About Honors 100 Peer Educators
Honors Peer Educators (PEs) are leaders in the Honors community by teaching a section of the Honors 100 seminar. They are integral in welcoming, mentoring, and informing incoming Honors students. PEs share insights about and experiences with Honors curriculum, community, and resources with new students.
“The Peer Educators have become a community of leaders who hold tremendous empathy for the complexity of their peers’ early UW experience as well as a group who gain a deeper understanding of their own personal choices and pathways in college” -Aley Mills Willis Director of Academic Services for the UW Honors Program
In addition to leading an Honors 100 section, during both Spring and Autumn quarters, Honors 100 PEs meet weekly with one another and with the Honors 100 instructors to develop their courses collaboratively and to discuss important questions and challenges related to teaching and mentoring. These meetings provide a supportive environment to discuss openly the successes and challenges of leading Honors 100 sections.
Peer Educators and Instructors at the 2022 Peer Educator Retreat
2022 Peer Educators
Wintana Eyob – Section AA
Hi my name is Wintana Eyob and I’m a fourth year studying Informatics here at UW 🙂 I love dancing, traveling, eating coconuts, and hanging out with friends. On campus I’m an Honors Peer Educator and Academic Success Coach. If you have any questions about Honors, UW, college life, technology, justice, or anything else feel free to hit me up! I’m excited to meet you!!
Milena Johnson – Section AB
Hi all! My name is Milena and I use she/her pronouns! I am entering my junior year at UW and I am majoring in geography with a minor in public policy. I’m particularly interested in urban geographies, and how policy architecture affects our urban environment. Understanding interdisciplinary connections like this is one of my favorite aspects I get to explore in the UW Interdisciplinary Honors program. I’m also really excited to start my Departmental Honors sequence this upcoming year. Additionally, I’m looking forward to participating in an Honors study abroad program in Rome this summer!
I grew up in Pullman, Washington, but I am very familiar with the Seattle area. Outside of school, I love taking hiking day trips, or cafe-hopping in the city! I also love spending time with my friends either playing tennis, watching bad reality TV, or baking together. I can’t wait to teach my first Honors 100 section this year, and I look forward to meeting you all!
Emily Gong – Section AC
Hi everyone, welcome to UW and to the Honors Program! My name is Emily, and I’m a junior majoring in Public Health on a pre-med track. Outside of the classroom, I’m an undergraduate researcher at the Nghiem Lab, and involved in various RSOs across campus. Most of my free time is spent playing volleyball with friends, and I’m part of the club volleyball team at UW. I love running outside when the weather is nice, and spending time with friends and family. A fun fact about me is that I’m from Canada and my elementary/high school education was in French! Though college has its ups and downs, I have absolutely loved my time here at UW and in the Honors Program.
I’m looking forward to meeting you all!
Andy Simmerman – Section AD
Hi everyone! I am a senior at UW pursuing a double major in Political Science and Norwegian with hopes of attending law school next year. I grew up just outside of Spokane, Washington in a tiny town called Valleyford. I’m a huge fan of the English Premier League (and I’m sick of watching City win), and I’ve been trying to get back into tennis after playing a ton in high school. I love being outdoors, especially doing things like hiking and skiing. My favorite show of all time is Avatar: The Last Airbender, and I’m willing to talk about it forever. I’ve been in the Honors program since I started at UW, and I’ve really enjoyed my time in the program. Many of my closet friends are people that I met living in the Honors LLC, and my Honors classes have been super fun and engaging and have really helped me to get experience with things outside my major. I decided to be a peer educator because I thought this would be a great way to give back to the community that’s given me so many opportunities and experiences during my time here! Can’t wait to see everyone in class in the fall!
Jaykub Rafael – Section AE
Greetings!
I’m Jaykub Rafael, a rising 2nd year in the Interdisciplinary Honors Program, and one of the many very cool peer educators for HONORS100. I am majoring in Community, Environment, & Planning, with intended minors in Urban Design & Planning, and International Studies. In general, I’m just really interested in how our current systems and built environment shape our social interactions and sense of community.
Extracurricularly, I currently serve as the Member Relations chair for UW Circle K International (a student volunteer group), and I love volunteering with many entities of ASUW, so HMU if you are ever looking for any volunteer opportunities.
Outside of school, I like to draw and usually have a few art projects in the works (you probably will see some of them around campus at some point). I also love listening to music/going to concerts. Although I listen to all music, my favorites are generally like any electronic productions— anything from EDM to electropop. I also play the clarinet lol.
Anyways, HMU about anything and have a good one!
Ella Hicks – Section AF
Hi all,
I’m Ella and I’m currently a sophomore, class of 2025. I’m from Cookeville, Tennessee and I’m majoring in Education, Communities, and Organizations. I’ve been in Interdisciplinary Honors since the beginning of my time here, and through it I’ve found some of my favorite classes and peers. Outside of school, I do a lot of work with Northwest Film Forum and The Vera Project, focusing on community engagement, workshops, and concert photography. I’m also in a band, and we play indie folk music around Seattle!
Jonathan Aalto – Section AG
Hi there! My name is Jonathan Aalto, and I’m a junior studying biochemistry and applied mathematics. One thing that drew me to the University of Washington and which continues to excite me is the wide array of research opportunities in and around campus. I am a member of the Xiao Lab in the Department of Chemistry, where I work to develop and test metal-organic catalysts, and on weekends, I perform data analysis and microfluidics imaging for a protein lab at South Lake Union. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy running, biking, and hiking. There are countless fantastic trails in and around the city, not to mention the three national parks surrounding it, and I hope to explore as much of it as possible while I’m here. On rainy days or lazy afternoons, I enjoy reading, especially fantasy series like The Wheel of Time or Mistborn, and board games. Baking, particularly pies and breads, is another of my favorite pastimes, perhaps because of its similarity to chemistry.
Though I have long intended to pursue a career in science, a major goal of mine when I started college was to broaden my experiences, and the University Honors Program has helped me do just that! Though most have had little overlap with my majors, Honors classes have consistently been some of the most engaging and memorable courses in my time at UW. I particularly enjoyed Honors 345, a writing seminar where I got to write a mock article for the Journal of Popular Culture, and Honors 240, where I studied the history of the Jewish diaspora in eastern Europe. Being part of the Honors community has also been a great time. I’ve met a lot of friends in Honors events and classes, and I’ve really appreciated the support of the Honors advisors in helping me navigate my academic goals. Becoming a Peer Educator has been a way for me to give back to the community that has aided me so much along my journey, and my goal is to provide students in Honors 100 with the kinds of support and information that helped me get my bearings as a freshman.
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions! I’d be happy to answer as much as I can, whether it’s details about the Honors program, biochemistry, applied mathematics, the best hikes in the Cascades, or recommendations for restaurants and parks!
Esther Mumbi – Section AH
Hey y’all, my name is Esther Mercelle Mumbi. My pronouns are she/her. I am a sophomore here at the University of Washington. I plan on majoring in Public Health – Global Health on a Pre-Physicians Assistant in pediatrics or sports medicine track. I am originally from Kenya, but I have moved around a lot and have lived in Orlando, FL, Concord, NC, and now I am here in Seattle! I am a board member of the African Student Association and a member of our Black Student Union. In addition to that, I am a part of a historically black sorority known as Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated in our Kappa Nu chapter right here at UW. I am passionate about health care and giving back to the community and I love to travel and take photos (especially of sunsets!). My hobbies include dance (Hip-hop and African), modeling, spending time with friends, exploring new places, and working out. People often describe me as caring, goofy, and diligent. To be a peer educator to me not only means simply teaching an Honors 100 class and getting that honors credit. To me, it means being able to inspire peers and make them feel comfortable both with this huge change in their lives and with their identities. I became a peer educator, yes to get the experience of teaching and to grow my interpersonal skills but mostly because if I can help make another peer’s life just a bit easier while pushing them toward loving who they are, then I will be satisfied with this experience. I look forward to being a peer educator this school year and I hope to be able to pass down some of my acquired first-year knowledge on resources and community here at UW and in Interdisciplinary Honors. I am so excited to meet you all and share and learn about your passions both inside, and outside the classroom. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
Phoenix Davis – Section AI
Hi! My name is Phoenix Davis, and I am one of the Honors Peer Educators for 2022. I am from Logan, Utah, and go by she/they pronouns. Currently, I am a junior majoring in Biology with an emphasis in physiology, but I am hoping to major in neuroscience. One day, I plan to use this degree to get an MD Ph.D. and become a neurosurgeon. If I am not in class, researching in the lab, or volunteering you can find me playing violin in the Campus Philharmonic Orchestra, reading a good book, playing a tennis match, beating everyone at Mario Kart, or snuggling up with my cat for a nap. A weird fact about me is that I am double jointed in all the joints of my fingers as well as my elbows. I am ecstatic to teach, HONORS 100, one my favorite classes I took as a freshman. I hope I can act as a positive influence and guide through the ups and downs of freshman year, and teach valuable lessons that can be utilized throughout college.
Brandon Wu – Section AJ
Hey everyone, my name is Brandon and I’m so excited to meet you all this fall! I’m a rising junior studying public health and neuroscience with hopes for medical school. One of my favorite college memories as of now is blasting tunes into the audience as a trumpet in the Husky Marching Band, and I love spending my spare academic time hosting brain dissections with Grey Matters Journal and promoting health equity in GlobeMed!
Although I was born in Chicago, I’ve lived close to Seattle for nearly all my life and have come to love it – rain included. Outside of class, I’m no stranger to the occasional TV/movie binge whether it be working my way through Friends or just about anything Marvel related. I also enjoy going on hikes, learning to cook new things, listening to Andy Grammer, and exploring the city!
Like many others, my first year was definitely affected by COVID, but joining the honors program has still been one of my best decisions. The honors classes that I have taken so far have been integral to finding the issues I care about by integrating two fields I love: neuroscience and public health. I hope that you all find your own unique passion within the honors program as well! Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions related to honors, UW in general, any of the clubs I am in, or really anything else on your mind!
Dylan Strauss – Section AK
Hi! My name is Dylan, and I’m a sophomore at UW. I’m from Edmonds, about 20-30 minutes north of Seattle, and I’m planning on majoring in either marine biology or biology (Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation). I love playing tennis, chess, and board games; watching comedies; and spending time with friends and family. I’m very glad I joined the Honors Program—it’s been a great way to make new connections and take a range of unique courses. I’m looking forward to meeting you, introducing you to the Honors Program, and helping you navigate the college transition process! Feel free to reach out about anything related to the honors program or the UW experience, or if you just want to get to know me 🙂
Grace Rothmeyer – Section AL
Hi everyone! My name is Grace and I am a Sophomore currently planning to double major in Environmental Science & Terrestrial Resource Management and Informatics with a minor in Mandarin Chinese. Outside of class, I love to get outdoors and explore the beautiful natural area around Seattle. My absolute favorite activity is plunging into a crisp alpine lake after a long day of hiking! At UW, I get outdoors through my involvement on the UW Sailing Team and UW Climbing Team. I also work in an on-campus lab studying insect ecology in the Pacific Northwest so come to me any time if you want a fun fact about PNW insects! I would love to chat with anyone who has any questions about UW Honors, getting involved in the UW community, the Honors LLC (I had a fantastic time living in Terry my Freshman year), or pretty much anything else. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Sophie Goodson – Section BA
Hello! I’m Sophie and I’m a second-year admit to the Interdisciplinary Honors Program and a peer educator for fall of 2022. This is my third year at UW, and I’m studying Political Science and Environmental Science and Resource Management. Outside of classes, I spend time with HOPE (Huskies for Opportunities in Prison Education), an RSO pushing for more support for formerly incarcerated students on campus, and at my health and safety internship with an electronics recycling company, and in my free time I love to hike, read (currently re-reading The Death of Vivek Oji), backpack, canoe (the Sammamish river is very pretty to canoe on!), draw, and cook. I’m from Seattle, so if you need any recommendations for hikes around here or fun parks or food places, feel free to reach out! Definitely reach out about anything else, from experiences in the honors program, to navigating credits as a second-year admit, to Poli sci or ESRM, too! I can’t wait to chat with you!! 🙂
Nae Nhae Pasahahnunwut – Section BB
Hey everyone, Welcome to UW! My name is Nae Nhae and I will be going into my last year as a Senior majoring in Public Health-Global Health, minoring in French and Data Science, and am a part of the Interdisciplinary and Departmental Honors Track. Originally from Thailand, I have moved around a lot growing up; England, Australia, Utah, Minnesota, and now Seattle!
Things I am involved in at the UW are my jobs as a Tour Guide and past Orientation Leader where I love(d) meeting and interacting with many new faces! I am a part of various RSOs, one being Global Medical and Dental brigades where I will be in rural Honduras shadowing clinicians and improving health education, and another being SynBio For Everyone, a non-profit where we work to make STEM education accessible to all. Additionally, I was the Vice President of Marketing & Recruitment and Director of DEI during my time in my Sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, and believe in advocating the system to be more inclusive!
Whenever I can, I love to travel, take photos/videos (of literally anything), and be by the water. Being a memory hoarder, I believe in the genuine happiness of collecting and documenting things that I love! My happy place is when I’m cooking, especially without a recipe as I love to experiment with what I have! People often describe me as spontaneous, compassionate, and a little goofy sometimes! When I am not in class, I am often exploring places around me and will always be down to try something new!
Honors has allowed me to explore a variety of different classes in a more holistic and meaningful way with amazing professors who are extremely passionate about their teaching. Being a part of Honors has made me discover some of my favourite classes and professors at UW, open my eyes to a wider perspective of the world and found a supportive group of peers! It has been an amazing journey so far and I can’t wait to see what’s to come!
With that being said, this is my second year being a Peer Educator and I’m so excited to meet and share my passions, experiences, and knowledge, both inside and outside the classroom, with you all! Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have, or even if ya just wanna chat over a cuppa tea! :))
Fleur Uittenbogaard – Section BC
Hi everyone! My name’s Fleur and I’m a rising senior majoring in Neuroscience and this will be my third year as an Honors Peer Educator. I’m originally from the Netherlands, but moved to Washington when I was five and have lived in the Seattle area ever since. After college, I hope to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience.
Outside of the classroom, I’m involved with a variety of RSOs and other extracurricular activities— I’m the lead writing tutor at CLUE (come check us out school nights from 7:00 – 11:00 pm), I’m involved in neuroscience research, I’m an editor and also part of the outreach team for Grey Matters, UW’s undergraduate neuroscience journal, and am a peer mentor for UW’s Neurobiology club!
Some fun facts about me: I recently adopted a one-year-old Tortie cat rescue from California named Hazel, I have been practicing martial arts for thirteen years and have my black belt in Shudokan Karate and Kwan Nyom Hapkido, I speak fluent Dutch and a little German,), and I adore traveling and trying new food and have been lucky enough to spend a lot of my summers abroad (pre-Covid of course).
I’m truly an open book so please feel free to ask me about anything I mentioned (or didn’t mention!) and use me as a resource. The honors community is one of the most supportive groups of people I’ve gotten the privilege of being a part of, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with all of you! I’m so excited to meet all of you in the fall!
Wien Sillevis Smitt – Section BD
Hi y’all, my name is Wien (pronounced like the “ween” in Halloween)! I am a senior from San Jose, CA double majoring in Law, Societies, & Justice and the Comparative History of Ideas with a minor in Political Science. Right now, my main interests as an LSJ and CHID student are the ways that law and politics interact with cultural productions to influence what we think is possible and how the material reality of societies shaped by law are reflected in narrative and story-telling.
Outside of class, I am one of the Student Directors of the Campus Visit Program (if you took a tour of UW before applying/deciding to come here, that’s what I do!) and spent part of last year as a Writing Tutor at the Odegaard Writing and Research Center. When I’m not in class or at work, I consider myself a professional hobbyist. Most recently, I’ve been crocheting, cross-stitching, and painting. I’m also an avid reader (mostly fantasy and contemporary) and spend many weekend mornings reading in coffee shops.
Samantha Martinez – Section BE
Hi everyone, I’m Samantha-Lynn! I am beyond excited to be a peer educator for the upcoming academic year, and I hope to be a friend and resource to you all who are embarking on your first leg of the UW Honors experience.
For a little more information about me, I moved to Seattle in 2005 from the Philippines, and I’ve been exploring everything this incredible city has to offer ever since. Being so close to the marine environment and water all of my life, I am extremely passionate about marine science and biology, but you can’t forget about my artistic side too! Aside from my experience in marine science, I’m also a designer/illustrator, and I’ve worked for marine science organizations around the area, the aquarium, and some other fields outside marine science like the UW astronomy department, and even Cotopaxi! Ultimately I hope to keep the science and communications/design sides of me alive and well into my academic and professional career, and I’d love to help you all out on your interdisciplinary studies as well! Exploring all your options in college to find out what truly makes you tick is something I’ll ALWAYS advocate for, and you all have an awesome opportunity to do so with the Interdisciplinary Honors Program.
Some of my favorite Honors classes I’ve taken so far are Storytelling in the Sciences with Dr. Oliver Fraser (HONORS 220), Natural History and Culture Museums in the 21st Century with Melissa Frey at the Burke Museum! (HONORS 397), and an Honors section of Intermediate Multimodal Composition with Misun Bishop (ENGL 282)! All of these classes approached one or more of my passions in unique and engaging ways, and they experiences you get in making projects for these classes are unlike any other opportunity available in the UW community in general. I can say that the science and communications side of me was VERY happy in these courses.
That’s all for now, but I can’t wait to hear more about you and your journeys in HONORS 100! Cheers to you, and welcome to UW!
Anaëlle Enders – Section BF
Hi there! My name is Anaëlle (pronounced “Ah-nile” — like the Nile river). I moved to Seattle in 7th grade and it has slowly become my home. I never expected to go to UW and be studying what I am now, which is Education, Communities, and Organizations (ECO) and Arabic. One of the things I’m really interested in is learning how the global service and aid system can become more equitable and how people working in this sector can be more aware of our positionality in different spaces.
I have three younger siblings and most of the time I try to support them and be a good big sister. I give them advice on things that I have been learning (in all my unending wisdom). A fun fact is that I did not know what I wanted to study before college at all. I’ve found a lot of support at UW. Being in the UW Honors program and becoming a Peer Educator has only increased my sense of community here. When I’m not studying, I like to explore the city, draw stickers, and make soup with my roommates.
Shalini Pullarkat – Section BG
Hi everyone! My name is Shalini, and I’m super excited to be a Peer Educator for Autumn 2022! I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and helping you all get acquainted with UW and the Honors program! I hope to be able to provide you with resources, tips, and advice (that I wish I had when I was a freshman) in order to make the Honors community a welcoming and safe space.
For a little about me, I’m a senior majoring in General Biology, on a pre-med track. I am also working on a minor in Art History, which I’m so excited about. I’m originally from Southern California, but I’ve loved Seattle so much since I moved here. I’m a member of the UW Chamber Singers, and I love making and listening to music in my free time. Additionally, I work as a Lab Aide at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, where I do medical research with a focus on oncology and hematologic malignancies.
I can’t wait to meet all of you!
Elana Skeers – Section BH
Hello! My name is Elana and I am a senior majoring in Dance and minoring in Applied Mathematics, hence my love for the Interdisciplinary Honors Program! I am from Southern California and I love the sun. I came to UW because I was looking forward to the big school experience while also knowing I could find a smaller community within the Honors program. Coming from a small school and not knowing anyone else starting my freshman year, I was nervous but excited for the opportunity to meet so many new people and learn from others’ experiences and perspectives. My transition here was definitely a little bit of a culture shock but I have learned to love and embrace all the new opportunities I have had here. I hope I can help incoming students (like you!) transition and find their place at this school. I look forward to sharing my experiences and getting to know new students who share some of my interests.
When I am not in class, I love playing with dogs, going on adventures in the mountains or by the beach, listening to music and cooking. I enjoy spending time with my friends and collaborating on projects for various RSOs (clubs) on campus. I am passionate about questioning and challenging societal norms and values in all areas of my life and I appreciate all the opportunities I have had to do so in my Honors classes. I am grateful for the space the Honors community creates to take risks and shape my values and opinions. When I reflect on my last 3 years here, I definitely remember the ups and downs but I am so appreciative of the support I have received from the staff, faculty, and students in Honors.
Ava Finn – Section BI
Hello!
My name is Ava Finn, and I am a second-year student studying Sociology, History, and Public Policy. I am particularly passionate about criminal justice reform, community health, and international development policy. I joined UW Honors because of the opportunity to have passionate, in-depth discussions of topics across disciplines within a smaller network of peers on campus. Honors has truly become my “home base” on campus, and I’m so excited to lead HONORS 100 to introduce incoming students to that same sense of community.
I am originally from Issaquah, Washington, a suburb about thirty minutes east of campus. I was part of the Honors LLC in Terry my freshman year, and now live with three of my best friends off-campus. When I’m not working on classwork, you can find me at hockey games, crocheting and knitting, or exploring the city. I love Yelping new coffee shops and restaurants and making occasions out of trying them with friends, so if you’re in need of recommendations, look no further! I also enjoy taking advantage of the beautiful greenspace on campus and beyond, whether that’s a Gasworks picnic, a casual kayaking adventure, or a scenic hike. When the weather is too much to handle, I love finding new and obscure documentaries and podcasts to delve into with friends!
I love meeting new people and sharing advice about my experiences, so feel free to reach out with any questions or just to chat!
Kristen Ishizuka – Section BJ
Hi everyone! My name is Kristen and I’m from Bellevue, WA. I’m a current sophomore intending to major in Business Administration with a minor in Law, Societies, and Justice (LSJ). I’m crazy passionate about health and wellness, volunteering, Parks and Rec, hiking, and all things traveling. The Honors Program was one of the main reasons I chose UW, and I cannot imagine my college experience without this amazing, diverse community. Throughout my time so far at UW, I’ve been involved in the Honors Peer Educator Program, research through the Foster School of Business, ASUW’s UW Leaders Program, Alpha Phi, Panhellenic Leadership, Green Greeks, and various volunteer organizations in the greater Seattle area. I can’t wait to meet you guys!
Interested in Becoming a Peer Educator?
We’re so excited that you’re interested! More information about the role can be found on the Honors Peer Educator page and we will be hosting information sessions and accepting applications for the upcoming years Peer Educator cohort at the beginning of winter quarter. If you have questions now about how to become a Peer Educator, feel free to reach out to the Honors 100/397 Instructors at honors100@uw.edu. Your Peer Educator can also provide you with valuable information about the selection process, preparation seminars, and their experience so don’t hesitate to ask them questions as well.