A Newsletter for Friends and Alumni of the University of Washington
Cover: Expanding Opportunity at Bothell and Tacoma

This fall, for the first time since the columns were raised to support the original University of Washington building in downtown Seattle 145 years ago, freshmen are enrolled at three UW campuses — Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma — in a major expansion of educational opportunities for all college freshmen.

Legislation signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire in April 2005 transformed the UW’s Bothell and Tacoma campuses into four-year institutions, enabling the UW to meet a strong need for quality four-year programs in both communities. The response to the expansion was immediate — by early summer of 2006, UW Bothell had enrolled 130 freshmen and UW Tacoma had enrolled 175 freshmen for the 2006 fall quarter, confirming what UW administrators have long known: Washington state students seek greater access to more opportunities for an outstanding university education.

“We’re seeing a lot of enthusiasm from students and parents about UW Tacoma becoming the region’s new four-year public university,” says Patricia Spakes, UW Tacoma chancellor. “Community leaders know that high quality, affordable education transforms lives and communities. University programs keep talented people in our community, enhance cultural offerings and social services, and make the region more attractive to new and relocating businesses.”

In offering opportunities to more students, private financial support and scholarships have made a tremendous difference at both campuses. At UW Bothell, the generosity of private contributors has allowed the institution to offer financial support to many of its incoming freshmen.“We are giving scholarships to support many of the incoming students in our inaugural freshman class, and all have access to the UW’s tremendous financial aid office,” says Steven Olswang, interim chancellor for UW Bothell. “Many students jump at the chance to enroll in a UW program close to home on a small campus, but you cannot underestimate the power that scholarships and gift aid have on students’ decisions to attend college.”

Private philanthropy has also enabled UW Tacoma to provide scholarship support to a majority of incoming freshmen.
“Within weeks of the announcement, UW Tacoma received a $1 million anonymous gift to establish an endowment for scholarships,” says Spakes. “That gift has since grown to more than $1.8 million. This endowment allowed us to provide two-year scholarships to more than half of our incoming class, a fact that really helped attract very strong students.”

The quality of students enrolling at Bothell and Tacoma is a point of pride for both institutions. “We have fantastic, highly qualified students enrolled,” says Olswang, who played a key role in securing legislation to establish the new four-year campuses. “These are absolutely the kinds of students we envisioned would enroll here when the Legislature asked us to expand access to four-year baccalaureate programs.”

For more on UW Bothell, visit www.uwb.edu.
For more on UW Tacoma, visit www.tacoma.washington.edu.

Creating Futures Close to Home

Tiffany Alexander, the 2006 valedictorian of Rogers High School in Puyallup, knew that her 4.0 GPA and high SAT scores would give her access to just about any university in the nation. But by enrolling at UW Tacoma, she found that she could obtain a quality education in her own backyard.

“I chose UW Tacoma because I really feel I can succeed here,” she says. “I like that classes allow me to spend time with the same students throughout my first year. It’s a small campus and I like being downtown.”

For Xheni Diko, who graduated from Monroe High School and was the first freshman to enroll at UW Bothell, the ability to remain close to home was an important factor in her choice of colleges. Diko says UW Bothell was her first — and only — choice. A native of Albania who arrived in the Bothell area with her family just a few years ago, Diko wanted to remain close to her family, and UW Bothell gave her that option. “I love being on the campus and being close to home,” she says.

For both students and other members of the inaugural freshman classes at UW Tacoma and UW Bothell, the ability to enroll in four-year programs represents more than expanded choices — it represents historic first steps toward their promising futures.

Return to Fall 2006 Campaign Newsletter