“Any type of gift, any type of donation, just giving to Students First will make a difference.”

- Brandon Roy

Help students fulfill their dreams. Make a gift online to the Students First Matching Challenge Fund.

The Students First matching initiative provides need-based scholarships or fellowships for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students on any of the three UW campuses.

Through June 30, 2008, the University will match at 50 percent any qualifying gift to a Students First fund.

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Brandon Roy Stands Up for Students First

Last year's NBA Rookie of the Year, Brandon Roy, 23, knows a lot about the importance of education – and scholarships. A graduate of Seattle’s Garfield High School, Roy chose college over early fame. After receiving a scholarship to attend the UW, he honed both his academic and basketball skills before heading to the NBA draft. In his four years as a Husky and two years with the Portland Trail Blazers, Roy has earned a reputation as a hard worker and a leader on and off the court. The new spokesperson for the University’s Students First matching initiative shares his thoughts on the importance of education and student support:

Q. You could have gone straight to the NBA out of high school. Instead, you elected to attend the University of Washington. Why?
A. At that point in my life, after talking with my parents and talking with Coach Romar, I realized that I needed to grow up. I needed to mature not only as a basketball player, but as an individual. When I was going through that process, Coach Romar said, if you come to college, I'll do everything I can in my powers to make you a good basketball player, but I'll also try to help make you a better person. After I had that conversation with him, I was totally set on going to college and developing as a better player and better person.

Q. How did the scholarship that you received from the University of Washington make a difference for you personally?
A. Make a difference? It meant everything. Without that scholarship, I wouldn't have been able to attend college. My parents at the time didn't make enough to comfortably send me to school. The scholarship meant everything to me because I wasn't fortunate enough to have money to pay for it.

Q. Why are you stepping up as a spokesperson for Students First?
A. I wanted to give back to the UW because the UW's done so much for me. There's something inside me that feels like I owe Washington a lot, so I was happy when they asked for me to speak out.

Q. Why should others support Students First?
A. Scholarships are important. There are a lot of kids out there who aren't fortunate enough to be able to pay for schooling, but they're very smart kids. Students First is important because it doesn't matter what you put forth, every dollar counts, whether it's $10 or $100. The University of Washington is willing to match half of that. If we give to these kids now, one day they'll be able to develop and hopefully give back in the future. Any type of gift, any type of donation, just giving to Students First will make a difference.

Read more from the interview with Brandon Roy...

Make a gift online to the Students First Matching Challenge Fund