CONNECTING DISCIPLINES TO SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS - MAGAZINE
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MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2021
CONNECTING DISCIPLINES TO SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS
page 6
14 19 21
The Power of Mentoring A Look at Our Alumni Husky Highlights
CHANCELLOR’S
LETTER
THE POWER OF MENTORS
DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS,
In this magazine, you’ll read stories about the power of mentoring
at the University of Washington Bothell. What is your mentorship story?
Who influenced you? Who have you mentored? I'm prompted to think
about mentor relationships in my own life.
Some mentors enable opportunities in life. Some mentors help you
through difficult times in your studies. Some mentors work with you to
define a career path. And some mentors are there as a sounding board.
Several mentors have influenced my life greatly, and I have kept in
touch with many for more than four decades!
There was my sixth-grade reading teacher in Virginia, Mary
Dabinette, who helped me learn English when I first immigrated to the
United States and helped me find my way through college. I kept in touch
with her until last year when she passed away.
There is my undergraduate adviser, Professor Francis Kennedy, to
whom I owe my academic career. Yes, I still keep in touch with Professor
Kennedy and all my mentors!
Just as my mentors helped me, over the years I have tried to be a
mentor to others in professional and individual spaces. There is this
young man who became my pen-pal when I was deployed in the first Gulf
War 30 years ago, who is in his 30s. There are my former students and
colleagues who have established positions of their own. Yes, I still keep in
touch with my mentees!
Being a mentor and being mentored are not a series of transactions
but lifelong relationships. You know well that relationships build the
community we know as UW Bothell. Inspired by the stories I heard from
you in this magazine, I picked up my phone, clicked into Zoom sessions
and reconnected with my mentors and mentees.
Keeping in touch,
Wolf Yeigh, Chancellor
2 UW BOTHELL MAGAZINE
CONTENTS
WINTER/SPRING 2021
UW Bothell is committed to increasing access to
an excellent UW education. The faculty and staff
have been recognized for innovations in academic
programming and support services designed to help
students graduate on time and debt-free.
UW Bothell is also known for providing a participatory
student experience grounded in hands-on learning;
close relationships with faculty as researchers, teachers
Features
6
and mentors; and the personalized support of staff
who are dedicated to student success.
As part of its commitment to excellence, UW Bothell
places particular value on diversity, community
engagement and sustainability. The campus is also Connecting
distinguished by its focus on connected learning and disciplines
cross-disciplinary research, scholarship and creative
practice.
CHANCELLOR: Wolf Yeigh
UW BOTHELL 2020-21 ALUMNI COUNCIL
Eleanor Wort (STEM ’15) – Chair
Sarah Amos Bond (IAS ’98, MAPS ’09)
Salena Farris (IAS ’08, MACS ’10)
Mina Hooshangi (IAS ’11)
Mary Howisey (IAS ’02)
Jacque Julien (IAS ’15)
Ariana Navarro (BUS ’19)
Dan Person (BUS ’19)
14
Rabeka Randall (IAS ’10)
Joe Santos (IAS ’97)
Christine Noel Straight (IAS ’00, MACS ’10)
Curtis Takahashi (IAS ’04)
Impacts of
UWAA Board of Trustees Representatives: mentoring
David Hernandez (IAS ’03)
Tanya Kumar (IAS ’18)
The Alumni Council gives its time, talent and treasure to
support the University because of the remarkable change
members believe it inspires. Join the Alumni Council!
www.uwb.edu/alumni/council
Departments
EDITOR A. Marie Blakey
4 Husky Headlines
CONTRIBUTORS
Deanna Duff Kelly Huffman 19 Facts & Figures
Douglas Esser Tiffany Kirk 20 Campaign for UW Bothell
PRINT DESIGN Paul Huereque
21 Husky Highlights
PHOTOGRAPHY Marc Studer
23 Get to Know…
23
24 Upcoming Events
CONNECT WITH UW BOTHELL
UW Bothell Alumni @bothellalumni uwbalumni
University of Washington Bothell
University of Washington Bothell @UWBothell uw_bothell
UWB.EDU 3
HUSKY caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The executive council of the UW Bothell
that fits their interests, to stay on track
and to connect to a relevant career. The
HEADLINES General Faculty Organization then voted
in December to permanently adopt a
“test-optional” admission policy. “This
new advising tool offers pre-major students
a way to hone their general academic
inclinations into a collection of majors
measure recognizes that standardized that align with their talents, interests and
test scores do not correlate with student values. “Students also want to know, ‘Who
success,” said Dr. Sharon A. Jones, vice hires people in this meta-major pathway,
chancellor for Academic Affairs. “Our and what are the jobs they actually hire
holistic admission process identifies for?’” said Kathy Mitchell, assistant director
promising students more equitably.” of student success and retention.
UW BOTHELL RANKED A ‘BEST
VALUE’ COLLEGE
SmartAsset ranks the UW in Seattle No. 1,
UW Bothell No. 2, and UW Tacoma No. 3
on its 2020 list of colleges in the state that
offer the best value. A New York-based
RECORD NUMBER OF financial technology company, SmartAsset
INCOMING STUDENTS keeps the same 1-2-3 ranking for the three
Even in the middle of the coronavirus UW campuses it announced for 2019. Other
pandemic, the new class of incoming organizations have similarly recognized ¡BASTA! PROGRAM WINS
students at the University of Washington UW Bothell, including CNBC’s 2020 Make NATIONAL HEALTH AWARD
Bothell is the largest in its 30-year history. It list that ranks UW Bothell No. 1 in the A farmworker sexual harassment
The official class count from autumn 2020 nation among public colleges for students’ prevention program co-developed by
includes 985 first-year students and 742 return on investment. The SmartAsset School of Nursing & Health Studies faculty
new transfer students. With returning ranking compares schools based on a won an award from the American Public
students, UW Bothell had a student variety of data sources, including starting Health Association’s Health Education
body of 6,326 for autumn quarter 2020 — salary, tuition, living expenses, student Materials section in the category of
5,664 undergraduates plus 662 graduate retention rate and scholarships awarded. workplace training. ¡Basta! Preventing
students. That compares with 5,936 in Sexual Harassment in Agriculture
autumn quarter of 2019. The enrollment DEVELOPING A K-12 “represents the best of community-
target was about 6,000 students. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM engaged program design and public health
Chancellor Wolf Yeigh said the The School of Nursing education,” a reviewer said. Dr. Jody Early,
increased enrollment is a sign of & Health Studies and an associate professor, and Dr. Victoria
confidence, even with the campus the Renton School Breckwich Vásquez, an affiliate assistant
operating remotely and students learning District are developing professor, developed the program over six
online. “The continuing number of a program to help years of work with women farmworkers,
students who want to get their education K-12 teachers and staff human rights organizations and industry
at the University of Washington Bothell deal with student partners. It was launched in November
in these times is a sign not only of their anxiety, depression 2019 by a team that included Dennise
perseverance but also the belief that they and substance abuse. The goal of the Drury, an outreach and education specialist
can have an educational experience that program, which should launch in the first at the Pacific Northwest Agricultural
will change their lives and prepare them half of this year, is to aid students, manage Safety and Health Center at the UW in
to succeed after graduation,” he said. disciplinary issues and head off school Seattle, and Elizabeth Torres, research
“And while the coronavirus pandemic violence. Not just for teachers, the program project coordinator for Proyecto Bienestar,
is still an issue now, it will not always be also is designed for paraeducators, school a community health program within
so. We look forward to the days when all nurses, counselors or people in the library, PNASH. The name ¡Basta! (“enough!” in
our students — including the incoming and staff working in food services or Spanish) comes from a poem written by a
first-year students and new transfers — transportation. The new K-12 pilot program farmworker who had experienced sexual
are back on campus with us.” with the Renton district was funded in harassment and assault.
2019 with $400,000 from the Washington
STANDARDIZED TESTS OPTIONAL Legislature. PHYSICAL SCIENCES IN NATIONAL
FOR UW BOTHELL DIVERSITY DISCUSSION
UW Bothell will not require standardized META-MAJOR UW Bothell is one of about only 100
tests, such as the SAT and ACT, for PATHWAYS SHOW institutions nationally accepted into the
applicants entering in autumn quarter WAY TO DEGREES Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Alliance of
2021 and beyond. Long interested in ways Students entering the American Physical Society, an initiative
to improve access to a UW education, UW Bothell use to transform the culture of physics.
the faculty at UW Bothell made testing the new Meta-Major Launched last summer, the alliance is a
optional as a temporary policy in spring Pathways advising support network for physics departments,
2020, prompted by immediate issues Illustration by Jodylene Delosreyes tool to find a major laboratories and observatories that
4 UW BOTHELL MAGAZINE
want to identify and enact strategies to
transform the culture of physics. Dr. Paola
Rodriguez Hidalgo, assistant professor
in the School of STEM, led UW Bothell's
application, which had the support of the
entire Physical Sciences Division. “It’s
really the whole cohort of physics, the
community of faculty,” she said. “All of Illustration courtesy of Masahiro Sugano and Anida Yoeu Ali
us have been trying to do this at our own
They based their film on the poem “Lethe”
institutions and have been having failures
by the Botswana poet Tjawangwa Dema.
and successes, but we have not been
“The film does not just reproduce the
sharing them.”
words of the poem but adds another level
to it,” said Thomas Zandegiacomo, festival
REDEFINING
ALUMNA NAMED
SCHOOL NURSE OF
artistic director and one of the judges. “The
whole thing also takes place in a very fresh
MENTORSHIP ON
THE YEAR
Tessa McIlraith, a
and new film language. By shifting the plot
into our everyday life or into an apartment,
BOTHELL HUSKY
2013 graduate of the
Bachelor of Science in
the film brings the distant images and
metaphors of the poem very close to us.”
LANDING
Nursing program at
UW Bothell, was named CSSE STUDENTS RECEIVE MARY THROUGHOUT JANUARY, which was
Washington School Nurse of the Year GATES SCHOLARSHIPS National Mentorship Month, we shared
by the School Nurse Organization of Ali Jahangirnezhad and Joshua Stuart mentoring tips and tricks, myth-busting
Washington. After graduation, McIlraith Sterner, fourth-year students majoring facts and short video tutorials on social
started working as a substitute nurse in in Computer Science and Software media channels for UW Bothell alumni.
the Burlington-Edison School District Engineering, were named 2020 recipients We addressed topics like how
and became the district’s school nurse of Mary Gates Research Scholarships to to start a conversation and the role
in 2016. She’s directly responsible for support their projects. Jahangirnezhad mentoring plays in creating a sense of
Burlington-Edison High School and the is developing a model that accounts for belonging for underserved students
bilingual West View Elementary. She also the properties and dynamics of sound. — and along the way built a trove of
supervises two other school nurses, with Sterner is working on how to preserve the inspirational ideas to motivate you to
overall responsibility for the district’s privacy of data used to train a machine- seek out or become mentors.
3,200 students. learning model while also keeping the Activity of all sorts on Bothell Husky
model private. Landing has steadily increased since
PAGE FELLOWSHIPS FAVOR we launched the platform to alumni
UW BOTHELL STUDENTS LIST OF 1,000 INSPIRING BLACK in August 2020 and to students in
Of the 10 PAGE fellowships awarded at September 2020.
SCIENTISTS INCLUDES SEVEN
major universities across the country FROM UW
in 2020, two went to students at one
• Page “views” and message “opens”
Chancellor peaked at more than 5,000 “actions”
institution: UW Bothell. Julie Feng is a
Emeritus Warren taken during autumn quarter, compared
second-year candidate for a Master of Arts
Buck, a physics to 3,978 during summer quarter.
in Cultural Studies and Pamela Santos
professor who
is a first-year candidate for a Master of
arrived at UW • Platform engagement currently
Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Poetics. includes alumni from nine countries
Bothell in 1999
All eight of the other fellowships went to outside the United States.
as a founding
doctoral-level students. The fellowships
leader, is one Bothell Husky Landing is under
support students who share a goal of
of seven UW constant development, responding
shifting culture toward justice within
scientists to the wants and needs of alumni,
higher education and society. Students
included in Cell Mentor’s list of 1,000 students and supporters. This spring,
are also selected for their commitment to
inspiring Black scientists, UW News be on the lookout for the addition of
public engagement.
reports. Dr. Buck also founded UW Groups — yet another opportunity to
Bothell’s Science and Technology Program, connect with alumni around interests,
UW BOTHELL FILM MEDALS AT which later became the School of STEM.
BERLIN FESTIVAL industries and affinity.
“Delirium,” a film produced by UW
Bothell students who couldn’t meet in For more news, go to
person because of the pandemic, won a www.uwb.edu/news. JOIN THE MORE THAN 800
medal at the ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival Find alumni stories at UW BOTHELL ALUMNI and
in Berlin. The eight students were in the www.uwb.edu/alumni-news. students who have activated
Competitive Filmmaking course taught by their accounts on Bothell Husky
See recent points of pride at
Masahiro Sugano, artist in residence in the Landing at www.uwb.edu/alumni.
www.uwb.edu/about/points-of-pride.
School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences.
UWB.EDU 5
CROSS-DISCIPLINARY WORK is not just an academic exercise
limited to a faculty discussion or complicated lab project.
Rather, it is the natural extension of people wanting to work
collaboratively, inspired by a shared interest or compelling problem.
And for those who take this approach — faculty, students and off-campus
partners — the resulting research, college courses and community
projects feel a lot like creating new and better ways to see the world.
6 UW BOTHELL MAGAZINE
OUTSIDE THE HALLS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, cross-disciplinary research and
scholarship is a concept that sounds impressive yet often enigmatic. Many are not exactly
sure what academic disciplines are or why they matter. Many also may imagine cross-
disciplinary practices being the work of researchers in lab coats attempting to solve
problems like climate change.
In truth, the core of cross-disciplinary work is simply bringing people with different
areas of expertise together to learn and listen to one another, share diverse perspectives
and collaborate to find new paths forward. It’s beneficial whether you are problem-solving in a lab or in a
classroom, corporate suite or nonprofit meeting room.
Long committed to being both inclusive and innovative, UW Bothell is focusing on cross-disciplinarity as one of
three priorities in its current strategic plan: Expanding Access, Achieving Excellence.
“UW Bothell as a whole is not only philosophically encouraging of these collaborations, but provides the
support mechanisms, space, time and funding that actually allow them to happen,” says Dr. Ted Hiebert, professor
in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences.
Many members of the faculty pursue cross-disciplinary projects both on campus and off in partnership with
students and members of the community. This wide-ranging, cross-disciplinary work includes everything from
working nurses delving into business to artists and geographers mapping the imagination to educators blending
children’s literature with math to inspire the next generation of big thinkers.
And in many cases, the resulting projects are not just cross-disciplinary — they also further UW Bothell’s strategic
priorities of enhancing community engagement and strengthening diversity and equity.
audience: Drs. Allison Hintz and Antony present everywhere within reality and
Smith from the faculty at UW Bothell imagination.
alongside Mie-Mie Wu, children’s
librarian at the Bothell Library in the King Seeing more in each book
County Library System. “Our aim was to better understand
The meetings were part of the the intersection of literacy and
MANY AFTERNOONS WERE SPENT development process for Hintz’s and mathematics,” recalls Hintz, an associate
huddled around a table in the children’s Smith’s cross-disciplinary program, Story professor in the School of Educational
section of the library in Bothell, Time STEM. The innovative education Studies who has a focus on math
Washington. On sunny days, light project uses children’s literature to education. “People tend to view stories
streamed through the bay windows spotlight mathematical themes to inspire as a way to support young readers and
illuminating stacks of children’s books STEM learning and discussion among writers. We wanted to explore how stories
sometimes numbering more than a young readers. can also be an opportunity to engage with
hundred titles. The selected stories are not young mathematicians.”
The group excitedly pored over them, inherently mathematical nor from The cross-disciplinary collaboration
flipping through pages of adventures, expected examples such as counting was born from bonding over a mutual love
studying storylines and exclaiming with or numbers books. Instead, children of children’s literature. During an office
delight over illustrations. are encouraged to find and discuss visit, Hintz and Smith found themselves
Expressions of excitement aren’t that mathematical elements within mostly browsing a batch of books on Smith’s desk.
unusual for the children’s section, but narrative stories. It reinforces that math “We realized we were noticing
these voices came from an unexpected exists beyond textbooks and is, in fact, completely different things,” says Smith,
UWB.EDU 7
an associate professor in the School of categories that complement STEM story Wu almost immediately began
Educational Studies who has a focus on times. putting theory into practice by
literacy instruction and curriculum. Text-dependent books, such as Pete incorporating the ideas into the library’s
“Allison was approaching it with a the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons regular evening story times. According to
mathematician’s point of view, seeing by Eric Litwin and James Dean, overtly her, Story Time STEM events became an
number and shape combinations. I was include mathematical-leaning elements “instant draw” for the library, sometimes
evaluating literary aspects like vocabulary that are essential to the plot. attracting upwards of 40 kids and adults.
and whether the storyline was useful for Idea-enhancing books include classics It was a “constant, wonderful
reading comprehension.” such as Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry burbling of joyful noise,” she reports with
It was the catalyst for combining Caterpillar whereby math concepts are satisfaction.
knowledge and developing an approach obliquely included — how many items She believes parents are increasingly
to mathematizing story times aimed at were eaten? — but not inherent to the aware of the value of STEM enrichment
elementary-aged children, specifically narrative. for even young children, and the program
grades K-3. In 2013, they then received a Lastly, illustration-exploring books uniquely fills a void in free and public
$13,000 grant from a UW Worthington use images as the mathematical focal extracurricular offerings.
Fund that launched the Story Time STEM points. In Gaia Cornwall’s Jabari Jumps, Concurrently, Hintz and Smith were
pilot project. a young boy endeavors to leap from a also expanding the program’s regional
The seed money funded startup high dive. Young readers might consider footprint. In 2016, they received funding
materials and allowed them to expand counting ladder rungs or discussing the from Boeing’s Early Learning Foundation,
their partnerships. They began research relationship between height and depth. which allowed them to diversify their
and field work with elementary teachers community partnerships. New after-
in the Northshore School District and Expanding ways to find meaning school programs included the Chinese
connected with KCLS librarian Wu. In addition to the obvious cross- Information Service Center and Para los
disciplinary overlap of arts and sciences, Niños in Burien where STEM story times
Rethinking the power of story Hintz and Smith further layered their were also offered in Spanish.
“This has been truly interdisciplinary approach. Beyond discussing math in
work that has included so many different terms of numbers and equations, what
perspectives — educators, families and does it mean to be a mathematician?
communities,” Hintz observes. “Mie-Mie “In Jabari Jumps, the boy
has particularly provided invaluable demonstrates bravery,” Hintz explains.
expertise by curating so many beautiful “We talk about how mathematicians do
stories.” that, too. They have to be brave in sharing
The trio evaluated hundreds of ideas and taking risks. So, the story
children’s books looking for possible becomes more than just counting and
mathematical themes, ensuring a diversity is also about courage and sticking with
of authors and characters, balancing something that’s hard.”
familiar classics with contemporary work
and factoring in practical aspects such as
book availability.
“I’ve worked with kids for more
than 20 years, and my thinking
personally evolved as I learned about
the mathematizing process. Looking at
stories I already know, I suddenly saw
even broader and richer interpretations,”
says Wu, who immediately embraced the
project. “It’s truly an intersection of ideas
and a mentally collaborative approach to
thinking.”
Hintz’s description also evokes the
sense of a collaborative jazz session with
everyone “riffing on each other’s ideas.”
All three immersed themselves in the
process.
Their dedication yielded an initial
guide, “Mathematizing in Three Easy
Steps.” It overviewed specific book
recommendations as well as general book
8 UW BOTHELL MAGAZINE
“I’ve worked with kids for more than 20 years,
and my thinking personally evolved as I learned
about the mathematizing process. Looking at
stories I already know, I suddenly saw even
broader and richer interpretations.”
Building new kinds of diversity — that includes text and discussion partnerships, professors are willing to
Wu’s father was a scientist, and she suggestions, templates and more. walk the extra mile to better understand
understands firsthand the importance “Sometimes people only envision the experiences of their students and
of children seeing themselves portrayed interdisciplinary research as people in colleagues.
in the stories, authors, careers and ideas white coats working in a lab setting,” “‘Code blue!’ ‘Code red!’ For the first
around them. She is an avid proponent Smith says. “In our case, it has always nursing cohort I taught, we met in a room
that cross-disciplinary collaboration been about bringing as many people as near the surgical ICU unit at Seattle’s
must be both intellectually and culturally possible to the table to share their areas of Swedish Hospital. We constantly heard
diverse. expertise.” the business of health care happening
“This program isn’t only digging around us,” says Dr. Surya Pathak, a
deeper to showcase the wealth of STEM Following the lead of children professor in Operations and Supply Chain
subjects but also bringing diversity via At the end of the day, Hintz, Smith Management in the School of Business
the authors and stories,” Wu says. “Math and Wu all agree that, both personally who also serves as an adjunct professor in
is a cultural story. Wide representation and professionally, the project’s most the School of Nursing & Health Studies.
furthers the idea that math is for indispensable cross-disciplinary “Being in that atmosphere reinforced
everyone.” partnership has been with the children my tremendous respect for what nurses
In 2020, Story Time STEM was themselves. do and the program we were building,”
awarded an additional $85,000 grant “Children are the heart of our work. he says.
from Boeing and increased work in They are lively and curious and amazing,” To introduce more business-
school districts and library systems from Hintz affirms. “As educators, we place minded classes to the curriculum, an
Stanwood to Steilacoom. The money their ideas at the center of our work and Administrative Leadership Track was
allows Hintz and Smith to provide schools let them guide us in how we can better added to UW Bothell’s Master of Nursing
with ready-to-go kits complete with books. nurture their natural brilliance. program in 2016.
While COVID-19 halted in-person events, “Children are naturally readers, Its creation was the result of a
Hintz and Smith quickly pivoted and scientists, mathematicians, citizens, artists partnership between the two schools
offered online professional development and problem solvers,” she says. “They are that wanted to evolve coursework to
events for educators in spring, summer interdisciplinary by nature. In many ways, better address the many demands facing
and fall of 2020. they’re actually teaching us.” current nursing managers, directors and
Perhaps the biggest leap forward executives.
yet will be the 2021 publication of a
Story Time STEM book, Mathematizing Leading the way to better
Children’s Literature: Sparking health care
Connections, Joy, and Wonder Through “Nursing has changed,” says Dr.
Read Alouds and Discussion, to be AT UW BOTHELL, academic collaborations Jamie Shirley, a teaching professor and
published by Stenhouse. Smith describes are about a lot more than just the director of UW Bothell’s nursing
it as a “conversational guide” for educator conferences or sharing research bylines. programs. “Today’s nurse executives
adults — be they parents, classroom Interdisciplinary work is an immersive are responsible for more than they were
teachers, librarians or child care providers experience. To strengthen working 10 or 20 years ago. In addition to caring
UWB.EDU 9
for patients individually, there is now jumped in with both feet. This effort has another invaluable participant. With
an additional layer of evaluating data been more than just adding a few business representation from the school's faculty
collectively to ensure overall quality care. courses. It’s been a commitment to a whole and staff as well as a range of regional
That means more administrative work.” new approach.” health care institutions, the board
The result is that the purview of provides guidance to the school on issues
nurses, especially as their careers advance, Starting with careful listening surrounding the health care industry and
now includes an increasing number of Pathak was instrumental in shaping nursing education.
business-related responsibilities. the vision from the business side. He Another key partner was Swedish
The 55 credit-hour track (soon to be recognized that the endeavor’s ultimate Health Services, where leadership
increased) overviews needed topics such success relied on dedicated collaboration approached both UW Bothell faculty and
as data and metric management, fiscal at every step. UW Bothell alumna Margo Bykonen, who
health and budgeting and regulatory “Interdisciplinary work is not serves as the regional chief nursing officer
compliance, as well as administrative a simple equation of taking two for Swedish, with ideas on an expanded
leadership and organizational fundamentals and just slapping them curriculum for MN students.
development skills. Approximately half of together,” Pathak explains. “It’s a Based on both her personal
UW Bothell’s nursing graduate students mindset of blending theory and practice. experiences and her bird’s-eye executive
voluntarily enroll. That means listening to everyone perspective, Bykonen, who is also a
While other schools offer nursing involved, which is the first essential member of the school’s advisory board,
leadership tracks, what makes UW ingredient.” says launching a cross-disciplinary
Bothell’s distinct — and particularly He conducted focus groups and met business track was a “brilliant” idea.
successful — is that it was built from day with health care executives to ascertain
one using inclusive, cross-disciplinary what qualities they look for when hiring Becoming more effective
participation and input from students, and promoting. Nursing alumni as well advocates
community stakeholders, faculty and as current and prospective students were Bykonen received her Master of
other academic departments. also part of the mix, providing critical Nursing degree from UW Bothell in
“This has been groundbreaking,” input. 2009 and echoes the thoughts of fellow
Shirley explains. “When we approached UW Bothell’s School of Nursing alumni. She had to “learn on the fly”
the business faculty to collaborate, they & Health Studies Advisory Board was or seek workplace mentors to fill in
knowledge gaps regarding the business
and managerial aspects of her work.
“The current complexities of health
care funding and operations require
nurses to speak the basic language
of business,” she explains. “We
don’t need to become economists or
10 UW BOTHELL MAGAZINE“When we approached the business faculty to
collaborate, they jumped in with both feet. This
effort has been more than just adding a few
business courses. It’s been a commitment to a
whole new approach.”
— Dr. Jamie Shirley, teaching professor and the director of UW Bothell’s nursing programs
financial experts, but nurses do need to participants in leadership discussions and allowed them to effectively pivot to address
communicate effectively enough to be decision-making.” ever-changing circumstances and work
good advocates.” In addition to learning specific with a diversity of institutions.
The fields of nursing and business business skills, she says, getting cross-
expertise do not just overlap. They are in disciplinary instruction prepares students Building greater equity in
fact critical to each other’s successes. The for navigating what is often an intensely health care
nuances of health care and the specific cross-disciplinary workplace. According to Shirley also cites the program as
needs of business, however, are often Shirley, statistics show that communication a crucial component in furthering the
more complicated than general practices. failures are responsible for many failures School of Nursing & Health Studies'
Simply adding regular business courses to that happen in health care. dedication to social justice. In her opinion,
the nursing students' list of requirements “Interdisciplinary work isn’t both the pandemic and ongoing social
was insufficient. Rather, the School of just academic. Health care is also justice movements amplify the need for
Nursing & Health Studies recognized that interdisciplinary,” Shirley says. “As students to learn how to act as aware
a cross-disciplinary approach was needed educators, the more we model teamwork leaders and engage in positive discourse.
to provide relevant context and tailored and give students the opportunity to “As an institution, our mission is not
content. practice it in the classroom, the more to become a work training program. We
To illustrate the point, Bykonen successful they’ll be in a health care setting.” educate citizens so they can help build
cites the example of a unit overseeing To that end, Pathak credits the a better society,” Shirley says. “Cross-
transplant patients. A certain level of School of Nursing & Health Studies for disciplinary work is essentially listening
staffing is required with additional nurses its willingness to embrace the School of and working together.
needed on a case-by-case basis when new Business as a full partner. According to “We see in the current world the need
transplant patients arrive. Pathak, the nursing faculty did not want to engage one another in ways that value
From a budget perspective, if a the Administrative Leadership Track differing needs and perspectives.”
hospital’s business administration does to become something graduates simply These two schools at UW Bothell are
not understand or account for those “listed on paper for their résumés.” still working with their many partners
occasional yet predictable staffing It needed to provide training that to develop the program. The next step is
fluctuations, it could result in nursing was immediately applicable in the real to increase the number of credit hours
staff not being allocated as needed at the world. He is proud that the program has offered in 2021 and to continue evolving
right times. accomplished that goal and sees alumni content. Based on feedback, planning is
“Nurses need to be able to tell “taking what they’ve learned and hitting already underway to add more material
the stories of what their patients need the ground running.” regarding human resources and employee
and why,” Bykonen explains. “Those A powerful example has been COVID- management skills.
stories then need to be interpreted and 19. The Administrative Leadership Track “That’s what sets UW Bothell apart,”
translated into business terms because predates the pandemic, but the consensus Bykonen observes. “It’s a culture that
budgets and oversight directly impact is that the program’s paradigm of is willing to think outside the box and
patient care.” interdisciplinary cooperation has benefited encourage open dialogue. It’s not about
those graduates working the front lines. how things are ‘traditionally’ done but
Modeling the workplace Pathak believes the program’s alumni and about what is actually needed.
Shirley concurs that nurses need students possess “an interdisciplinary “That spirit of adaptability makes it
the skills “to sit at the table as active mindset and adaptability” that have the best fit for the future.”
UWB.EDU 11THEIR JOURNEY BEGAN ON A BUS.
For many years, faculty members
Ted Hiebert and Jin-Kyu Jung rode King
County Metro route 372 to their work at
UW Bothell. It was a long trip from their
respective homes to the campus, and they
began passing the time in conversation.
Both are part of the School of
Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences. Dr.
Hiebert, a professor, focuses much of
his scholarship and teaching on the
relationships between art, technology
and speculative culture. Dr. Jung, an
associate professor, is focused on studying
and teaching geography, urban planning
and the critical urban and geographic
information system framework.
Put simply, one takes a critical
arts approach and the other a scientific
methods approach.
Their paradigms were distinct,
yet they frequently found their points
of interest overlap. Technology was
a recurring topic of conversation, for
example, even though they often differed
on its applications, significance and the UW’s Royalty Research Fund. To date,
philosophical implications. they have published three papers and have
“We actually gravitate toward our a fourth on the horizon.
points of difference rather than similarities. One of their first projects, “Imag(in)
That’s where we see the strength and ing Everyday Geographies,” was in
uniqueness of our interdisciplinary collaboration with Seattle artist Andrew
process,” Hiebert says. “Collaboration Buckles and his artistic meditation entitled
is often thought of as finding points in Why Wait? In it, Buckles explores his own
common. We find diving into the friction is mindset during three states of waiting:
more interesting and productive.” waiting for a bus, his job waiting tables
What once felt like an interminable and the abstract landscape of waiting —
commute became too short to cover for a chance, big break, to be noticed.
all their thoughts. So in 2013, they Hiebert and Jung used Why Wait? to
morphed their commuter debates into explore how space can exist within the
a formal cross-disciplinary partnership mind and imagination as well as being a
and launched what has become physical location. To do so, Buckles was
groundbreaking research. attached to EEG sensors which tracked his
brainwaves while he sat and talked about
Visualizing the world Technology is the centerpiece and a tool various states of waiting. It rendered what
“Jin-Kyu believes strongly in data in how they explore the ways in which Hiebert and Jung term “imaginary data,”
whereas I’m a data cynic,” Hiebert individuals exist and move through the brainwave readouts correlated to each site
explains. “He has faith in the power of world physically and conceptually. as Buckles “visited” them in his mind.
numbers and mapping to represent the Their inquiries have yielded “It was breathtaking,” Jung recalls.
world. I don’t think data can capture the numerous projects based both in the “There were moments when Andrew
whole picture. I’m forever suspicious of classroom and in the community at didn’t say anything, but we could still see
how it can be manipulated and its inability large. They were awarded a Worthington brainwave activity. It’s an example of how
to see the whole picture.” Innovation Fellowship in 2013, multiple even without moving between physical
They classify their research under the grants from the UW Simpson Center for locations, the state of just existing could
umbrella term of “creative geovisualization.” the Humanities and funding in 2019 from also be considered a mappable ‘space.’”
12 UW BOTHELL MAGAZINE“We actually gravitate toward our points of
difference rather than similarities. That’s where
we see the strength and uniqueness of our
interdisciplinary process.”
— Dr. Ted Hiebert, professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
Understanding new data Hiebert and Jung co-taught a UW Bothell commonalities and differences coexist.
Creative geovisualization is an class entitled “Heads in the Cloud: Even years later, Peralta says what he
innovative approach to reevaluating Mapping and Imagining,” which they learned in that class continues to influence
what constitutes data and developing plan to co-teach again in autumn quarter his views. He thinks more about how the
new ways to collect, analyze and apply it. 2021. human body exists and functions in ways
Hiebert and Jung together use strategies “The whole class was about that cannot always be seen or quantified,
that neither’s academic disciplines would intermingling methodologies and pushing at least not yet.
normally possess and so can address beyond the limitations of separate Additionally, his relationship to
issues neither could tackle independently. disciplines. Everything we did was very technology continues to evolve. He’s been
Their cross-disciplinary collaboration interdisciplinary and practice-based,” studying remotely due to COVID-19 and
opens up more traditional thinking, Jung says. is conscious of how his laptop has become
allowing them to create new research, more than what it once seemed. It is no
Integrating technology and longer just a work tool for producing
course content — and ways of problem
medicine papers but also a portal to his entire social
solving.
“Heads in the Cloud” was one of life.
Far from being an insular, academic
20-year-old Carlos Peralta’s first classes at
discussion, Hiebert and Jung see creative
UW Bothell. As a health studies student, Seeing through a different lens
geovisualization as having significant
he is fascinated by the intersection of “On a personal level, that class forced
real-world applications. The world is
technology and medicine, particularly me to see the world through a different
evermore connected and impacted by
how better integration can be used to lens. That’s going to carry into my
unseen forces such as technology. That
improve people’s lives. professional life, too,” Peralta predicts. “I
requires equally new ways of navigation,
One of his favorite class experiences have the skills to see things from different
they say.
was the “bat exercise.” Similar to the Why perspectives. I know people can have
“We increasingly live in ‘smart cities’
Wait? project, students volunteered to different strategies and still work together
with a lot of tech and surveillance,”
have their brainwaves recorded as they to achieve the same goal.”
Hiebert observes. “Jin-Kyu views that
silently imagined themselves existing as For Hiebert and Jung, the outcome
as an urban planner. How do you use
bats. of their teaching is not about giving
data collected from traffic cameras to
Peralta laughs that pretending to be students answers or reducing solutions
implement smarter policies of moving
a bat isn’t a regular occurrence for him into categories of “right” or “wrong.”
people efficiently? I see those cameras
since perhaps his childhood daydreams It’s about providing a cross-disciplinary
as more than data-generating devices.
about being Batman. Nonetheless, he was space where seemingly contradictory
They’re a type of haunted infrastructure.
eager to try the experiment and immersed approaches can thrive.
How does surveillance make people feel?
himself in thoughts of flying around caves “Jin-Kyu and I never have found
How does it impact behavior, and what
and fields at night. common ground on some things,” Hiebert
are the social justice consequences?”
“It was awesome,” Peralta says of says. “Instead of letting that disrupt the
Both paradigms are valid albeit
his brainwave printout. “The best part, work, we find it endlessly fascinating.
different. As their partnership
though, was comparing scans with my We simultaneously hold each other’s
demonstrates, a symbiotic approach
peers. You could actually see ways in viewpoints as valid, and that generates
is likely the best way to find balanced
which our thoughts were both similar and more complex answers than maybe either
solutions to such complex problems.
different.” of us had individually.
In addition to community projects,
That realization hits at the core “It drives our dialogue, which is
the two faculty members are furthering
of what Hiebert and Jung hope to at the heart of our interdisciplinary
their work in the classroom. In 2018,
instill in students — a mindset where practice.”
UWB.EDU 13By Kelly Huffman
The enduring
impact of
mentoring UW Bothell alumni
are volunteering as
mentors to support
connections
students through their
academic journeys —
and beyond. Alumni say
they are better off for
the connection, too.
M
ENTORS CAN HAVE A STRONG IMPACT ON THE STUDENTS THEY HELP,
but mentors are quick to point out that the relationships they nurture are
mutually beneficial. In giving their time and advice, they say, the relationships
enrich them as well.
As you will hear from these mentees and mentors alike, the connections
they share have been learning experiences for everyone involved.
14 UW BOTHELL MAGAZINETadashi Shiga
and Cindy Yang:
On courage,
connections and
virtual coffee
“THERE ARE TWO KINDS of people in
this world: fountains and drains. Fountains
nourish and encourage, but drains suck the
life out of you.”
That’s just one of the pearls that Tadashi
Shiga (IAS ’96) shared with current student
Cindy Yang in an early mentorship meeting.
Tadashi Shiga
Yang, a marketing major and president of the
Women in Business student club, first heard
Shiga speak on a panel of alums sponsored
by the School of Business in spring 2020.
Drawn to Shiga’s “electric” personality,
Yang also felt an immediate kinship with
him as a fellow Asian American. Here was
a successful businessman in a prominent
role, accustomed to being the only person of
color in a room. Yang could relate.
“There are lots of first-generation
students at UW Bothell,” she says. “We are
the ones who really, really need mentorship,
and we are the ones who are intimidated by
it. We need more mentors that look like us.
When you see them in leadership roles, it
makes you feel like you can do it, too.”
The day after the School of Business
panel, she “shot her shot” and emailed
Shiga to request a virtual coffee meetup.
He quickly agreed. A member of both the
School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
Advisory Board and the school’s Alumni
Hall of Fame, Shiga is the owner of two
thriving businesses. He also leads a division
of Realogic Sotheby’s International Realty.
MAKING FRIENDS WITH FAILURE
Why take the time to mentor the young
undergrad? “During a time when most of us
have binged our way through Netflix, Yang Cindy Yang
has chosen to double down on her academic
and professional growth,” said Shiga.
UWB.EDU 15Shiga also points to the importance of real estate, STEM, user experience design,
paying it forward. Back in 2008, his work in “Tadashi computer science, whatever, I will talk with
real estate and community development was you,” she says, noting that her LinkedIn
hard hit by the economic downturn, so he celebrates my profile is set to “open to chat with anyone”
took the opportunity to clarify his values and
shift his focus to creating more affordable milestones, is for a virtual meeting.
“I know how tough it can be to reach
and sustainable homes in the community.
With mentorship and coaching from invested in my out. As a first-generation college student, I
started without anyone in my professional
green building industry pros, Shiga
learned the business inside and out. His
growth and is network who looked like me,” she says. “I
encourage other students to seek out new
brainchild, Evergreen Certified, is now one
of the largest third-party certifiers of green
someone I can connections. Find someone who inspires
you, find something in common and say
construction in the Pacific Northwest and
has won multiple awards.
count on to give hello! If I can do it, you can do it, too.”
All those feathers in Shiga’s cap could
make him an intimidating figure, but he’s
me honest advice. REACHING FORWARD,
LOOKING BACK
quick to share his unconventional path to
success. “I was a poor student,” he says,
Mentorship Yang is already paying forward the
mentorship lessons she’s received from
recalling his teen years. “A purposely poor deeply fosters Shiga. When a high school student recently
student.” approached her about setting up a chapter
One year at Cleveland High School, my ability to be of Women in Business, Yang took her under
he forgot the combination to his locker and her wing. It was a chance to share how she
never bothered to retrieve it. “My books confident in my organizes the UW Bothell club, how she
stayed locked away for the entire year,” motivates other members — what works
he says. Another academic low point: He future.” and what doesn’t. “It was an eye-opening
couldn’t maintain the minimum 2.0 grade experience,” says Yang.
point average required to play on the Mentorship goes both ways, according
football team. CINDY YANG (IAS ’22) to Shiga. Working with young people has
But, as the son and grandson of Marketing major and brought home the importance of continually
hardworking Seattle entrepreneurs, Shiga president of the Women in challenging himself. For instance, he says,
was an excellent salesperson with a gift for Business student club until recently he didn’t use social media at
relating to people. His family gave him the all. Now, he has launched a podcast and
freedom to make mistakes and learn from video blog that highlights builders and
them — and Shiga sees the payoff today. “I a fellow Asian American, has been a game- architects from around the Emerald City.
don’t worry about what other people think changer,” she says. “Tadashi celebrates my His experience with UW Bothell
of me,” he says. “I have a good gut reaction milestones, is invested in my growth and is undergraduates also has prompted him
on where I should take myself and my someone I can count on to give me honest to consider his legacy. At 52, he has no
companies.” advice. Mentorship deeply fosters my children. He had no previous connection
He currently shares his get-out-there- ability to be confident in my future.” with Generation Z, but Yang and her
and-experiment philosophy with Yang and When she shared with him about fellow students have inspired him with
two other UW Bothell mentees. “Life is having impostor syndrome, for example, their energy and well-developed sense of
about failing and getting up and learning Shiga brought out another pearl: “When compassion.
and getting up again,” he tells them. “Get you’re green, you grow. When you’re ripe, “Cindy is willing to take chances,
comfortable with making mistakes.” you rot.” make new connections and is bold enough
In between their virtual coffees — to ask ‘what more can I do?’ It is something
BUILDING BRIDGES, ONE they have yet to meet in person because that sets Cindy — and the other students I
PERSON AT A TIME of the pandemic — Shiga also assigns mentor — apart from the crowd.
Shiga says he strives to create a safe Yang homework. One of her first tasks: “By meeting these incredible people
space where his young proteges can Survey his Sotheby group’s social media like Cindy,” he says, “I started having more
explore new ideas and share failures in an efforts and follow up with an assessment. hope for the future. These students have
atmosphere that’s free from criticism. Shiga also supplied the names and contact more of a mission, they want to make an
It’s an approach that Yang appreciates, information for several team members, impact. They’re super-caring.”
noting that their conversations go beyond urging Yang to reach out. Shiga also has a message for other
career concerns to address areas of “Tadashi calls himself the bridge,” alumni who might be considering
personal development such as confidence says Yang, “He wants to connect people.” mentorship: “This is a rare opportunity to
and leadership. Inspired by his example, she has affect a person’s life in a positive way,” he
“Connecting with an incredible cultivated an openness to meet with says. “It’s the best thing that happened to
mentor like Tadashi, who I can relate to as people of all backgrounds. “Health care, me in 2020.”
16 UW BOTHELL MAGAZINEEmily Anderson
and Bianca Borjas:
Forging a future
through friendship,
caring and career
advice
EMILY ANDERSON’S PATH TO UW
BOTHELL didn’t unfold in a straight line. Emily Anderson
Home-schooled for all but two years of
junior high and high school, she didn’t
feel ready to attend a large, four-year
institution. After a stint at community
college, she transferred to UW Bothell,
where she soon found her footing in the
tightknit campus community.
Among the many mentors who
helped her along the way: Dr. Linda
Watts, a professor whose elective class on
research writing made a deep impression
on Anderson. Now, 12 years after
graduating, she still recalls one-to-one
meetings during office hours with Watts,
who shared her approach to organizing
a research paper. “I felt so fortunate to
have that investment,” says Anderson
(IAS ’09).
She also tapped the expertise of UW
Bothell librarians. “Walk me through it,”
they’d typically respond when the Society,
Ethics & Human Behavior major broached
a new project. They pushed her to dig
deep and shared the resources to hone her
scholarship.
Administrators also took the time
to sit down with Anderson over coffee,
quizzing her about her values and
ambitions. When the up-and-comer
decided that she wanted to attend law
school, she turned again to her UW Bianca Borjas
Bothell mentors, who wrote letters
UWB.EDU 17of recommendation and guided her But her fears were quickly allayed.
through the daunting application “She took “Rather than it slowing her down, she
process. moved forward,” says Anderson. “I was
“You can’t buy that,” says Anderson. me under her proud of her resilience and the tenacity to
“It’s irreplaceable to have someone you
admire and respect say, ‘I believe in you, wing without keep moving forward.”
Almost four years later, the two
you’ve got what it takes.’”
She was the first in her family to hesitation, UW Bothell graduates remain in regular
contact, trading texts and updates on
pursue post-baccalaureate studies of any
kind. Despite feeling “like a fish out of invited me to each other’s lives. Anderson has recently
moved into a new position with Salesforce,
water” during the application process,
Anderson was admitted to the Seattle
her job. I was supporting the software company’s
mergers and acquisitions team. As for
University School of Law, where she
received her J.D. in 2015.
surprised at how Borjas, she has recently moved back to
Seattle and is working in real estate in the
TAKING LEGAL EAGLETS
much she was Bellevue area.
UNDER HER WING willing to help SERVICE AS A PATH TO SUCCESS
Anderson, now a member of the
Even before finishing her legal
studies, Anderson began meeting with without getting UW Alumni Association Board of
UW Bothell undergraduates who had also Trustees, continues to mentor work
set their sights on law school. anything in colleagues and current undergraduates.
“As I reflect on my journey,” she says, “It’s a great reflection for me to look at
“it was the human interactions that made return.” my own experience and be inspired by
such a big impact on me, and that’s what I what they’re overcoming, what they’re
want to give back.” sacrificing,” she says. “I’m so grateful I
One of her first official mentees: BIANCA BORJAS (IAS ’17) didn’t give up.”
Yakima native Bianca Borjas (IAS ’17), Society, Ethics and Human Borjas considers her former mentor
a Society, Ethics and Human Behavior Behavior major an important influence in her professional
major who initiated contact with an email. life. “Emily is a natural go-getter,” she
“It wasn’t hard to reach out,” recalls says. “When you surround yourself with
Borjas, who considers herself a natural at people who are career-oriented, it makes
networking. “I wasn’t intimidated — more personal statement, how to prep for the you want to be the same way. I look up to
excited. I thought, ‘Wow, she’s an attorney LSAT and how to write an addendum her a lot.”
at one of the biggest corporations in the if you need to retake it — a matter of But how to make the initial
world.’” personal experience for the UW Bothell mentorship connection? Not everyone
By then, Anderson was working on alumna. is a natural-born networker like Borjas.
Microsoft’s legal team. “Send me your For students hesitant to reach out to a
resume,” she encouraged Borjas. She FINDING RESILIENCE IN A mentor, Anderson encourages action:
also invited the first-generation college TIME OF CHANGE Send that email and include your resume.
student for coffee at the software giant’s Eventually, Borjas faced a turning Ask for a virtual cup of coffee — and
headquarters in Redmond, Washington. point. After considering her options, she cap the meeting at 30 minutes. Before
The connection was strong from the start, decided not to pursue law school after all, you meet your prospective mentor, do
aided by the fact that both were women, turning her energy instead to real estate your homework and bring thoughtful
fairly close in age and first in their sales in Yakima. With family expectations questions.
families to consider law school. running high, it was a tough decision. “I really encourage our alums as well
“She took me under her wing without Borjas also worried about letting to put themselves out there,” she says,
hesitation, invited me to her job,” says Anderson down. All the effort and care confident that everyone will benefit from
Borjas. “I was surprised at how much that her mentor had invested — would she the richness of the relationship. And,
she was willing to help without getting consider it a waste? Anderson counsels, there’s no need for
anything in return.” “She was probably the hardest person an intense resume review or a long-term
Anderson’s first impression of to tell,” says Borjas, “maybe even more commitment. Just a conversation over a
Borjas? Here’s someone who wants to than my mom, because she put a lot of cup of coffee can go a long way to helping
make a difference, who wants to achieve time and energy into it.” a student along their path.
excellence. The two met regularly For her part, Anderson was more “I have yet to meet a single person
for more than a year, with Anderson concerned for Borjas’ well-being: Would who hasn’t benefited from a mentor,
providing a road map for the law school the younger woman falter after working formal or informal, in their life,” says
application process: how to craft a so hard for a goal that didn’t materialize? Anderson.
18 UW BOTHELL MAGAZINEYou can also read
