Celebrate Honors Scholars

September 30, 2024

Celebrate Honors Scholars

As campus refills with our beloved students, we’re excited to announce winners of this year’s HONORS PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIPS—available to students only after they are active in the UW Honors community. These scholarships were established by friends of the University as a form of recognition and support for students pursuing their degrees with Honors. Awardees applied in March for these competitive scholarships that will be applied to this newly-started academic year.

Learn a bit about their favorite courses (so far) and hopes for the future; and stay tuned to Honors student announcements for your opportunity to apply for one of these great scholarships.*

Portrait of Jane Bear Gwin-Kerr

Jane Bear Gwin-Kerr (she/her)

Bordeaux Scholarship

“My favorite Honors class has been Visions of the Land: Cultural Landscapes of Seattle with professor Tim Billow. The class took us on field trips all around the city to learn about the cultural and environmental histories of this place. As an out-of-state student it really helped me learn the city and situate myself within the history of this place and all of the people that have inhabited it. I took the class during the winter of my first year and the information from it has continued to come up again and again in both my studies, especially within the CEP major, and in my life in Seattle. It has been a primary example for me of the value of interdisciplinary studies at the University of Washington.”

Jane is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English/Creative Writing and Community, Environment and Planning w/Interdisciplinary Honors.


Portrait of Kianna Bolante

Kianna Bolante (she/her)

Greene Scholarship

“I’m incredibly grateful for this award that will enable me to pursue my passions in accessible computing and contribute to creating inclusive technologies and resources. The Honors program has continuously encouraged me to push the boundaries of my academic experience, explore interdisciplinary approaches, and apply my knowledge to real-world challenges. I look forward to continuing to grow as a scholar and making a meaningful impact through my work.”

Kiana is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science w/Interdisciplinary Honors.


Portrait of Nia Brice

Nia Brice (she/her)

Gerberding Scholarship

“I am so grateful for this scholarship and the opportunity it provides me to delve deeper into the areas of study I love! This year, I’m excited to work on my anthropology honors thesis exploring the experiences of autistic young adults and their understanding of friendship and identity. Honors curriculum has given me the freedom to creatively problem solve by applying theories from multiple disciplines and concepts I have been exposed to throughout my other coursework.”

Nia is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Anthropology w/ College Honors.


Portrait of Maya Falodia

Maya Falodia (she/her)

Randolph Preston Pillow Scholarship

“I am so grateful for this award! It will help open doors to more opportunities, like potentially studying abroad in Spain or spending time on leadership roles instead of working–and doing fun activities like attending honors crafter-noons! I have genuinely loved the Honors Program so much. From gaining mentors in classmates to learning valuable communication skills in my honors multimodal composition class, I’m so happy I am in the Honors community!”

Maya is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science w/Interdisciplinary Honors.


Portrait of Anna Fong

Anna Fong (she/her)

Wang Scholarship

“I’m excited for more café work sessions with my mentors, and to learn how to use psychological science to inform social change!”

Anna is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology w/Departmental Honors.


Portrait of Devyn Gilbert

Devyn Gilbert (he/him)

Randolph Preston Pillow Scholarship

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to use this scholarship to take classes like How to Read E-Literature through the Honors Program and to participate in the Seattle community through volunteer work.”

Bonus matter: click here to read Devyn’s reflection on recent Honors seminars that helped him understand his own feelings, take social risks and connect with new friends.

Devyn is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Global and Regional Studies w/Interdisciplinary Honors.


Portrait of Ava Michler

Ava Michler (she/her)

Randolph Preston Pillow Scholarship

“This upcoming year, I look forward to studying abroad, taking Honors classes like Ways of Feeling, and building my leadership skills. I am grateful for the support this scholarship gives me in pursuing my academic goals.”

Ava is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Applied Math and Political Science w/Interdisciplinary Honors.


Portrait of Grace Schamber

Grace Schamber (she/her)

Mary Gates Achievement Award

“A highlight of my first year at UW was learning more about the intersections between policy and community advocacy work from former ambassador Suzi Levine in her Honors course: Power of the States. Next year, I am excited to leverage the Honors Program’s interdisciplinary focus to continue combining my value in environmental advocacy and my coursework in business. I feel very fortunate to have financial support from the Honors community. The program’s belief in my academic success motivates and empowers me to continue exploring my interests and passions in college.”

Grace is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance w/Interdisciplinary Honors.


Portrait of Madeline Silvernail

Madeline Silvernail (she/her)

Greene Scholarship

Lovework: an Unfinished Syllabus with Jeanette Bushnell was a course that truly changed my life. At the time that I took it, I did not understand how much of a lasting impact that it would make on me or the perspective that I would gain. In Dr. Bushnell’s class, we examined the idea of love through music, culture, government policies, and more. I learned what it meant to live life with a “love ethic”, and to value love-work and care-work as a powerful ability.

In general, I have loved the diversity in courses and themes that have made up my Honors experience. The care that our professors put into their work shows through with their enthusiasm and passion. Over the course of my time at UW and in the Honors program, I have developed a powerful sense of self and community through education, dialogue, and curiosity. I am extremely grateful for my time in the Honors program and the lessons it has taught me.”

Madeline is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology w/College Honors.


Portrait of Daphne Suen

Daphne Suen (she/her)

Dillman Scholarship

“I dedicate this award to my parents for their encouragement to pursue my dreams and find happiness. I can’t wait to learn more about strategies to promote racial equity through my Departmental Honors classes.”

Daphne is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Public Global Health w/Departmental Honors.


Portrait of Tara Young

Tara Young (she/her)

Hennes Scholarship

“I am excited to continue my College Honors coursework in Biochemistry next year, and will be completing my Honors Thesis on my research studying DNA replication proteins! Over my Honors journey, my favorite classes have been the Evolution and Human Behavior as well as the Honors Biochemistry series. Outside of classes and research, I am an Undergraduate Research Leader with the Office of Undergraduate Research and serve as the President of the undergraduate chemistry RSO Free Radicals. I’m very grateful to be an Honors scholarship recipient, as it will allow me to focus on learning and making most of the time I have left at UW!”

Tara is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry w/College Honors.


*Note: Honors Named Scholarships would not be possible without the support of alumni, parents and other Honors Champions who give to our scholarship funds. This list does not include winners of incoming student scholarships, University-level awards, nor UW tuition waivers.