Elizabeth 鈥淏eth鈥� Robinson was in the first Robinson Center Early Entrance Program class and is now the chief financial officer of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Beth will visit the Seattle campus during HuskyFest to share her story with current students and alumni through her talk, 鈥淔rom College Student to Political Appointee.鈥�
Author: Undergraduate Academic Affairs
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Reviewed 9/22
Recipients of UAA Recognition Awards, 1999-2013
Award for Excellence
Recognition Event Quick Links
Award announcements and Week of Recognition to be celebrated later in the summer.
Kirsten Atik
Kay Balston
Cathy Beyer
Ray Carlsen
Jodene Davis
Janice DeCosmo
Ken Etzkorn
Jerry Gillmore
Miriam Goldstein
Jennifer Harris
Ran Hennes
Jason Johnson
Michaelann Jundt
Brook Kelly
Janet Kime
Beret Kischner
Joanna Loss
Nana Lowell
Sharon Minton
Ellen Mosolf
Dick Newcomb
Tracy Nyerges
Patrick Roberts
Dick Simkins
Christine Stickler
Julie Villegas
Pat Wrobel
Donald Zongker
Outstanding Achievement Award
David Aldrich/Brad Bell/Tim Batzel (IT Team)
Tim Batzel and Eric Barnum (team award)
Brad Bell
Jeanne Bayer
Alyson Boyd
Jason Boyd
Cynthia Caci
Robin Chang
Peg Cheng
Rod Davis
Thomas Dicken
Jennifer Dow
Wendy Durant
Meg Estep
Nichole Fazio
Michelle Hall
Laura Harrington
Nancy Hines
Roberta Hopkins
Carole Hsiao
Ryan Hursh
Michelle Hutchinson
Linda Kemnitzer
Beret Kischner
Francesca Lo
Ryan Luk
Mona Pitre-Collins
Terry Rustan
Jennifer Stock
Aley Willis
Team Award:
Mary Gates Endow. 10 Year Anniversary Team:
Kirsten Atik, Jodene Davis, Aly Vander Stoep
Outstanding Student Employee Award
Jen Ainslie
Rebecca Anderson
Venus Azimi
Siw Bay-Hensen
Devan Berkley
Katie Boyajian
Molly Boyajian
Michelle Burce
Amanda Burrows
Gavin Campbell
Jacob Caylor
Martha Chan
Jean Chau
Raquel Chavez
Brenda Coulson
Bayle Conrad
Tamara Cutler
Matt Dela Cruz
Claire Fraczek
Anne Grant
Rachel Hagen
Laura Harrington
Emily James
Alison Johnston
Maret Kane
Kelly May Kirkland
Mikki Kressbach
Laptop & Data Projector Loan Program Team
Jamie Lee
Joel Leshefka
Chelsea McPherson
Courtney Moran
Natelie Moretz
Marlee Mukai
Tuyen Nguyen
Elizabeth Perrigue
Matt Plotkin
POE Student Team
Sunaro Prom
Kristen Rudlang
Jill Salo & Dave Nutting
Jessica Salvador
Trey Schenold
Devon Smith
Mandy Strange
Dough Waugh
Janelle White
Two UW students selected Rhodes Scholars
Byron Gray and Cameron Turtle, 乱伦社区 seniors, are among 32 Rhodes Scholars named for 2012. The UW is the only public university in the nation with more than one new scholar. Gray and Turtle responded to a few questions we posed. Read the Q&A and a digest of media coverage of the scholarship announcements.
Dare to Dream with the UW Dream Project
On Saturday, April 21, the 乱伦社区 Dream Project will host its inaugural Dare to Dream fundraiser in the HuskyFest pavilion on Red Square. Through spoken word, music, dance and conversation, you’ll learn how the Dream Project teaches college students to help high school students get to and through college, and how you can transform the lives of students in our community.
Watch this two-minute video to learn more about this fun event–it’s an event you don’t want to miss!
Inspired service in rural Kenya
UAA alumnus Peter Kithene gave the keynote address at the 2011 乱伦社区 donor gala, held in Suzzallo Library鈥檚 Graduate Reading Room. As an undergraduate, Peter started the Mama Maria health clinics to bring much-needed healthcare to his home village in rural Kenya as well as other rural places in Kenya.
Robinson Center deepens work with the help of a new advisory board
The Robinson Center is a national leader for developing programs that serve highly capable young pre-college and college students. In 2011, the Robinson Center created an advisory board to support the mission of and promote the Center, suggest and discuss program development, and reach out to the campus, gifted, and broader communities. Meet the board members!
UAA alumni educate and inspire
Each of us can point to a teacher who鈥檚 made a difference in our lives鈥攕omeone who鈥檚 challenged us to live up to our potential, follow our dreams, discover our talents and how we can contribute to the world. This fall, we鈥檙e celebrating back-to-school with a focus on some UAA alumni who are now teachers. Maybe they鈥檒l remind you of a teacher who鈥檚 inspired you.
Tim Harris: Academic pride in Motor City
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Tim Harris (鈥�10), an Honors alumnus and former student employee of First Year Programs, is currently a volunteer with Teach For America in Detroit at the Marvin L. Winans Academy of Performing Arts. After receiving encouragement from friends and family to participate in Teach For America, and not having a solid post-graduation plan, he enrolled in the program. However, he didn鈥檛 feel the inspiration to teach until he was actually in his teaching job, and connecting with students. 鈥淢y students make me want to teach. Every day I walk into the classroom, and I know that I have some of the brightest minds in the country, but because of the lack of resources my students have had in the past, they haven鈥檛 been able to demonstrate their genius.鈥�
Curiosity and commitment inspire Tim. 鈥淚n my students, I call it the 鈥橲o what you鈥檙e saying鈥� moment. Whenever my students are able to respond to discussions, labs, or lessons with a 鈥橲o, what you鈥檙e saying is鈥︹�� and build a valid point, [it] gives me chills. Or, when students ask 鈥榳hy鈥� or 鈥檋ow鈥� and are relentless in getting an answer, I feel the urge to support them in answering these questions.鈥� And what about when students get frustrated? 鈥淚 am always re-inspired whenever a student says 鈥業鈥檓 going to get this.鈥� Pushing through adversity is a challenge that is important to the success of students, and to see that in my classroom makes me proud.鈥�
Tim鈥檚 number one influence is his dad. 鈥淚 learned how to network from him, how to stay organized, and how to keep my car running. He never had a college education, yet he has incredible social intelligence. Despite the countless hours he puts in at work鈥攈e sacrifices a lot for his family鈥攈e always made sure that my siblings and I [were] supported, so that we could attend college.鈥�
Pushing him to ask questions even when he thought he had the answer, Tim鈥檚 high school English teacher, Mrs. Martin, taught him the most in school. 鈥淪o I guess all the Google searches and general quandaries I鈥檝e had about the world are a result of her. I appreciated that she got me so energized that I had to take ownership of my own learning.鈥�
Tim is teaching advanced placement chemistry to seniors this year, and was initially concerned that his students would be too intimidated to handle the high level of work. He was proven wrong. These students are 鈥渙n a mission. [They] come to class and work immediately. Students鈥� frustrations turn into motivation to get the right answers. Students support one another; when one student dropped out of [advanced placement], the rest rallied to get her back to the class.鈥�
In the classroom, Tim doesn鈥檛 have a motto鈥攈is students came up their own. 鈥淸They] came up with their own chant that they yell at the top of their lungs at the end of every day. It goes, 鈥榃e鈥檙e smart, and we know it, and we ain鈥檛 afraid to show it, AP chemistry!鈥� For students to be so proud of their intelligence is remarkable.鈥�
Since this is Tim鈥檚 second year as a Teach For America corps member, his commitment to the program will finish in spring 2012. 鈥淭he current game plan is to be in medical school by the age of 30; so I have a six-year plan. That gives me six years to travel the world, pick up a new hobby, learn how to make the perfect guacamole, and make a positive impact on 10,000 lives. I鈥檇 like to see my juniors get into the college of their dreams; I鈥檒l need one more year in the classroom to do that. But there are a few other opportunities I鈥檓 looking into right now, in education and elsewhere, but we鈥檒l just have to wait to see.鈥�
Angel Corral: Speaking her truth in South LA
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Angel Corral (鈥�10) is currently a first year teacher at a high school in Watts, South Los Angeles, California. She teaches biology and anatomy and physiology to 10th and 11th graders. She鈥檚 also in her last quarter of graduate school at UCLA, and will receive a master鈥檚 degree in urban education in December 2011.
Angel was always involved with youth, but didn鈥檛 consider it for a profession until she started working with preschoolers through Jumpstart. 鈥淚t was there that I really was made aware about the inequities occurring in education today and became reflective of my own experiences in school.鈥� It was at that point that she began taking classes in the UW College of Education and receiving a minor in education. She seriously pursued teaching under the mentorship of Ruby Linsao, a site manager of Jumpstart at the time, and Daniel Carrillo, associate site manager, and education minor adviser Jenee Myers-Twitchell. Their advice helped Angel develop a clear vision of how she wanted to make an impact on the world.
Angel finds inspiration from her colleagues; other first year teachers with whom she has created a support system to deal with challenges and victories in teaching. She鈥檚 also inspired by her high school students striving to graduate and go on to college in spite of institutional and historical roadblocks in their education as a result of their backgrounds. 鈥淚 am inspired by theorists like Paolo Freire, bell hooks, and Gloria Anzaldua, all revolutionary thinkers who believe truly in empowering the people in dictating their own lives. I am inspired by my professors, both at UW and UCLA, who provided me the necessary knowledge to become a great teacher and instilled in me the goal 鈥榯o know, care, and act鈥� about my students鈥� lives and education.鈥�
Angel鈥檚 biggest influence has been Daren Chamberlin, the lead teacher she worked with at Denise Louie Education Center all through her Jumpstart tenure. By working with Teacher Daren, she learned the importance of having a positive, trusting, teacher-student relationship. 鈥淭eacher Daren, who himself is highly influenced by Paolo Freire, displays in his interactions with his students a value in their self-worth and presence in the classroom. In observing his teaching, even at 3, 4, and 5 years old, I see how much respect, care, and love he has for his students and their education. In return, I see the students鈥� love back for their teacher. I only hope to be as great as Teacher Daren and create the rapport with my students that he has with his.鈥�
鈥淚 learned the most from teachers that showed the most interest in my future: my 7th grade teacher who pushed me and my family to apply for a scholarship that eventually helped me receive an amazing education at a prestigious private high school; my UW Exploration Seminar professors Ursula Valdez and Tim Billo, whom allowed me the opportunity to explore the natural world and find the importance of it in my life. Currently my students every day teach and push me to be a better teacher, far more than any class, seminar, or professor could do.鈥�
Angel鈥檚 best moments at work are her Friday afternoons. 鈥淲orking in Watts is definitely overwhelming and every day on the job is life changing, so I need to take the time on Fridays to critically reflect [on] the day-to-day experiences I am having. I have become proud of myself for putting in the time and effort that I do, despite the exhaustion and frustration that comes with the job.鈥�
Angel鈥檚 classroom is a place she wants students to be comfortable, believing that while asking her students to be truthful with her, she wants to do the same by sharing herself and experiences with the students to relate and build positive relationships. 鈥淎bove my desk in my classroom, I have a sign that says: 鈥淪PEAK YOUR TRUTH,鈥� a phrase I constantly emphasize with my students. It is important for me for my students to be real with me and peers about their experiences and their opinions of life and science. Especially because in greater society, urban youth often do not have a voice or a space to say their opinions, it is important for me to provide them just that.鈥�
Supanika 鈥淪ue鈥� Ordonez: Preferring 鈥榙ifficult鈥� students
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Supanika 鈥淪ue鈥� Ordonez (鈥�08), an international studies major, thought she would enter the professional world of international relations, having grown up around the world with her father, a United States diplomat. That changed for Sue after she began volunteering through Jumpstart. 鈥淥nce I started in the pre-school classroom, I knew that this was where I wanted to be. It amazed me how much progress these kids made within that year and it was a powerful feeling knowing that you helped that occur.鈥�
Inspired by the preschool students she teaches at the Lummi Indian Headstart in Bellingham, Sue is conscious of the fact that many have difficult lives from the beginning, whether it鈥檚 because they were born to parents with substance abuse problems or are part of the foster care system, school is often the safe haven for these children. 鈥淢y favorite students are always the ones that other teachers label as 鈥榙ifficult.鈥� Event when I鈥檓 not feeling well, I will make it to the classroom because you never know if you鈥檙e the one consistent adult in these children鈥檚 lives.鈥�
Sue credits her close family friend, Kelly Hower, with really encouraging Sue to follow her dream of teaching, inspiring her to integrate personal life experiences into the classroom, and helping her realize that being a teacher doesn鈥檛 stop once the kids leave the classroom. 鈥淪he keeps in touch with their families, has lunch with her former students, and checks in with them in their new classes. There really should be more cooperation between teachers and she provides such a great model for it.鈥�
College of Education faculty member Gail Joseph influenced Sue鈥檚 teaching, emphasizing the development of social-emotional competence in children. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to teach reading, writing, or math skills if a child cannot regulate their emotions,鈥� said Sue. 鈥淚 think many adults grow up without developing these skills and it makes it hard for them later in life. If children are able to get these skills this early, it will set them up to succeed as they will be able to work past failure, maintain positive relationships, and be able to solve problems.鈥�
This past year was Sue鈥檚 first year having her own preschool classroom, and several children had very challenging behavior, including a little girl who screamed for everything. Sue鈥檚 best day at work came after spending the week working on emotions, showing the kids the different reactions for different occurrences. The little girl went into the bathroom and came out trembling. 鈥淚 went into the bathroom and found a spider. I was able to remove it and she was able to go to the bathroom. Had it been a week earlier, she would have just stood there screaming and I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to help her. But through that lesson, I was able to help her classify her emotions and let me know what she was trying to say.鈥�
Sue鈥檚 classroom motto is 鈥淲hat happened?鈥� and over the years she鈥檚 found her teaching assistants and children following her lead. 鈥淐onflict is usually never as simple as 鈥楬e hit me;鈥� there is usually a second side to the story and it鈥檚 important to let the children have time to be heard. Once you have heard both sides, you can summarize what happened and talk about things that they can do differently the next time. Having children in the classroom over 3 years is powerful because you can really see them take these lessons to heart when you see them start the process on their own.鈥�