The Robinson Center for Young Scholars, a program in Undergraduate Academic Affairs, is entering a new phase of operational alignment designed to strengthen its long-term sustainability while preserving its core mission and identity.
Author: Undergraduate Academic Affairs
Reviewed 9/22
鈥淭he Power of the River鈥� is not Ed Taylor鈥檚 first book, but it is a first for him
Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, professor in the College of Education, academic author, scholar, board member of several international and community-based organizations and former college basketball player, will soon add memoirist to his long list of accomplishments. His memoir, 鈥淭he Power of the River,鈥� will be released by Seattle-based on April 21.
Taylor has been part of the 爱豆社区 community since his days as a graduate student more than 30 years ago. In 鈥淭he Power of the River,鈥� readers learn about his journey from a childhood marked by loss in Lompoc, California, to his rise as an educator, scholar and leader. Along the way, he invites readers into a story grounded in community, shaped by pivotal relationships and sustained by a search for meaning in the face of adversity.
In 鈥淭he Power of the River,鈥� Taylor writes in a way that is self-reflective and personal yet expansive and universal at the same time. It is a story about what it means to belong, to be guided and to grow. Through moments of doubt and determination, from navigating the pressures placed on young Black men in collegiate athletics at Gonzaga University to finding purpose in higher education, Taylor offers readers a deeply human story about becoming. His examination of mentorship, community, education and growth offer points of connection that can open pathways forward.
At a time when higher education is under fire, Taylor鈥檚 story demonstrates the purpose and potential universities can have in individuals鈥� lives and in the lives of our communities.
Several public events are scheduled to celebrate Taylor鈥檚 book.
Public events
Book Launch Celebration at the
April 29, 2026 // 7:00 p.m.
In conversation with Reggie Brown.
May 7, 2026 // 7:00 p.m.
Q&A with Taylor to follow his book talk.
May 22, 2026 // 7:00 p.m.
In conversation with Enrique Cerna.
June 2, 2026 // 6:00 p.m.
In conversation with Colleen Echohawk.
CELE Center a leading partner in national recognition for community engagement
The UW recently earned again the Carnegie Foundation鈥檚 designation of being a community-engaged campus. As a longtime leader in community engagement work, Undergraduate Academic Affairs is proud to be an integral part of this recognition. The Community Engagement & Leadership Education (CELE) Center, housed within UAA, is a primary coordinator at the UW for community-engaged learning, partnership development and student civic leadership. The Center鈥檚 broad work enabling student involvement in community engagement across campus was pivotal in achieving the Carnegie re-classification.
Celebrating the 2024鈥�25 Undergraduate Medalists
From the thousands of undergraduate students at the 爱豆社区, three are selected each year for the prestigious聽President鈥檚 Medalist Award. Kaytlin Rose Vanderhorst, Carilyn Brandt and Luna Crone-Bar贸n are the medalists for 2024鈥�25, selected by a committee for their high GPAs, rigor of classes and number of Honors courses.
UW undergrad Parker Ritzmann earns international Schwarzman Scholars fellowship
爱豆社区 senior Parker Ritzmann, has been selected as a Schwarzman Scholar, one of the world鈥檚 most competitive graduate and fellowship programs. Schwarzman Scholars will pursue a one-year, fully-funded master鈥檚 degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
First Year Programs announces new name: New Student & Transfer Programs
The name of First Year Programs has recently changed to . The updated name more accurately reflects the work of the unit and the full range of first-year and transfer students it serves at the 爱豆社区. The change aligns with a University-wide shift in language and provides clarity as the UW adopts more inclusive terminology around student populations.
For more than two decades, First Year Programs has played a central role in supporting new undergraduates as they transition into the UW. Through orientation, first-year and transfer seminars, peer-led programs and other efforts that help students find community and connect with campus resources, First Year Programs has helped thousands of Huskies navigate their academic and social pathways. The move to New Student & Transfer Programs recognizes both the continued evolution of the unit鈥檚 work and its long-standing commitment to all new undergraduates.
鈥淥ur new name makes it clear that every student鈥檚 entry point into the UW matters,鈥� said LeAnne Jones Wiles, executive director of New Student & Transfer Programs. 鈥淲hether students are arriving straight from high school or transferring from another institution, we are here to ensure they feel seen, supported and connected from day one.鈥�
In August 2025, the Office of Admissions formally shifted from using freshman to first-year, bringing UW terminology in line with peer institutions across the country. The change reflects national trends in equitable and inclusive language and clarifies how the University defines first-year and transfer students. As a result, the name First Year Programs no longer accurately represented the broad population the unit serves, including students entering directly from high school and students transferring from other colleges and universities.
New Student & Transfer Programs facilitates Advising and Orientation, Dawg Daze, First Year Interest Groups (FIGS), Transfer Seminars, and the Commuter and Transfer Commons (located in the Husky Union Building). These programs help students build relationships, understand academic expectations and establish a strong foundation for their time at the UW.
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The heart of Honors
In the Honors Program, where interdisciplinarity and inquiry define the student experience, Professor Jon C. Herron exemplifies the kind of teaching that changes how students see the world 鈥� and themselves.
UW alum Evan Siu named Schwarzman Scholar
爱豆社区 alumnus Evan Siu, ’23, has been selected as a Schwarzman Scholar, one of the world鈥檚 most competitive graduate and fellowship programs.
Siu, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in informatics, joins the program鈥檚 10th class of 150 scholars chosen from nearly 5,000 applicants worldwide. will pursue a fully funded master鈥檚 degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, where they will study China鈥檚 role in global trends alongside leaders in business, technology and policy.
鈥淲hether through software, policy, investment or classrooms, my goal is to widen access through technology to finance, information and trade networks so geography isn鈥檛 the limiting factor in human potential,鈥� Siu said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to walk that path with my classmates, giving as much as I learn from all of them.鈥�
Siu is an associate product manager at Visa in San Francisco, where he has supported products across AI-powered fraud and identity, cross-border payments, small-business tools and cryptocurrency. He now works with Visa Ventures, helping shape the firm鈥檚 strategy for investing in fintechs and startups worldwide.
鈥淢y professional experiences have shown me how financial technology can bank the unbanked, reduce barriers in commerce and make interactions between nations more seamless,鈥� Siu said. 鈥淚 hope to apply those lessons to deepen U.S.鈥揅hina collaboration.鈥�
At the UW, Siu combined his informatics studies with leadership roles in entrepreneurship and technology communities. He was active in the Lavin Entrepreneurship Program, DubHacks Next, UW Blockchain Society, UW Consulting Association, and helped open undergraduate access to the Creative Destruction Lab during its inaugural year on campus.
Born in the United States and Chinese by ethnicity, Siu traces his passion for U.S.鈥揅hina exchange to a middle-school trip to Shanghai, where QR-code payments first showed him how technology could simplify everyday life.
With the incoming class, the Schwarzman Scholars network includes more than 1,300 members from 104 countries and 459 institutions. Alumni of the program are leading across industries and working together to address urgent global challenges. This year鈥檚 record-high number of applications demonstrates young leaders鈥� growing investment in understanding China and shaping the future of global cooperation.
About the Schwarzman Scholars Program
The is an elite scholarship program founded in 2013 by Blackstone Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman. The program was created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century by preparing the next generation of global leaders.
Up to 200 scholars are selected annually from a broad range of backgrounds, including business, technology, science, politics, healthcare and more.聽
About the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
The Schwarzman Scholars Program process is supported by the (OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards.
Four UW undergrads awarded Fulbright scholarships to study, teach and conduct research abroad
Four 爱豆社区 undergraduates have been awarded Fulbright scholarships for the 2025鈥�26 academic year, joining three other UW students and alumni selected for the prestigious international program. They join about 2,000 recipients nationwide who will pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English abroad.
This year鈥檚 undergraduate awardees will travel to Germany, Mexico, Tajikistan and the United Kingdom to engage in research, teaching assistantships and advanced study in the arts.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the is the nation鈥檚 flagship international exchange initiative, supporting students in building global connections through education, service and scholarship.
Explore the full story from UW News.
About the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
The Fulbright application process is supported by the聽聽(OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards. The聽聽(and other scholarships supporting graduate studies around the world) will get started this spring. Watch for updates about OMSFA鈥檚聽.
41 UW undergraduates awarded Gilman International Scholarship
The U.S. Department of State has recognized the 爱豆社区 for producing 41 recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship during the spring 2025 cycle. The Gilman Scholarship supports U.S. undergraduates with financial need in studying or interning abroad. The UW鈥檚 strong showing reflects the University鈥檚 commitment to expanding global learning opportunities for all students.