There is no time better than now to stretch your boundaries and create the educational experience that best meets your goals and aspirations.

Community college is a great way to get started on your post-secondary education.  It provides an excellent foundation upon which to build your bachelor’s degree, as well as the post-baccalaureate options you may eventually pursue.  Transferring to the University of Washington gives you a grand opportunity to expand your unique educational journey in ways that you might not have considered or even thought possible!

What is the significance of study at the research university?

by Kurt Xyst, M.Ed., Ph.C.

The University of Washington is many things: a collection of colleges, the inhabitant of a famously beautiful campus, the largest employer in Seattle, to name a few. The UW is also a research university. For students considering study here this fact is particularly salient. Attending a research university is not like attending a “great books” liberal arts school or a community college. The research university has a different feel, a different orientation, than other institutions of higher education. Without a working recognition of the ethos of the research university many of the things that happen here, and many of the things are expected of undergraduate students, can seem strange or arbitrary. What then does undergraduate study at a research university signify? For many the term “research” conjures images of lab coats, beakers, and microscopes, or perhaps reams of paper spilling across a room of crowded desks. Or, in the case of UW, a wind tunnel. All these images are correctly associated with the trappings of research, but only with particular kinds of research. Not every student encounters these exact things and yet it is perhaps possible to say that every UW student experiences an education at a research university. I think there is good reason to argue that the point of a research university is not to train undergraduates in the expert use of the equipment of the arts and the sciences (the beakers, the statistical software, the wind tunnel.) Instead the fundamental task of a research university lies closer to the development of what 20th century German philosopher Gadamer calls a “research consciousness.” The calling card of someone with a research consciousness is the strong habit of doubt, of opening up what seems obvious to others, of liquefying what has been cast in stone. It is the tendency to question. The consciousness of the researcher, the "product" of undergraduate study at UW, perceives unsettledness where others may only see tradition or procedure or orthodoxy. 

How can this be the case, how can questioning possibly be a more important aspect of undergraduate education when the UW Mission and Vision Statement emphasizes creating knowledge? Doesn’t knowledge signify that a question has been answered, that an issue has been settled? The short answer is no, not for research consciousness. Every attempt to respond to a problem or to provide an expression or an explanation for a given question creates new kinds of "unsettledness." Something unrealized before now pops into view. New puzzles appear and new questions can be formulated. As John Dewey describes it, a new “invasion of the unknown” begins. Research consciousness, therefore, actively returns questioning to the top of the agenda. Research consciousness prefers questions to answers. Knowledge is "merely" a by-product of questioning.

Let me now try to say something about why this sort of education, and education based on questioning, may be valuable. To be sure an education at a research university is not primarily about preparing future scientists and scholars in a formal sense. The expectation is not that everyone who graduates from UW will take up a job as a faculty member somewhere. The benefits of an education at a research university are at least as useful, perhaps even more useful, for the vast majority who will go on to perform other roles in public life, especially democratic life. Here are two explanations why. Undergraduate education based on the development of research consciousness fosters an increased appreciation of, and comfort with, complexity. Research universities, especially UW, are the most varied and experientially rich environments in our culture. Collisions between different ideas, customs, expectations, and methods are cultivated and encouraged. Marinating in this environment research consciousness come to see that there’s always more going on underneath the surface – in or out of the classroom – than meets the eye. It is always possible to ask yet another question, a different kind of question. Final answers, therefore, are impossible. There’s always more to think about and talk about, there’s always more to understand! Now, in the abstract the idea that there is never a final answer is a bit overwhelming. There is a practical payoff, though. If all things are contingent all things are available to be influenced and changed. Nothing is destined to remain the way it is now. New approaches can be developed, new methods can be adopted, and new interpretations can be brought to bear in the light of perceived need. The world of contemporary medicine, for example, has come about from questioning traditional knowledge about the formulation of disease and illness, disability and wellness. The painting of Goya presents to research consciousness not only an aesthetic object or a visual field of color and technique. It also opens the world of Spanish history and politics, perhaps even trade and science. These worlds lie dormant until activated and inhabited by research consciousness. 

Sustained exposure to complexity, coupled with recognition of the power of questioning seems to create a second educational benefit: intellectual humility. Truly grasping the idea that no issue is every fully settled or ever fully understood entails accepting the reality that even the best ideas are partial and far from perfect. Research consciousness accepts limitations of its capacities because it is rooted in the unavoidable limitations of what it means to be human. It is impossible to inhabit every perspective at once, to pose every question simultaneously. Intellectual humility provides relief from the illogical (though often emotionally powerful) expectation that one person can ever get it “right.” This is where authentic appreciation and real desire for collaboration comes from. There are more questions to ask than any one individual can possibly get to and more ways of understanding than any one individual can embody.

There is much more to think about regarding this question of the significance of study at a place like UW, but I will close for now with this. Those who have spent time at research university undoubtedly agree that it is a unique community. That uniqueness seems to come from the fact that no other place in our culture is dedicated to an ongoing project of inspiring its members to question everything. In the end it is not the tools and techniques of researchers that, by themselves, give rise to the spirit of the place. It is instead a larger dedication to the idea that research consciousness is a powerful force for change and understanding in the world at large. 

Husky Leadership Initiative

by Francesca Lo, Director, Husky Leadership Initiative

If we are to successfully educate the people who will take on the enduring and emergent challenges of the twenty-first century with the rigor and prudence those challenges will require, we must focus on leadership development as a critical learning outcome. The Husky Leadership Initiative (HLI) was established to do just this, namely, to propel the UW toward its vision of educating “a diverse student body to become responsible global citizens and future leaders.” HLI’s vision is to cultivate the knowledge, skills and attitudes all students need to be effective change agents and contributing members in their communities. HLI believes the leadership education must be accessible, explicit and comprehensive:

• Accessible: Every UW student must have the opportunity to cultivate their leadership potential. 
• Explicit: Leadership can be learned through intentional practice and critical reflection.
• Comprehensive: Leadership education must advance integrative learning across curricular and co-curricular experiences.

HLI represents a convergence of interest from throughout the campus academic and student affairs community to coordinate efforts, identify gaps, and expand and enhance leadership education opportunities. HLI programs are designed to reach students at multiple points, times, locations and ways. From programs that are broad-based and short-term to opportunities that are in-depth and ask for an extended commitment, we provide many ways for students to cultivate their leadership capacity. Examples of programs include:

U Lead We Lead: a campus-wide conversation about leadership

U Lead We Lead is the Husky Leadership Initiative’s annual signature event that kicks off the year by bringing together students, faculty and staff to engage in a conversation about leadership. Local corporate, academic and non-profit community leaders share their personal journeys and lessons learned about leadership from their fields in this inspiring and interactive event.

Leadership Firesides: storytelling and conversations with inspiring leaders

Leadership Firesides present students with the opportunity to participate in smaller, dynamic conversations with a diverse range of civic, corporate and campus leaders in an informal setting. Community leaders share their personal journeys and perspectives on leadership and become momentary mentors for students.

Husky Leadership Certificate

The Husky Leadership Certificate is a capstone experience for 3rd, 4th and 5th year students to reflect upon their undergraduate experience and articulate what they have learned about leadership and who they have become as a leader through the creation of a leadership e-portfolio. Through the support of a faculty/staff/community member mentor, students refine their leadership philosophy and articulate the knowledge, values, ability and behaviors they have cultivated both in and outside the classroom.

Husky Spring Training

Husky Spring Training is an annual campus-wide leadership training conference. Based on our belief that one’s capacity to lead grows out of experience, practice and reflection, Husky Spring Training gives students an opportunity to build and hone the leadership skills they need to make a difference in whatever context speaks to them.

Leadership Commons

The Leadership Commons is a virtual hub for leadership growth. This web-based portal outlines leadership development programs and opportunities from across campus.

For more information, please visit the Husky Leadership Initiative’s website and like us on Facebook.

Preparing for law school while at the community college

by Donna Sharpe

As if autumn quarter is not busy enough for students, professors and advisers, it is also the season for law school applications. In addition to all of the other late autumn duties, students are busy writing their personal statements and resumes, professors are busy writing letters of recommendation, and advisers are busy giving feedback on personal statements and resumes and attempting to calm the jittery nerves of the applicants who didn’t do as well on the LSAT as they had hoped!

If you are considering law school as a possibility in the future but are not yet at the application stage, the biggest question probably is not, “What can I talk about in my personal statement?” It is more likely to be, “What can I be doing now to prepare to be a strong candidate for law school when I am ready to apply?” Like most other professional graduate programs, law schools do not specify any particular major as being the “best” or preferred one. Any major works so choose something you love! It is important to major in the subject about which you are most passionate and in which you have the most interest. This makes a strong grade point average more likely and the GPA is one factor which the law school admissions committees take into account. While any major works for law school, there are certain skills that you can develop through a variety of classes that will help you in the application process and once you are in law school. Excellent communication skills are essential and that includes both writing and speaking. It is never a waste of time or effort to take composition, writing intensive courses and speech classes, including public speaking. Critical thinking is a skill that can be developed across a variety of courses, including philosophy, history, political science, English, and sociology, among many others. Whatever you decide on for a major, be sure to take a broad variety of classes to stretch your thinking and broaden your horizons. You can take these classes throughout your undergraduate experience at the community college and at the university.

In addition to the academic preparation for law school, there are things you should be doing outside of the classroom that will enhance your chances of being admitted. Get involved in student and community organizations, but don’t simply be a member, take on leadership roles! Be a part of the change you want to see in the world so that you can actually demonstrate your commitment to it. The application package for law school includes a resume that should document all of your experience, both paid and volunteer, as well as your honors, awards, leadership roles and internships. As you approach the time that you will actually be applying to law school, you will be taking the LSAT, working on your personal statement and requesting letters of recommendation. Developing critical skills and a strong educational foundation and gaining valuable experience are important pieces of the application package that you can begin building long before you even think about the LSAT!

Health careers corner: focus on Physician Assistants

The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) defines a physician assistant (PA) as a medical professional who works as part of a team with a doctor. Physician assistants are graduates of accredited PA educational programs and are nationally-certified and state-licensed to practice medicine with the supervision of a physician. Specific duties and how much they need to be supervised by a physician vary by state.

Physician assistants provide basic care. They gather information from patients, perform physical exams, and order lab tests. They explain test results and review treatment options with patients and their families. If more than one treatment is available, they help patients decide which option to choose. Many PAs work in primary care areas, such as family medicine, general practice, or pediatrics, but they can also work in other care areas and do more complex tasks, such as: set simple fractures, run electrocardiograms (EKGs), sew up wounds, and close incisions after surgery.

What type of education is required?

Currently most PA programs have become Masters degrees and remaining Bachelor degree programs must change to Masters no later than 2021, and many are changing sooner. Therefore it is best for students to plan on obtaining a Bachelor degree. Any major is fine as long as students include prerequisite coursework. Courses required for most schools are:

• one year of chemistry with labs,
• a two course sequence in human anatomy and physiology with labs,
• one course in microbiology with labs
• one course in statistics
• one course in psychology.

Schools can be very particular about which chemistry courses they prefer and may have requirements different from the course list above. It is important for students to consult websites of schools they are interested in.

Experience required for most schools

PA is different from most other health professions in that many schools require a very large number of hours of paid health care experience. In most cases, to be admitted, a student needs to present about 2000 hours of paid health care experience at the time of application. There is variation here, too, though. To be accepted to the U of Washington’s MEDEX PA programs, for example, a student needs to present a minimum of 4000 such hours. At the other end, Western University of Health Sciences’ PA program in California accepts volunteer hours (but has a much lengthier prerequisite list). So, just as with prerequisites, students will need to research the websites of schools of interest.

What kind of health care experience should you look for? Many students become certified nursing assistants, medical assistants, phlebotomists, emergency medical technicians, surgery technicians or are coming out of the armed services medical corps. Students who are graduates of foreign medical degrees can use that experience, but also need to get US health care experience.

What else?

It is very important for students to shadow doctors and physician assistants and perhaps nurse practitioners, so that they can understand similarities and differences before making a decision. PA programs are very popular. Average gpa’s at some schools are in the same range as medical schools (3.4-4.0), though there is significant variation by school. 

Online resources

• PA Focus — General resource about PA
• The Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) program directory — Programs across the country
• The American Academy of Physician Assistants — Information about the profession
• The Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) — Many (however not all) PA programs use the CASPA for admissions.
• U of Washington MEDEX NW — Master degree in Seattle and Spokane; Bachelor degree in Anchorage, Spokane and Tacoma
• Heritage University (Toppenish, WA) — Master of Science Physician Assistant

Admissions Update

by Carlos Williams, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions

For autumn 2014, the Seattle campus offered admission to 53.2% of all Washington community college applicants. This compares to offer rates of 55.2% for high school applicants and 17.4% for applicants from four-year universities and non-Washington community colleges. The offer rate for international transfer students was 35%. 65% were from Washington community colleges.

In general, the best time to apply the University of Washington is when you are ready to enter your major. For most applicants, that’s when they’ve completed an associate’s degree and/or 90 transferrable quarter credits. Those of you interested in one of our selective majors like Engineering and Business, you should complete all of the course pre-requisites before you start at the UW as well as by the department's application deadline where appropriate. To help you plan to transfer, we have created tools such as the Academic Planning Worksheets and the online course equivalency guide for each of the Washington community and technical colleges. You can find out more about these tools and other important transfer information by visiting the Admissions website for prospective transfer applicants.

I also highly recommend that you attend one of our Transfer Thursday information sessions. On Transfer Thursday, you will learn about the admissions application process from one of our staff members. There are separate admission information sessions for international applicants as well. Moreover, many of our academic departments participate in Transfer Thursday by offering information sessions or making academic advisors available for one-on-one advising. Consult the Transfer Thursday website for more details.

Top 20 majors requested by enrolled transfer students

Business, Biology, Psychology, Communication, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, On-line Integrated Social Sciences, On-line Early Childhood & Family Studies, Biochemistry, Nursing, English, Electrical Engineering, Art, Economics, Civil Engineering, Mathematics, Anthropology, International Studies, Political Science, and Social Welfare.

Department Updates

Changes often take place within the academic offerings of the UW. It is important for students who are preparing for transfer into a UW major to keep updated on the requirements. What might have been required at the time that students began their preparation at their previous college could have changed in the interim. If you have a question about a particular major, chances are that question is answered on the department website. If you're still confused about something, a quick email to an adviser can often clear up the mystery! 

New political science major application procedure at the UW

by Mark Weitzenkamp

Beginning Autumn 2014, students apply to the Political Science major via an online tool. Applications are due by the second Friday of Autumn, Winter, or Spring. The requirements for entry to the major have not changed--Political Science remains a minimum requirement major and students still need to take three introductory POL S courses with a grade of 2.00 or higher in each course (POL S 101, 201, 202, 203, 204, or 205) to declare. Students who complete the prerequisites successfully will be admitted. They then attend a New Major Information Session. We also strongly encourage them to meet with a POL S adviser individually to talk about their academic goals.

Since Political Science admits students to the major only after they have been admitted to the university, the change to the application procedure shouldn't affect admission to the major for transfer students. If they wish, students should be able to find some or all of the prerequisite courses at community colleges around the state, but they can also finish the prerequisites at UW in their first quarter or so. Incoming transfer students intending to apply to the major in their first quarter should make sure that their final grades and transcripts are sent to the UW as promptly as possible.

We welcome meeting with pre-majors, any students interested in studying political science are welcome to come in and talk with us. If you have any questions, you can reach the departmental advising office at polsadvc@uw.edu or (206) 543-1824.

Architecture and Architectural Design: TWO undergraduate major options

As of Autumn 2014, the Department of Architecture is now offering two undergraduate architecture majors. The Architectural Studies major has been renamed "Architectural Design" and our new major is called “Architecture”.

The new major in Architecture curriculum is based on small seminar-style classes and encourages students to build their coursework around areas of concentration, such as History and Theory; Sustainable Technologies; and Materials and Making. In the final year of the Architecture major, students work toward their final capstone research project due in the Spring. The Architecture major is a great option for students interested in exploring and understanding the built environment through the lenses of history, theory, materiality, craftsmanship, technology and sustainability. The small seminar class sizes, field trips, study abroad opportunities, and capstone requirement provide opportunities to work closely with faculty and fellow students. Students are expected to be curious, self-directed and eager to engage in informed discussions and research. Students gain advanced knowledge in their area of concentration as well as critical thinking, research and presentation skills. Students who major in Architecture can still apply to a professional M.Arch program 3+ year track or to other graduate design programs.

This year we admitted our first class of students into the Architecture major who are on track to graduate in Spring 2016. These students have a wide collection of interests, which include the integration of technology into residential housing design to create “smart” homes; investigating the factors and community processes that influence regional historic preservation projects; exploring the realms of sculpture and architecture; learning about the use of high-tech materials in creating environmentally sustainable buildings; and the role public spaces play in urban environments and plans to increase density. Over the next year and a half, these students will be taking courses, going on field trips, possibly studying abroad and engaging in a variety of activities that advance their understanding of their areas of concentration while being introduced to new areas and ways of thinking about the built environment.

The Architectural Design curriculum is studio-based and includes 6 design studio courses. It is a pre-professional degree that is intended to prepare students for advanced study in a 2+ year professional M.Arch program. Design studios are like laboratories where students explore design ideas utilizing research and representation methods, design reviews and critiques to advance ideas and concepts. Some representation methods students use include sketches, drawings, model building, and digital design programs. Students learn about structure and materials as well as site and cultural factors. They gain representation and presentation skills while exploring and becoming comfortable with the design investigation process. Students also have the opportunity to explore design through departmental study abroad programs.

Students admitted to the Architectural Design major also have the option of pursuing the Dual Degree in Architectural Design and Construction Management, which will take three years to complete the requirements for both programs and will require an application to the CM Department in April of the junior year:

Admissions and Prerequisites

Both the Architecture and Architectural Design majors have capacity-constrained application processes and prerequisites. Both require 71 credits of general education (Area of Knowledge) coursework, which can be taken at a community college, plus five prerequisite Architecture (ARCH) courses. The general education and prerequisite requirements for both undergraduate programs can be found as a curriculum pdf on our Department website:

We are recommending that students with questions about how their general education coursework taken at a Washington State Community College will transfer to the UW, use the Transfer Equivalency Guide as a tool.

The five ARCH prerequisite requirements include a year-long architectural history series as well as design drawing and representation courses. The architectural history prerequisites provide students with the verbal vocabulary and visual references to engage in meaningful discussions on architecture and design. The drawing and representation courses help students build the necessary skills to effectively communicate their 3-dimensional spatial ideas in a visual medium.

Both majors have five requirements but do share the following four requirements:

• Arch 350-Arch. of Ancient World-UW autumn qtr only
• Arch 200-Design and Representation 1-UW autumn qtr only
• Arch 351-Roman, Gothic & Ren. Arch.-UW winter qtr only
• Arch 352-History of Modern Arch.-UW spring qtr only

*The Architectural Design major also requires:

• ARCH 201-Design and Representation II (Winter Qtr)

**The Architecture major does not require ARCH 201 but does require:

• ARCH 231-Making and Craft (Spring Qtr)

Students studying at a community college within commuting distance of the UW Seattle, may want to consider satisfying these ARCH pre-requisite courses at the UW as a non-UW (non-matriculated) student. UW Educational Outreach’s Non-Degree Enrollment program allows non-matriculated students to take courses on a space-available basis.

In order to apply and be considered for the Architecture and Architectural Design majors, students must FIRST have a Transfer Application on file with UW Admissions.

The Departmental Application to the Architecture major includes an application form, transcripts, resume and an essay. Application to the Architectural Design major does require a design portfolio as well as an application form, transcripts, resume and an essay. The applications as well as tips for the Architectural Design application portfolio can be found on our website.

There is one application cycle each year. The application deadline for both the Architecture and the Architectural Design majors will be on the first day of Spring Quarter at 4:00 p.m.

Admission to the major is based on application material, grades, performance in the drawing classes, the architectural history coursework, and for the Architectural Design major a portfolio is required Those accepted into the undergraduate program typically are beginning their junior year and finish the remaining major requirements in two years (three years for the Dual Degree in CM).

We are happy to help you explore which program is the best fit for you at an upcoming Winter Quarter information session. Dates will be posted on our Departmental calendar shortly. We also invite you to explore our Department of Architecture blog to learn more about our faculty’s interests as well as the experiences our students are sharing as they are studying architecture in other parts of the world.

Two excellent additional sources of information on architectural education and the architecture profession in the U.S. can be found on the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture website and the ARCHCareers blog.

Scholarships

The following are four scholarships that provide community college transfer students with opportunities to fund their transfer to the University of Washington. The information on this page is provided by Mona Pitre-Collins, Director, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards.

The Martin Family Foundation

The Martin Family Foundation offers financial awards to community college students interested in eventually obtaining bachelors’ degrees from the University of Washington- Seattle. If you are considering an application to UW, you may qualify for one of the following:

• Martin Achievement Scholarship – Funding for students continuing on at the community college for the 2015-16 academic year to complete associates degree or additional credits, transferring to the UW summer/fall 2016. Scholarship is $5,000 for the 2015-16 academic year at the community college and up to $12,000 per year for three years of undergraduate support at the UW. Scholarship is open to students attending the following Washington State Community Colleges: Bellevue, Cascadia, Edmonds , Everett , Grays Harbor, Green River, Highline, North Seattle, Olympic, Peninsula, Pierce, Seattle Central, Shoreline, South Seattle or Tacoma Community College pursuing their first baccalaureate degree. Application Deadline: Friday, April 10, 2015
• Martin Family Foundation Honors Scholarship – For student transferring summer/fall 2015. The scholarship is open to students who are currently attending or are recent graduates of all 36 Washington State Community & Technical Colleges pursuing their first baccalaureate degree. Scholarship is $12,000 for up to three years for completion of an undergraduate baccalaureate degree. Application Deadline: Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Application procedures include a written application and personal interview. Multiple Martin Scholarships are awarded each year. Visit the Martin Family Foundation Scholarships website for more information.

Washington NASA Space Grant Community College Transfer Scholarships

Application must be postmarked by March 2015 (date to be determined)

Washington NASA Space Grant Community College Transfer Scholarships are awarded to promising community college students planning to transfer to the University of Washington to continue their studies in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. These scholarships are based on academic achievement, personal essays, recommendations and future academic promise.

Applications are open to community college transfer students who will be entering the University of Washington in Autumn Quarter 2015. Community college transfer students who entered UW in Winter or Spring Quarter of 2015 are also eligible to apply.

Scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000, and are awarded for one year at a time. Recipients may apply for renewal for an additional year, depending on availability of funding and providing that they maintain program requirements for their majors and a satisfactory GPA.

To be eligible, scholarship applicants must:

• Be a resident of Washington state
• Be a U.S. citizen
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.3
• Have applied to transfer to UW or transferred into UW either Winter or Spring Quarter 2014
• Be pursuing an undergraduate degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics

Finalist interviews will be conducted in late March and notification of awards will be made in early May

Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship

National Deadline: Two-Phase Application Process. Phase one - End of November -- Students will apply directly to the Foundation for consideration. This includes a recommendation from a community college faculty. Phase two – If you are selected as a semifinalist based on the Phase One application, you will be invited to submit additional information in Phase Two of the application process, including a second recommendation and financial information.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship honors excellence by supporting outstanding community college students with financial need to transfer to and complete their bachelor’s degrees at the nation’s top four-year colleges and universities. The Foundation provides up to $30,000 per year to each of approximately 75 deserving students selected annually, making it the largest private scholarship for two-year and community college transfer students in the country.

Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational expenses – including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees – for the final two to three years necessary to achieve a bachelor’s degree. Awards vary by individual, based on the cost of tuition as well as other grants or scholarships he or she may receive.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

• Be a current student at an accredited U.S. community college or two-year institution with sophomore status by December 31, 2013, or a recent graduate (since spring 2009).
• Plan to enroll full time in a baccalaureate program at an accredited college or university in fall 2014.
• Have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.5 or better on a scale of 4.0 (or the equivalent).
• Demonstrate significant unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with family income up to $95,000. However, we anticipate that a majority of scholarship recipients will be eligible to receive a Pell grant.
• Have not previously been nominated for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.

While the Foundation considers academic excellence first in evaluating candidates, successful applicants must also demonstrate unmet financial need, which has two components:

• Education costs that are appreciably greater than the total amount of other scholarships or grant awards.
• Insufficient student and family income to meet educational costs.

For more information, please contact the designated Faculty Representative at your school.

Morris K. Udall Scholarship

National Deadline for Morris K. Udall -- March 3, 2015 (Note: institutional deadlines may be earlier. Please check with your faculty representative.)

In 2014, the Foundation awarded 50 Udall scholarships of up to $5000 and 50 honorable mentions to sophomore and junior level college students committed to careers related to the environment, tribal public policy, or Native American health care. They will offer a similar number in the next application cycle in 2015.

Scholarships are offered in any of three categories:

• Students who have demonstrated commitment to careers related to the environment; or
• Native American and Alaska Native students who have demonstrated commitment to careers related to tribal public policy; or
• Native American and Alaska Native students who have demonstrated commitment to careers related to Native health care.

The Udall Foundation seeks future leaders across a wide spectrum of environmental fields, including policy, engineering, science, education, urban planning and renewal, business, health, justice, and economics. Be a matriculated sophomore or junior-level student at a two-year or four-year accredited institution of higher education, pursuing a bachelor's or associate's degree during the 2015-2016 academic year.

• "Sophomore" is defined as a student who has completed at least one year of full-time undergraduate study and intends at least two more years of full-time undergraduate study beginning in fall 2015.
• "Junior" is defined as a student who intends at least one more year of full-time undergraduate study beginning in fall 2015.
• Students may apply for funding in both their sophomore and junior years; 3rd time applicants, however, will not be eligible.