A Newsletter for Friends and Alumni of the University of Washington
Answering the Call to Advocacy: Michael Peters

When Bill and Melinda Gates created a public law scholarship last year in honor of Bill’s father’s 80th birthday, it was also a gift to Michael Peters, a former acting assistant professor of communication at the UW. Now a member of the inaugural class of William H. Gates Public Service Law Scholars, Peters says he is honored to have an opportunity to contribute to the legacy of the scholarship’s namesake, William H. Gates, and his work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

After graduation, Peters plans to honor his commitment to completing five years of public service, a condition of the scholarship, by working on behalf of African children orphaned by AIDS or people living with disabilities. “Seattle is a nexus for global health work, which in some ways is a human rights issue,” Peters says. “It’s obvious that there’s a sincere and deep commitment to these and other public interest law issues at the University of Washington.”

Peters has demonstrated his own commitment to serving others many times over. During a volunteer trip to Kosovo, he worked with a program to help Albanian and Serbian youth find common ground through sports and helped develop a disability awareness curriculum to address the ostracism faced by many students with permanent war injuries.

Peters also has served as an advocate through his work with the United States Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Advisory Council. Peters, who has cerebral palsy, has worked on behalf of Paralympians to gain more resources. Former captain of the U.S. Men’s Paralympic Soccer Team, Peters was elected vice-chair of the council in 2005, becoming the first Paralympian to hold a council leadership position.

“The UW School of Law will provide the tools to become a more effective advocate,” Peters says. “For me, it’s vitally important to serve others in a way that respects their rights and promotes equal opportunities.”

For more on the William H. Gates Public Service Law Scholarship Program, visit www.law.washington.edu/GatesScholar/.

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