UW and the Community

After more than 50 years in the classroom, Seattle Public Schools’ longest-serving teacher is retiring from the post she’s held teaching kindergartners at Orca K-8 for almost a half-century. Marletta Iwasyk, 84, started teaching in Seattle at age 28 after she graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Norwegian.

Markus Teuton, a musician and citizen of Cherokee Nation, explores contemporary Indigenous music through his academic work and as host of “Indigenous Jazz,” a radio show.

Doctoral student Lorin Green (flute) was featured recently on NPR's Live Sessions in a video performance from Classical King’s “Northwest Focus Live” with host Sean MacLean, performing "I Catch On Fire," by Jake Heggie, with mezzo Myah Rose Paden, and pianist Joe Williams.

Sana Shetty, interested in human rights law, has a more nuanced understanding of potential careers thanks to internships.

Assunta Ng, founder and publisher of Northwest Asian Weekly, has sold the 41-year-old newspaper to a group of Seattle-area investors. Ng, who will continue to advise the partners during the transition as publisher emeritus, said she believes the buyers share the same basic mission she started out with more than 40 years ago. “So I’m excited for them to take over and see what they can achieve,” she said.

Music Education alumna Caitlin Sarwono's ('23 BM, Music Ed) passion for musical theater and her involvement with the UW Stage Notes theater student organization has led her to professional stage roles at Seattle's Fifth Avenue Theater. 

The 2023-24 Honors Excellence in Teaching Award goes to Dr. Oliver Fraser, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Astronomy.

Though the economic reality of being a professional musician has long necessitated that they work side jobs, the loss of performance opportunities during the pandemic shutdown made portfolio careers even more necessary for artists. Percussion Studies Chair Bonnie Whiting and alumna Leanna Keith ('17 MM, Woodwinds) are featured in this article from Seattle public radio station KNKX.

The College of Arts & Sciences celebrates undergraduate and graduate students from across all four divisions, who are recognized for making the most of their time at the UW. 

Through a UW-led storytelling workshop and course, English language learners in the Seattle area strengthened their language skills and built community.

Rotarians gathered in April for an insightful panel discussion on the deepening connections between the Pacific Northwest and South Asia. The event boasted a distinguished lineup of speakers, including Radhika Govindrajan, associate professor of anthropology at the UW.

Jordan Jones has been appointed as the next Director and Curator of the Jacob Lawrence Gallery, to begin in April 2024. In her role as Director and Curator, Jones will provide curatorial, programming, and administrative leadership and oversight in a newly renovated state-of-the-art exhibition space within the School of Art + Art History + Design at the UW Seattle campus. 

This week, head to Meany Hall for multiple Grammy Awards recipient Yefim Bronfman’s performance, learn from panelists during “What Makes a Good Art Critic?”, explore “The Imperative Challenges of Sustainability for the Forgotten” during the Center for Environmental Politics’ talk, and more. April 15, 3:30 – 5:00 pm | TALK | ‘Silver Democracy: Youth Representation...

Seattle’s cloudy weather made for an anticlimactic viewing of Monday’s solar eclipse. Still, that didn’t stop dozens of people who flocked to the UW’s Physics-Astronomy Building, hoping for the clouds to lift, so they could catch a glimpse of this once-in-a-generation event. The UW's Oliver Fraser, assistant teaching professor in astronomy, and Giovanni Gollotti, a student, are quoted.

Despite the weather conditions, the courtyard of the UW Astronomy Department was busy with people trying to catch a glimpse of the partial eclipse. The Department of Astronomy hosted a viewing event with telescopes and eclipse glasses. The UW's Oliver Fraser, assistant teaching professor in astronomy, and Ruby Heidgerken, a student, are quoted.