UW and the Community

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.

Centuries ago, writers depicted the natural world as terrifying and dangerous, no place for humans. But that fear, in the decades to come, gradually turned to appreciation, awe and joy, for poets and artists, sightseers and backpackers. This episode features Louisa Mackenzie, associate professor of Comparative History of Ideas.

The autobiography of Frederick Douglass, published in 1845, was a standard bearer of the abolitionist movement. Having escaped slavery as a young man, Douglass became a famous activist, orator, statesman and businessman. But it is another aspect of his story that is just as intriguing to Habiba Ibrahim, professor of English at the University of Washington: Douglass never knew, nor is there an official record of, his exact age.

“Dover Beach,” a poem by 19th century British writer Matthew Arnold, can be read as both a romantic lament and, as many scholars have concluded, a dark, existential commentary on the loss of religious faith. Through close reading, a way of reading for insight, not information, English Professor Charles LaPorte dissects “Dover Beach.”

What marks the start of the Anthropocene – the geological epoch marked by human impact on the planet? The debate hinges, in part, on how we define “signature events,” the important information left behind as clues. But finding signature events transcends the study of the Anthropocene; it’s how we read to make meaning of a text, a collection of data, even a piece of art. This episode features Jesse Oak Taylor, associate professor of English.

"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

"As a transfer student, I was in a situation where I would not have been admitted to UW Seattle as a high school applicant. I needed that additional foundation at a community college to prepare me for the University and show the UW I was capable of academic achievement. After two years at the UW, I just felt like I wasn’t 'done' — so being here, belonging and becoming a staff member means being an example and showing how the differences in a diversity of backgrounds is what strengthens our entire community here at the UW." - Andrea Pardo (B.A., Comparative History of Ideas, 2006), Graduate Program Manager for Biology

"My first-gen experience has primarily impacted the development of my scientific communication skills. Due to prominent feelings of 'I am too dumb to be here' and "I don't have the background to understand this" throughout my undergraduate experience, I find it intuitive to explain problems from different angles (e.g., less abstract or mathematical) and be sensitive to students who do not have a strong math background. Basically, I am not afraid to be super 'handwavy' 😎." - Chad Hoyer, College of Arts & Sciences Chemistry Research Scientist

"I wear my first-gen status as a badge of honor. It represents strength, courage, and tenacity. I welcome every opportunity to relay this message to first-gen students and to solidify the belief that they belong here, and the University is greatly enriched by their unique perspectives!" - Kristie Spencer, Professor, Associate Chair, Graduate Program Coordinator; Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences 

"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

"You belong here. You belong here. You belong here. You belong here. Show up and work hard. Find community and always be willing to be there for others in the same way people have been there for you." - Jason Naranjo, Associate Teaching Professor for Disabilities Studies