Informed Advocates of the University of Washington

How did you begin to advocate with UW Impact?

I was introduced to this program when I joined the board of the UWAA. I joined this committee and haven't looked back!

Which higher education issue is most important to you and why?

While higher education was always an expectation and a reality for me, I know that isn't the case for everyone. I feel that a liberal arts education continues to be an invaluable springboard for young people embarking on their careers. Making sure that everyone that desires to attend a university is able to do so is critical. This requires expanding funding, but also raising public awareness of the funds that already exist.

What has been rewarding about advocating for higher education and what have you learned?

The goodwill of interacting with our elected officials cannot be overstated. I appreciate them making time to meet one on one, and they appreciate hearing directly from a constituent about what is important to me.

What would you share with other alumni that want to get involved?

You might feel intimidated to reach out to your legislators, but the staff at UW Impact do an amazing job of preparing you to speak with your elected officials and to make the case for why funding for higher education in general, and the University of Washington specifically, is so important to all of us in the state.