Telling the Story of Diversity at the
University of Washington / Fall 2014
1oth Anniversary Edition
The HUSKY EXPERIENCE Helping UW students become leaders, critical thinkers and global citizens
FALL 2014
viewpoint
:: Telling the Story of Diversity at the University of Washington
P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E U W A LU M N I A S S O C I AT I O N I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H T H E U W O F F I C E O F M I N O R I T Y A F FA I R S & D I V E R S I T Y
“Why are there no people like us,Dad?” Editor’s Note: Steve Gonzalez, an associate justice of the Washington State Supreme Court, is only the second person of color to serve since the court was created in 1853. The first was Charles Z. Smith, ’55, (right) who was appointed in 1988 and served until his retirement in 2002 (he is one of Gonzalez’s mentors). Here is Gonzalez’s first-person account of what happened when he took his family to the Temple of Justice in Olympia for his swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 9, 2012: In the halls next to the courtroom in the Temple of Justice, outside the clerk’s office, hang the pictures of every justice who has retired from the court. As I showed our boys my new workplace, our then 7-year-old son looked at the pictures and asked me: “Why are they all white, Dad? Why are there no people like us?” I promised him it would change. I showed him the one photo of Justice Smith at the far end of the hallway. Otherwise, there were no pictures of people of color. Today, six of the nine justices are women and two are people of color. Still, the portraits do not show diversity. I would like people visiting the Temple of Justice to see diversity. All children who visit should dream big dreams and imagine themselves on the court. So, I introduced Alfredo M. Arreguin, ’67, ’69, my dear friend and a gifted artist, to Justice Smith and his wife, Eleanor, with the hope that Alfredo would paint a portrait of the jurist. Now, my dream is for children to see it hanging in the Temple of Justice. That dream came true on May 20, 2014. Image courtesy Alfredo Arreguin.
ON THE COVER
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Paulette Jordan, ’03, of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, was photographed on July 15, 2014 in Shelton, Wash., by Anil Kapahi.
V I E W P O I N T : : U Wa l u m . c o m / v i e w p o i n t
| 10th Anniversary Edition |
The HUSKY EXPERIENCE
Our family was mired in generations of poverty. We knew a college education was our way out. So we turned to the UW. Here’s our story. By Maurice Sabado
Our Path Out of Poverty
THE SABADO FAMILY Back row left to right: Keith, Phillip, Ron and Paul. Middle row left to right: Maurecia, Maria and Maurice. Front row left to right: June and Elizabeth.
In This Issue The Instructional Center 5 The Husky Experience 6 Emile Pitre [ The Viewpoint Interview ] 13 MAP Bridging the Gap Breakfast 16
The UW Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity had a profound impact on our minority family, facilitating its transformation from absolute poverty to middle-class families, whose second-generation members and beyond, are degreed professionals now living the American dream. Our parents, father Maurice Maylaya Sabado, Filipino-Spanish, and mother Anne Helena Schram, German, had nine children, born in three states. Our Filipino-American family history began in July 1938, when my father and mother married in Bismarck, N.D. Dad got a job at Lockheed in Los Angeles in 1942, building airplanes for the war effort. When the war ended and our soldiers came home, our father was laid off. Without work and with five children to support, my dad left to work for a relative in an Alaskan cannery for the summer. After he made good wages during the fishing months, he sent for us to move to Seattle. Our father started as a rivet-bucker at Boeing, and later became a sealer, for which he received hazard pay. We first lived in Duwamish Bend, a Seattle housing project for war veterans. Papa held three jobs, supplementing his Boeing wages as an elevator operator at a downtown hotel, and as a waiter on the weekends. Eventually, there were 11 of us living in an 850-square-foot, two-bedroom home in a bluecollar neighborhood of South Seattle. While growing up there in the late ’40s and ’50s, we were one of a very few minority families in our neighborhood. Our house was modest and sat on a long, narrow lot with neighbors living closely on both sides. The best part of our property was the empty lot in back that stretched all the way to the next street, which we farmed. Our mother was very sick during our formative years, so June and Maurice were the surrogate parents. The five older children helped by working odd jobs and providing some stability to the younger ones. June, Maurice, Ron, Paul and Joan would have long conversations about how to break the cycle of poverty. We noted that upward mobility could still be attained with university degrees, and we all agreed to attempt this transformational change. Five of the Sabado siblings graduated from universities, four from the UW with a range of assistance from OMA&D. A sixth sibling also attended the UW. Maurice entered UW after graduating from Highline College (2005 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year) and was accepted into the College of Engineering. He became a mechanical engineer and was recruited to join General Atomic Co. as one of five principal designers of the first commercial-designed thermonuclear fusion reactor. He was then recruited to the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and later joined Science Applications International Corp. June Eleanor Ollero (Sabado) and Ronald Dean Sabado both graduated from UW with degrees in business administration. June went on to have an illustrious career with the Department of Energy (DOE). Ron started as a DOE auditor, and became the West Coast Manager of the Department of Defense Contract Audit Agency. He is now a professor at Highline College. Paul Gregory Sabado graduated in business administration and became CEO of Pacific Northwest Banks. The other siblings each have their own success stories and several of their children have graduated from UW and other universities. We now have fifth-generation family members and it takes a rented hall to have family events.
Turn to page 6 for interviews with other alumni of color to learn how UW transformed their lives.
the story of diversity at the UW
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HERE IS NO DOUBT that students who attend the University of Washington receive a world-class education. But what sets the UW apart is its ability to facilitate learning that extends past the classroom walls. Study abroad, research, workplace education programs and community service projects help students discover the skills and potential to become global citizens, critical thinkers and community leaders. Through the Husky Experience, they come away with much more than a diploma. The Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) plays a vital role in the efforts to make
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HIS FALL MARKS AN important milestone for the board members, advisers and friends of the Multicultural Alumni Partnership (MAP)— we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary at our annual Bridging the Gap Breakfast with the theme: “20 Years: Diversity, Scholarships, and Alumni Recognition.” MAP was founded in 1994 by a group of multicultural UW alumni and friends, led by longtime UW supporters and community leaders Vivian O. Lee and Dr. Larry Matsuda. After extensive interviews with UW staff, alumni, students and community members, they found broad support for a UWAA affiliate dedicated to diversity in the alumni community and on campus. This resulted
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this experience possible. For instance, the Instructional Center provides a foundation for developing lifelong learning skills. The Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center provides a home for students to cultivate leadership skills and cultural understanding. Not to mention the many ways in which we work with units across campus to facilitate study abroad, internship and research participation. OMA&D is proud to collaborate with The Graduate School, Division of Student Life and Undergraduate Academic Affairs in an effort to enhance the opportunities that are available to all students regardless of their major and help
them be strategic about their time at the UW. We also need to increase support to ensure that all students can benefit from the Husky Experience because so many of them face financial barriers which hinder their ability to participate in activities outside the classroom. Our vision is that everyone will have access to a meaningful and transformative educational experience at the UW. We invite you to become a part of this important work by supporting scholarships, offering internships or participating in alumni engagement programs. Help us provide boundless opportunities for all of our students.
in the approval of the thenUWAA Board for the very first and only UWAA special-interest group focused on promoting and advocating for diversity. In the 20 years since, MAP has established ongoing programs supporting its core mission, including the MAP Scholarship Program, which has given scholarships to 92 bright UW students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and raised more than $645,000 for the UWAA MAP Endowed Scholarship Fund at our flagship event for diversity, the MAP Bridging the Gap Breakfast, which is held on Homecoming Saturday. There we also honor alumni of color and others for their achievements in the community and diversity. MAP wouldn’t have made
it this far without key partnerships with several UW coalitions, including the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity. MAP is also supported by an incredible group of dedicated board members who are all volunteers. Like the individuals you will read about in this issue of Viewpoint, these board members are UW alumni whose development in leadership, community engagement and public service was largely shaped by their UW student experiences. Our generous sponsors and supporters have also made our success possible. Lastly, MAP also depends on alumni like you who believe in our values and mission. We hope to see you on Oct. 25th to celebrate 20 years—and the next 20!
Sheila Edwards Lange Ph.D., ’00, ’06 / Vice President for Minority Affairs Vice Provost for Diversity
AN I L KAPaHI
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MA RY LEVIN
points of view
Carmela Lim ’05 / MAP President, 2014-2016
H U S K Y E XPE RI E N C E
THE INSTRUCTIONAL CENTER
Resources for Students
Classes, community equal success
A NIL KA PA H I
are committed to promoting the academic success of our students, their development as scholars and soon-to-be professionals. The instructors also serve as mentors and help students develop the scholarly skills for lifelong learning. At the IC, students develop friendships and find a wonderful learning community of peers. It’s a very special place.” Teaching is in Mar’s blood; besides her classroom work at the IC, she also taught math and statistics at the UW Robinson Center for Young Scholars and she has been a guest lecturer in the Department of Environmental Health, where she gave lectures on such topics as toxicology and air pollution epidemiology. The Instructional Center provides students with a home away from home, according to Dr. Therese Mar (above), the center’s director. Besides overseeing Instructional Center operations, Mar will continue to spend nearly half of her time teaching math. “It’s BY JON MARMOR really important to keep in contact with the students,” she says. “It keeps us focused so we don’t lose sight of what we do. Teaching is the most important part of the Instructional Center.” If you would like to support the Instructional Center’s efforts to WO BLOCKS FROM CAMPUS, one of the Office of replace its aging facility, go to giving.uw.edu/instructionalcenter. Minority Affairs & Diversity’s most important pro—Jon Marmor is editor of Viewpoint grams not only helps thousands of Educational Opportunity Program and OMA&D students with their schoolwork, but provides them with a home away from home. Since 1970, the OMA&D Instructional Center has taught underrepresented-minority, economically and educationally disadTHE D CENTER vantaged, and first-generation college students a wide range of academic subjects as well as study skills. But now, the Instructional Center needs a new home. Tiny, technologically outdated classrooms are often filled to capacity, and during study review sessions or finals weeks, it can be standingFOR THOSE COMMITTED TO Sekins fought for the idea as room-only in the cramped building, which was originally home to disability rights at UW, the an undergrad and continued a dog-food factory. Building a new, expanded facility is just one of very existence of the D Center to advocate as a grad student the goals Dr. Therese Mar set her sights on when she was named in Mary Gates Hall is cause for when the formal D Center the center’s director in July. celebration. proposal, authored by ASUW “I would also like to improve student access to our services, While the D Center—a space Student Disability Commisand to develop supplementary courses or seminars that focus on for groups like the Autistic Self sion Director Ann Luetzow, ’12, study skills and learning strategies,” says Mar, who has taught at Advocacy Network, People and Monica Olsson, ’11, was the center for the past 11 years. “I would also like to work on tuFirst of Washington, and the made in 2012. tor-training programs, and to expand collaborations between the Disability Advocacy Student “The D Center was estabcenter and other OMA&D units, academic departments and other Alliance to hold meetings, and lished so that students with campus partners.” for students to do homework disabilities and deaf students Since its inception, the Instructional Center has been a nationor just hang out—has only could have a space on campus al model for the way it helps students achieve academic success been open since April 2013, its that they could call their own,” and build community. establishment was the fruit says Sekins, ’08, ’13, asset “We are like a family here,” continues Mar, ’88, ’91, ’98, a Seatof years of effort and rooted building coordinator for the tle native. “The IC is like a second home for students. Instructors in student activism. Emerson Washington Access Fund.
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By the numbers 1970 Year that doors opened
2,500 Number of students who use the center each year
90 Percentage of student-tutors who go on to attend graduate or professional school
9 Number of subjects taught: math, engineering, chemistry, biology, social sciences, computer science, economics and accounting
35,000 Number of students who have used the center since 1976
IC Reunion Mixer October 23, 2014 / 5-8 p.m., Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center For more information contact: Priya Frank (fpriya@uw.edu) or washington.edu/omad/ic-reunion/
A home for students with disabilities UW’s is only the second center of its kind in the nation. It is partially funded by the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity, but Luetzow took the additional—and rigorous—step of applying for SAF (Services & Activities Fee) funding, crucial for an organization with no permanent staffing. The support of Disability Studies Program faculty members Dennis Lang and Joanne Woiak was vital. “For now,” says Luetzow, “the work is spreading the word about the D Center.”
the story of diversity at the UW
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HUSKY EXPERIENCE The
COVER STORY
At the University of Washington, pursuing a degree is
just one part of the experience. A wide range of opportunities exist inside and outside of the classroom that help students shape their skills and personal development around several outcomes including cultural understanding, community engagement and public service, career strategy and leadership. In this cover story, five alumni of color describe in their own words how the Husky Experience impacted their lives. INTERVIEWS BY
JULIE GARNER
PHOTOS BY
A N I L K A PA H I
See more alumni profiles at UWalum.com/viewpoint 6
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H U S K Y E XPE RI E N C E
Abel Pacheco Jr. Hometown: Los Angeles Master of Public Administration, ’12 Communications & Program Specialist, Seattle Police Foundation; Adjunct Professor, North Seattle College
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rowing up, my oldest sister would tell me, “Abel, it’s smart for you to learn from your own mistakes, but it’s genius to learn from the mistakes of others.” That is why I have always sought out mentors. During my time at the UW, I took advantage of every opportunity available, and as a result, I learned from many different individuals about how to best navigate my career. My career goals have remained the same, but I’m better prepared because of my graduate-student experience to make those goals a reality. As a student of color, I greatly appreciated the Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program (GO-MAP). Unfortunately, there aren’t many students of color in graduate programs; however, the staff and my fellow students in GO-MAP made the greatest efforts to ensure that students had the resources to succeed. Regardless of graduate program, field of study, motivation, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender, we all supported each other. For everyone involved in the program, it was about succeeding and completing graduate school, not who you are as a person. I’ve continued this approach with the various organizations I’m affiliated with to ensure that we succeed.
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H U S K Y E XPE RI EN C E
Focus: Community Engagement / Public Service
Dorender Dankwa Hometown: Edmonds (born in Ghana) Neurobiology, ’14 Researcher, Seattle Biomed
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or me, even applying to college was difficult because I was a first-generation student. Once I got into the UW, I knew that I wanted to be with other students like me, and I learned that a student is someone who serves. I worked for OMA&D, talked on panels, gave tours, helped applicants with their college essays and volunteered as a peer TA for a biology class. I served as a mentor because of what I went through myself. I want to get my M.D./Ph.D. doing biomedical research. I learned that the community invested a lot in me, especially through the Husky Promise and other scholarships I received. One activity that was really important to me was Ghanian Women of Washington State. Many of them don’t have a college education. They can’t easily access computer classes or gyms or getting assistance to sign up for health care. I helped organize these events. That’s the community that raised me and I was passionate about that. I was also part of Education Transforming Public Health, teaching homeless adults in Seattle. Giving back to the community is important.
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H U S K Y E XPE RI E N C E
Focus: Community Engagement / Public Service
Bryan Dosono Hometown: Wapato, Wash. Human-Computer Interaction, ’13 Ph.D. Student, Syracuse University
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oming to college as a low-income, firstgeneration student meant that I had to find my own funding and career path without any of the direction provided to most of my peers. Knowing that my parents would not have the financial resources to fund my higher education, I worked diligently to apply for scholarships and grants that fully covered my expenses. Choosing an area of study was surprisingly simple: my frustration with the lack of access to technology in my hometown drove me to pursue research in the interdisciplinary field of informatics so that I could address the social-justice issue of bridging the digital divide for underserved communities. I have studied how technology, innovation and human values intersect. My passion for analyzing and solving problems is reflected in the creativity I bring to designing and creating secure information systems, user interfaces and mobile technologies. I hope to transform scholarship into action by creating opportunities for others through technology. With the training and credibility of a Ph.D. in Information Science and Technology (and an added focus on Public Management and Policy), I aim to become the next Chief Information Officer for the United States of America so I can directly influence how information is disseminated to vulnerable populations and create opportunities for these communities through technology. I aspire to bridge the gap between engineers, policy makers, scientists and other key national stakeholders in transforming the landscape of the nation’s information infrastructure so that underserved places like my Yakama Reservation back home can benefit from improved technology access. the story of diversity at the UW
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H U S K Y E XPE RI EN C E
Focus: Leadership
Cordell Carter Hometown: Portsmouth, Va. Political Science, ’98 U.S. Chief of Staff, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
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had immediate opportunities to lead with the Residence Hall Student Association (now called the Residential Community Student Association). As a freshman house representative, I attended weekly meetings. Later, I joined ASUW, and led the Office of Academic Affairs for a year and a half. Then I led a new Freshman Interest Group and was elected vice president of ASUW in ’97 and ’98. These opportunities gave me a great chance to fail. I remember and am haunted by these experiences. They got me comfortable in leadership roles. As soon as I got out of graduate school, I worked as consultant for IBM, where I had the opportunity to work with leadership. For me, UW set the expectation that you are a leader. There’s a civic culture on campus. UW has a global outlook. We have an impact on the world; it’s a place where people study abroad and joining the Peace Corps was a big deal. The choices I have made about where to live and travel and the desire to be a global citizen, started at the UW.
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H U S K Y E XPE RI E N C E
Focus: Cultural Understanding
Paulette Jordan Hometown: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Communications, Comparative Literature and American Indian Studies, ’03 Director, Enrollment Department, Coeur D’ Alene Tribe; Finance Chair and Executive Board, National Indian Gaming Association
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oing to the UW, there are so many international folks and people from other walks of life that it opened my worldview. When you learn from others’ perspectives, you can empathize, connect culturally and build partnerships. Getting involved with First Nations was my starting point with engagement. I was able to interact with other students, student athletic director, the Seattle City Council and the governor. Over the years, we were partners and we grew to understand each other’s concerns. For example, when we were trying to bring the Pow Wow back to the UW, my first initiative was to try to bring it back to Hec Ed Pavilion. I worked closely with the president, the vice provost and the vice president of OMA&D. The President’s Minority Community Advisory Committee was so encouraging. Working with these diverse groups and leaders made me feel like I was actually doing something productive. I learned that speaking up and advocating makes a difference.
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in the news Three Native American faculty members have joined the UW: Chris Teuton, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is the new chair of American Indian Studies; Stephanie Fryberg, a member of the Tulalip Tribe, has been hired in American Indian Studies and psychology; and Sven Haakanson, a member of the Alutiiq in Alaska, is a new associate professor of anthropology and curator of Native American Anthropology at the Burke Museum. Warren Brown, ’93, ’09, is the new president of North Seattle College. He had been executive vice president for instruction and student services at Seattle Central College. The UW Korea Studies Program at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies was named in honor of former state Sen. Paull Shin, ’69. He was the first Korean American legislator in Washington when he was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1992. He tirelessly promoted the program and helped secure $4 million in funding for it. Phyllis Fletcher, ’00, ’11, was named managing editor of Northwest News Network (N3).
The Academy of American Poets presented its prestigious 2014 Walt Whitman Award to Hannah Sanghee Park, ’08, for her manuscript The Same-Different, which will be published by Louisiana State University Press in 2015. Park is a student in the Writing for Screen & Television Program at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
HANNAH SANGHEE PARK, ’08
Jill Mangaliman, ’03, was named executive director of Got Green, a Seattle-area grassroots group that promotes an equitable, green economy as the best way to fight poverty and global warming at the same time. Two alumni were appointed by President Obama to serve on the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Diane Narasaski, ’77, director of the Seattle-based Asian American
Counseling and Referral Service; and Michael Byun, ’97, ’02, executive director of the Ohio-based Asian Services in Action, Inc. Five alumni were honored at the “Rising Stars: Young Female Professionals Making a Difference” banquet in May: Andrea CortesBeltran, ’12, Boeing industrial engineer; Annya Pintak, ’13, connection desk program manager at Global to Local; State Rep. Mia Gregerson, ’97; Monisha Harrell, ’02, ’09, political consultant; and Marci Nakano, ’99, program and event manager for the Executive Development Institute. A new shellfish restoration hatchery opened in Manchester by NOAA has been named in honor of professor emeritus Kenneth K. Chew, ’58. Chew was a specialist in replenishing depleted shellfish species. Brad Miyake, ’79, was named city manager for the City of Bellevue. He has spent 23 years working for Bellevue as deputy city manager, utilities director and budget manager. Hiroshi Nakano, ’77, was named to the Washington Health Benefit Exchange board. He is CEO of NeoSpine, a spine surgery and pain management practice in Puyallup.
Appointed to Seattle Mayor Ed Murray’s Income Inequality Advisory Committee were Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell, ’81, ’84, and Pamela Banks, ’81, president of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle. Ground was broken in February on Hirabayashi Place, a new housing development in Seattle’s historic Japantown district. The complex, developed by the InterIm CDA, is named for Seattle native Gordon Hirabayashi, ’46, ’49, ’52, who protested the forcible removal of Japanese Americans during World War II. Greg Lewis, ’94, is the new chief development officer for the Boys and Girls Club of King County. The former Husky football star spent the past 14 years working at the UW, most recently as a senior director of advancement for the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity. Lori Matsukawa, ’96, was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle. The honor is for those who have worked in TV media for at least 25 years. She has been a news anchor at KING-5 for the past 31 years and is the academy’s first Asian American Silver Circle inductee.
recruit more students of color to the UW, died April 11. He also helped found The Breakfast Group, an organization of African-American male business leaders to serve as mentors to students who had been expelled from school or were at risk of being kicked out. He was 75. Betty Jean Crouch Ogawa, ’67, a cross-cultural consultant specializing in Japan-U.S. orientations, died May 16. Charles Edward Phillips, ’72, the first African-American student in the UW MEDEX Physician Assistant training program, died May 4. He was 82.
Mitsuye Mitzi Sakaguchi, ’88, who worked on a UW research study looking into the effects of aging on first-generation Japanese Americans, died April 12. She was 73. Matthew M. Seto, ’47, ’08, who received a Congressional Gold Medal for his service in the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence Corps during World War II, died March 18. He was 93. Zenji Shibayama, ’49, who received a Congressional Gold Medal for his service in military intelligence during World War II, died March 11. He was 89. Warren Koichi Suzuki, ’08, who worked for 34 years as a civil engineer at Seattle City Light,
Professor Tetsuden Kashima admires the new cherry trees— 18 for campus and 14 for the Washington Park Arboretum— provided to the UW by the people of Japan, with the assistance of the Japanese Embassy and the Japan Commerce Association of Washington, D.C., Foundation. The gift honors the centennial of the 3,000 cherry trees given to Washington, D.C., by the people of Japan in 1912. A commemorative plaque will honor the Japanese students who attended the UW since 1894, as well as the Japanese Americans whose education was interrupted by their internment in camps during World War II.
in memory Stephanie M.H. Camp, professor of history, died April 2 of cancer. Her book Closer to Freedom; Enslaved Women and Everyday Resistance in the Plantation South is now in its second printing. She was 46. Luther James Carr Jr., ’69, a Husky football and track star in the 1950s, died July 1. He was 77. Anita Osias Villar Farin, ’50, who served as editor of Filipino Forum, and was Seattle’s Filipino Community Queen in 1947, died Jan. 27. She was 85. Danielle Guloy, a junior who was active in the Filipino American Student Association, died Feb. 14. She was 21.
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Gayle Matsu Hoshino, ’81, who worked at Microsoft for the past 18 years, died April 18. She was 55. Shigeki Paul Kaseguma, ’48, ’08, who worked at the Japanese Consulate in Seattle and later managed an International District furniture store, died April 4. He was 92. Glen K. Kiyonaga, ’72, ’76, a family physician in Beacon Hill, died May 31. He was 63. Frank Y. Kitamoto, ’65, a Bainbridge Island dentist, died March 15. He was 74. Herman L. McKinney, ’69, who during nine years working for The Graduate School helped
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died March 18. He was 93. Abner Thomas, mentor to UW football players for three decades, died July 27. He was 86. Edwin Wong, ’53, who was active in various Chinese community organizations in Western Washington, died April 17. He was 83. Harry R. Yamada, ’52, who spent 32 years working for Boeing, died May 19. Kenji Yamada, ’52, two-time U.S. National Judo champion who played a big role on the UW Judo Club and Team, died April 10. He served as judo tournament director for the 1990 International Goodwill Games in Seattle. He was 90.
THE VIEWPOINT INTERVIEW:
Emile Pitre
ALWAYS READY TO HELP B Y PAUL F O NTA NA
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ost days, Emile Pitre can be found in the UW Medicinal Herb Garden, snapping photos of flowers—and the bees and hummingbirds that love them. Or he’s in the UW Botany Greenhouse among the passionflowers, about which he’s, well, passionate. It’s a routine that’s likely to continue after his retirement in December as associate vice president for assessment in the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity. This tranquility harkens back to his earliest days on campus in 1967 as a graduate student in chemistry, housed in Bagley Hall, adjacent to Drumheller Fountain, with a stunning view of Rainier Vista. As welcoming as the campus and many people were—particularly in the chemistry department—he quickly discovered that the University’s commitment to diversity was lacking. Pitre was one of a group of students who was instrumental in the establishment of the Black Student Union. He also participated in the 1968 sit-in of the Administration Building, a watershed moment that led to the creation of OMA&D and the establishment of the Instructional Center (see P. 5), where Pitre began working as a tutor in 1978. “I’ve never felt better working in a place than I did there,” he says. He was named assistant director of the IC in 1985 and director in 1989, a post he would hold for more than 13 years. The reputation he built there as a mentor and friend—cemented by a willingness to avail himself on weekends and evenings—has become an oft-cited component in countless UW success stories. Many of those alumni are the primary donors to OMA&D and the Emile Pitre Fund, which supports student tutors. In recent years, Pitre, ’69, has plied his expertise in data analysis to quantify the benefits of tutoring, track student performance and offer strategies for instruction to students in introductory biology courses. He is keeping a keen eye on future targets for underrepresented students: further shrinking the graduation gap, improving performance in gateway courses in computer science and biology, and growing the scholarship funds. To his colleagues from the early Black Student Union days, Pitre remains “the keeper of the flame.” As he explains, “I feel free when I’m fighting.” PHOTO BY ANIL KAPAHI the story of diversity at the UW
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
KAREN ORD ERS
The Gift of Studying Abroad ELIZABETH CASTRO, A UW JUNIOR, spent August in Paris learning about surrealism in the City of Light and she has a woman born in 1909 to thank for it. In 2008, Katherine E. McDermott, in honor of her grandmother, Roseanna Wabel McDermott (1909–2007), established an endowed fund that is helping students who want to explore the world. “I’ve been out of the U.S. for five years but it has been a pleasure every summer to come back and see where the scholarship students are going,” says McDermott, ’00. The Roseanna Wabel McDermott Endowed Fund for Study Abroad supports such opportunities for underrepresented, economically disadvantaged and first-generation college students in the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity’s Educational Opportunity Program. Family members said that Roseanna believed in the power of education to transform lives. All of her children went on to earn degrees and travel the world. One of them, Congressman Jim McDermott, has traveled since 1989 to one of the world’s strangest places: the U.S. Congress. This year, for the first time $1,000 scholarships were given to two students. Castro, who is an International Studies major at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, says the scholarship “will allow me to not worry as much about covering my study abroad expenses.” This last year, she was part of the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) at the UW. CAMP supports students from a migrant and agricultural family background. “Thanks to CAMP, I found the resources to apply for this scholarship. It allows me to focus more on my studies and finding opportunities,” she says. Castro has traveled to Mexico to visit family in Veracruz, and when she was 17, she spent time as a junior counselor in South Korea. The trip to Paris was her first to Europe. “After completing my second year of French at the UW, I felt it was important for me to put my language skills to the test and learn more in-depth about French history and culture. This study abroad program helped give me a new, important perspective on Paris through
Katherine E. McDermott
Elizabeth Castro
literature and artwork,” she says. Amy Nguyen, a UW senior pursuing a double major in the Foster School of Business in marketing and information systems, also received a $1,000 scholarship. “The McDermott Scholarship has opened up many doors for me,” Nguyen says. “Not only will it help fund my passion to travel and my dream of studying abroad, it has also helped remind me that obstacles such as finding the money to do so should not hold me back in pursuing what I want in life.”
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A check payable to the UW Foundation is enclosed to support the UW Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity.
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Please charge my Visa, Master Card or American Express to support the UW Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity:
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If you are interested in learning more about planned giving, or would like to make a gift to support OMA&D programs, please tear and mail back this insert, or contact Priya Frank at fpriya@ uw.edu or 206-616–3085. You can also make a gift online at: uwfoundation.org/diversity
Bob and Micki Flowers Receive Gates Award
4333 Brooklyn Avenue N.E. Box 359508 Seattle, WA 98195-9508 Phone: 206-543-0540 Fax: 206-685-0611 Email: Viewpoint@ uw.edu Viewpoint on the Web UWalum.com/viewpoint
A N IL K A PA H I
FOUNDED 2004 Published by the UW Alumni Association in partnership with the UW Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity
Roy Diaz, UWAA President
viewpoint STA F F Paul Rucker
From the UWAA President
P U B LIS HE R
Jon Marmor E D ITOR
Paul Fontana A SS OCIATE E D ITOR WE B E D ITOR
Julie Garner STA FF WRITE R
Ken Shafer A R T D IRE CTOR D E S IGNE R
Erin Rowley L IA IS ON TO OFFICE OF M IN ORITY A FFA IR S & D IVE R S ITY
IT’S SO TIMELY THAT THIS ISSUE of Viewpoint is about the Husky Experience, because we at the UW Alumni Association are focusing our efforts to better serve students, parents and families in the years ahead. When students from underrepresented minority backgrounds, like me, take advantage of the opportunities afforded by an education, the possibilities are endless. Our alumni have proven time and again that they are committed to supporting higher education. And by partnering with our incoming students and their families, we can help the new generation flourish—and continue to foster the tradition of engagement and good stewardship as alumni.
“THE UW LAUNCHED US,” says Micki Flowers, ’73, who first met her future husband, Bob, on campus. Her journalism career, which spanned 31 years at KIRO TV, began at The Daily. Bob, ’65, ’68, credits his long career at Washington Mutual to his studies in the Evans School of Public Affairs. Grateful for the UW’s shaping influence in their lives, these Husky sweethearts have since transformed it through their long-term leadership and advocacy. In recognition of their profound impact, the UW Foundation has honored Bob and Micki with the 2014 Gates Volunteer Service Award. The couple devotes tremendous time, talent and energy to programs ranging from Husky sports to the Department of Communication. Fervent champions of graduate education, they have established several fellowships, including two with the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation. Bob and Micki were deeply influenced by their families, leaders and role models who put stock in actions rather than words. “You always get more back than you give,” says Micki. “We’re blessed to live in a community that appreciates volunteers, where people are willing to link arms with us.”
viewpoint ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sheila Edwards Lange, ’00, ’06
ROY DIAZ, ’94, ’96, ’02
Vice President for Minority Affairs Vice Provost for Diversity
U W A A P R E S I D E N T, 2 0 1 4 – 2 0 1 5
RYAN B YA RLAY
Paul Rucker, ’95, ’02 Associate Vice President Alumni and Constituent Relations, Chair
Bob and Micki Flowers Tamara Leonard Associate Director Center for Global Studies Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies
Carmela Lim, ’05
EVENT CALENDAR
President, Multicultural Alumni Partnership
Erin Rowley Director for Communications Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity
Kathleen Farrell Director for Advancement UW Graduate School
Eleanor J. Lee, ’00, ’05 Communications Specialist UW Graduate School
Stephen H. Sumida, ’82
October 9, 2014
October 23, 2014
October 25, 2014
GO-MAP’s Getting Connected
IC Reunion Mixer
Where: UW Club Don’t miss GO-MAP’s signature event! Alumni are especially welcome at this reception for graduate students of color. Join us for good food and great company. RSVP: gomap@uw.edu
Where: Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center, 5-8 p.m Contact Priya Frank (fpriya@uw.edu) or washington.edu/omad/ic-reunion/ for more information
Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity’s “The Weekend” Where: The Zone/Husky Stadium $75 package includes admission to the OMA&D tailgate in The Zone and a ticket to the UW-Arizona State football game. For more information: www.washington. edu/omad/the-weekend/
Professor, American Ethnic Studies Past President, Multicultural Alumni Partnership
the story of diversity at the UW
15
4333 Brooklyn Avenue N.E. Box 359508 Seattle, WA 98195–9508
Telling the Story of Diversity at the University of Washington
Vivian Lee
MAP
Dr. Carol Simmons
Bridging the Gap Breakfast Saturday, October 25, 8 a.m., HUB Ballroom
Join us on Homecoming Saturday as we honor five alumni and two community leaders along with five scholarship recipients. Proceeds from the breakfast benefit student scholarships. Register at:
UWalum.com/map
Betty Patu
Von Paul Patu
Brooke Pinkham
Kim L. Hunter
Dr. Benjamin Guillermo Vazquez
n DR. SAMUEL E. KELLY AWARD
n DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD
Vivian O. Lee, ’54, ’55. As founder/director of the first Office of Women’s Health in a federal region, Lee is known for innovative research and policies influencing national policy, focusing on reproductive health and the health of women of color. She also helped found MAP and the first UWAA Diversity Committee.
Brooke Pinkham, ’01, ’07. An enrolled member of the Nez Perce Tribe, Brooke advocated for Native American youth inside the King County justice system before becoming an attorney with the Northwest Justice Project, where she helps low-income citizens gain equal access to the justice system.
Dr. Carol Simmons, ’58, ’69. Carol has been a teacher, counselor and administrator at six Seattle high schools and a professor at four universities. Her advocacy for underserved students and opposition to discriminatory policies and procedures led to her being featured in documentaries and publications about education.
n DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD
n DISTINGUISHED COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Kim L. Hunter, ’82. The founder of three organizations focused on diversity in marketing and the workplace, Kim has raised more than $8.75 million for the LAGRANT Foundation, awarding more than $1.5 million in scholarships. Kim’s support helped the UW launch scholarships and internships for underrepresented students.
Betty and Von Paul Patu. The Patus are so committed to increasing educational opportunity, equity and excellence in southeast Seattle schools that each founded drop-out prevention programs for Asian/ Pacific Islander students. Von created after-school programs in Seattle; Betty’s work was lauded by The New York Times. Betty, a former teacher, was elected to the Seattle School Board in 2009.
Dr. Benjamin Guillermo Vazquez, ’02, ’07. Growing up as a gay Latino in a small central Washington community led him to support communities lacking medical facilities and educational opportunity. This MAP scholarship recipient’s accomplishments include establishing a free health clinic in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and creating a scholarship for LGBTQ students of color pursuing advanced health care degrees.