Social Sciences Division

Chandan Reddy, an associate professor of gender, women and sexuality studies and of the comparative history of ideas at the University of Washington, has been named a “Freedom Scholar” by the Marguerite Casey Foundation.

As a first-generation college graduate, my experience has had a profound impact on my approach to work and my connections with students and colleagues. I understand the unique challenges that first-gen students face, and I'm passionate about creating pathways for their success. I also feel a strong sense of kinship with colleagues who have similar backgrounds, and we share a deep commitment to supporting and empowering first-gen students.  - Travis Finney, Director of Development, College of Arts & Sciences

"First-generation students are pioneers. No one before us had the opportunity to do what we’re doing right now. It requires immense determination and resilience to continue moving forward into this wild unknown. Cultivate your support system, establish routines that nourish your mental, physical, and emotional health, and ask for help every time you need it. Remember: You are legitimate proof that anything is possible and you are worthy of success right now, as you are. Don't let anyone or anything keep you from achieving your dreams. You got this!" - Audrey Mikal (B.A., Sociology, 2025), Treasurer, First-Generation Leaders in Law 

"Having to pay for my college education also felt like I should always prioritize saving every penny for future mishaps. However, the UW experience is more than immersing yourself in textbooks; it is about connecting with others on campus and learning more about yourself through attending the institution. Obtaining a degree should be a joyful experience. Know that it's okay to take care of yourself and your health. Yes, you can definitely plan out that trip abroad and go to that concert after clocking out from your part-time job—it's all about balance. Enjoy being a UW student and pursue your wildest dreams." - Fani Medel Martinez (B.A. Communication, 2024)

Picture a series of uniform mounds of earth, each about 6-feet high. Enclosing 50 acres, the mounds form an octagon that is connected to a circle. This is The Octagon Earthworks, located in central Ohio, and it’s one of thousands of Indigenous mounds across the eastern half of North America. Chadwick Allen is a professor of English and American Indian studies at the University of Washington, and he studies Native American earthworks and cultural erasure.

"To me, being a current first-generation student navigating a Ph.D. means owning my space in academia. It's a reminder that the path to this point wasn't easy, but now that I'm here, my educational journey holds immense significance for me, my family, and my community. This isn't just about getting a degree—it's about breaking barriers and creating opportunities for those who will come after me. It also means staying grounded and being profoundly grateful for all the doors that opened through my hard work and determination." - Elizabeth Nova (Ph.D. Sociology, 2026)

"My early schooling made me feel like I was navigating a lonely path, where no one truly understood my unique challenges. However, everything changed when I discovered the profound meaning of being a first-generation college student. I surrounded myself with like-minded peers and supportive professors who believed in my educational journey, greatly boosting my self-confidence. Now, as a dedicated staff member, my personal first-gen experience serves as a wellspring of inspiration. My goal is to empower students to seek help and take ownership of their education." - Andrea Alfaro, Program Coordinator, Department of Economics

"My parents had always encouraged me to go to college but as an Autistic kid from the middle of nowhere, I thought I wouldn’t be able to succeed in higher education and was destined for a small-town life. It wasn’t until Mr. Sugitan, my 10th grade English teacher, pushed the class to consider college and took our class on a field trip to UW that I could see myself succeeding in a big university like UW. Thanks to his encouragement, I dedicated myself to going to a university, preferably UW." - Sariah Burdett (B.A., History, Korean, and Asian Languages & Cultures, 2022), Program Coordinator, Department of French & Italian Studies

"Having navigated applying to college, transferring to a different four-year school to finish my undergraduate degree, and then earning multiple graduate degrees, all by myself with no family knowledge to guide me, I became very skilled at learning and negotiating the ins and outs of university policies and procedures. This segued perfectly into a career in student affairs, where I use those skills and knowledge to help students on their own educational journeys every day. I don’t want other students to have to 'figure it out as they go' like I did and suffer some of the same mistakes I made, so I try to build in as much support as I can to make sure they don’t get tripped up by complex processes."  - Heather Werckle, Assistant Director of Academic Services for Communication Leadership, Department of Communication 

"Being a first-generation graduate is meaningful to me because it represents an accomplishment in my life that was once not attainable for my ancestors. My college experience gave me an opportunity to find my voice and understand the ways that I can cast my influence to positively impact and uplift others. I believe that first-generation college students and graduates bring unique insight that can transform our communities to become stronger, healthier, and more equitable. It is rewarding to be a part of a community that is creating pathways for others to follow behind, while also contributing to inspiring others that adversity can lead to unveiling our innate qualities and passions." - Tiana Cole (B.A., Journalism and Public Interest Communications, 2021), Program Administrator for UW Continuum College

"Knowing someone is first-gen brings an important point of connection that even after all these years alleviates isolation. This connection may be with a fellow faculty or staff person, but also first-gen undergraduate and first-gen graduate students. (Being a first-gen graduate student was particularly challenging for me.) I always mention my first-gen identity on the first day of class so that students might feel more comfortable approaching me." - Andrea Otáñez, Teaching Professor, Department of Communication

"I researched what I did not find in academia. I sought out scholars already in the academy who practiced pedagogies that were aligned with my philosophy and understanding of the world.  With their work as a foundation, I have become more comfortable with the soundness of my own teaching/learning relationships and practices." - Jeanette M Bushnell (Ph.D., Women Studies, 2010; B.S.N., 1975; M.N., 1979), Faculty Instructor: Department of Comparative History of Ideas; Interdisciplinary Honors

This week, learn why Emily Bender believes “AI” is a bad term, take part in the Dubal Memorial Lecture on ‘Race, Science, and Pregnancy Trials in the Postgenomic Era’, view the film screening of Tortoise Under the Earth, and more.

"I was 24 years old when I found support to apply for college. This support came from other first-generation college students who noticed my curiosity and inquisitiveness and sat with me while I applied. That support led me to graduate with a four-year degree and then be accepted to the University of Washington as a graduate student. Now that I am a professor, I want to continue to pass forward this support to first-generation students, to pursue paths deemed impossible or unlikely because of where we come from and who we are." - fabian romero, alum (Ph.D. Department of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies)

FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried will stand trial on charges of overseeing fraud that sucked in high-profile investors and hundreds of thousands of clients. Why do smart people buy into bad companies? Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.