College of Arts and Sciences

"Being a first-generation student holds great significance for me, as I am the first in my family to attend the University of Washington. This is a major milestone, and I feel privileged to be part of such an esteemed institution." – Jackie Hernandez, Student

"Your education at the UW is an important gateway to opportunities and connections that you might not have otherwise had. The people around you, including your professors, classmates, and mentors, may not look like you or share the same experiences as you, and that is okay. We are all a part of the same UW community. Connect with them to find ways to achieve your goals. Make the most of your time as a Husky." – Alshakim Nelson, Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry

"Decades later, UW feels like home. My goal as a professor is to help all my students feel that same sense of belonging, and to foster a place where they can explore and flourish, no matter the path they took to get here." – Christine Harold, Professor and Chair, Department of Communication

"College is about embracing yourself as a learner, inside and outside of the classroom. Explore different classes, but also explore that intramural sport you've always wanted to try, or go to that club meeting you're shy about. Developing your skills as a community member and a leader are just as important as learning the content to your major." – Jazz Espiritu, Head of Program Affairs, Communication Leadership, Department of Communication

To prepare students for professional success, the UW College of Arts and Sciences offers “gesture,” a mock startup company where student interns gain skills that employers seek. 

To honor his wife and support the college that has meant so much to both of them, former Arts & Sciences dean John Simpson created the Katherine and John Simpson Endowed Deanship. 

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our faculty and staff, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.

The UW Symphony Orchestra performed their first program of the quarter Oct. 24 in Meany Hall’s Katharyn Alvord Gerlich Theater. Music director and conductor of the Symphony Orchestra David Alexander Rahbee conducted, and the night featured faculty pianist Cristina Valdés in a performance that brought energy, humor, and just the right touch of emotion.

As King County officials work through the budget process, they are engaged in deciding the future of a restorative justice program diverting youth from the criminal legal system. Sarah Cusworth Walker, research professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the UW School of Medicine and Katherine Beckett, professor of sociology and of law, societies and justice at the UW, are quoted.

On October 22, the Department of Communication recognized outstanding alumni who have made a difference in their communities at our annual Alumni Hall of Fame and Alumni of Distinction awards dinner.

In the wake of One Ocean Week Seattle, participating University of Washington researchers share highlights, connecting the weeks events to ongoing efforts to understand and protect marine ecosystems and coastal communities.

Discovered in Kansas, this clam is already going viral in Seattle.

The next time your phone’s virtual assistant gives you a quick answer instead of nudging you to think harder, remember Andre Ye (Computer Science / Philosophy, 2025). He’s part of a new generation of researchers reimagining how AI supports human thought.

At its heart, the Jackson School’s Cybersecurity Initiative is more than a program — it’s a community. From the get-go, the program builds a sense of community that carries students through their time at the University of Washington and well into their professional lives.

Although cicadas are known to sing in unison, a new study shows the striking behavior of cicadas interacting with each other when a few cicadas sing, the others join. Saumya Gupta, a postdoctoral researcher of biology at the UW, is quoted.