Providing near-to-peer support and mentorship
Student Ambassadors work collaboratively with the MOR admissions counseling team to connect with and support underrepresented and underserved students of color communities with an empowering perspective that validates students’ cultural backgrounds.
About the Program
As diverse student role models for high school youth, Student Ambassadors develop and assist with outreach events held on campus where they share their perspectives, conduct motivational workshops, and provide information about the UW admissions process, financial aid, academic requirements, and University resources.
Program History
The Student Outreach Ambassador Program was born out of the passion of UW students who rallied to counter the negative impacts of a 1998 Washington State Initiative (I-200) that effectively outlawed affirmative action. The program has since evolved from an all volunteer organization to a paid team of Student Ambassadors supported by MOR staff.
The program was awarded the 2002 Brotman Diversity Award in recognition of their exemplary advancement of the diversity of our university community and in 2003, MOR staff presented our model at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity.
As a MOR ambassador, I developed the skills necessary to represent, serve, and contribute to student success, accessibility, and community. My experiences through MOR provided the foundation for my success and serves to highlight the importance of MOR’s work in higher education.
Comanche Tribal Nation
Become a Student Ambassador
Coming Soon!
Meet Our Ambassadors
Have a question for a specific Student Ambassador? We encourage you to email reach@uw.edu with “ATTN: [Ambassador Name]” in the subject line and the Student Ambassador will reply.
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Brittney Van
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Malli Heng
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Daisy Gomez-Ruiz
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Julie Martinez
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Nataly Campos Castillo
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Eden Bogale
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Kitana Ludwig
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Awate Benea
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Ángel González
He/Him/His/Él -
Jackie Orozco-Martinez
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Meli Santiago Lopez
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Reika Iwase
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El-Shaddai Fessehatsion
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Penina Logotala
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Kaloeaholokai (Noah) Lum
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Xitlaly Mendoza
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Bryan Aguilar Campos
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Graciela Knudsen
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Isa Saiz
She/Her/Hers
Brittney Van
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Kent, WA
Affinity Group: Southeast Asian
Major: Interaction Design
Minor:
Languages Spoken: English & Vietnamese
Why I came to the UW: I chose to come to UW because it had the program I wanted to study in and it was close to home 🙂
Malli Heng
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Everett, WA
Affinity Group: Southeast Asian
Major: Intended Biology
Minor:
Languages Spoken: English & Khmer
Why I came to the UW: I chose to come to the UW because it reminds me of home and brings new opportunities.
Daisy Gomez-Ruiz
Year: Junior
Hometown: Brewster, WA
Affinity Group: Hispanic/Latinx
Major: Business Administration – Accounting
Minor:
Languages Spoken: English & Spanish
Why I came to the UW: Attending UW was an opportunity to grow beyond my small-town roots and surround myself with experiences that would help build a strong foundation for my future.
Julie Martinez
Year: Senior
Hometown: Renton, WA
Affinity Group: Hispanic/Latinx
Major: Public Health – Global Health
Minor:
Languages Spoken: English & Spanish
Why I came to the UW: I chose to attend the University of Washington because of its extensive support resources, many research opportunities, beautiful campus, and its being near my family.
Nataly Campos Castillo
Year: Senior
Hometown: Warden, WA
Affinity Group: Hispanic/Latinx
Major: Public Health – Global Health
Minor: Bioethics
Languages Spoken: English & Spanish
Why I came to the UW: I chose to attend the University of Washington because of its diverse student community and its location in a large city, which provides many opportunities for growth and involvement.
Eden Bogale
Year: Junior
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Affinity Group: Black/African American
Major: Environmental Public Health
Minor: Data Science
Languages Spoken: English & Amharic (Conversational)
Why I came to the UW: I chose to attend UW because I wanted a school with a strong balance of academics and school spirit, and I was especially drawn to its reputation as a good school for public health and pre-health students, with ample research opportunities, resources, and mentorship for career preparation.
Kitana Ludwig
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Renton, WA
Affinity Group: Southeast Asian
Major: Intended Law, Societies, & Justice and Psychology
Minor:
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish, Thai, & Lao (Semi-Fluent)
Why I came to the UW: I chose to come to the UW because of its great academic and social life balance! Also because it is the Best in state school!
Awate Benea
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Federal Way, WA
Affinity Group: Black/African American
Major: Aeronautical Engineering
Minor:
Languages Spoken: English
Why I came to the UW: At first I wanted to go as far away as possible for school. UW was basically my backward with how often I’ve been here and how close to home it was. But, I kept finding my way back to UW and I listened to my gut. One of the best decisions I made.
Ángel González
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Sunnyside, WA
Affinity Group: Hispanic/Latinx
Major: Business and Construction Management
Minor: Spanish
Languages Spoken: English & Spanish
Why I came to the UW: I knew I was set on the University of Washington once I discovered the immense amount of resources there were to uplift students with underprivileged backgrounds like myself.
Jackie Orozco-Martinez
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Auburn, WA
Affinity Group: Hispanic/Latinx
Major: Law, Societies, & Justice
Minor:
Languages Spoken: English & Spanish
Why I came to the UW: I chose UW because of the resources and opportunities that the campus has to offer to their students.
Meli Santiago Lopez
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Yakima, WA
Affinity Group: Hispanic/Latinx
Major: Business Administration
Minor: Law, Societies, & Justice
Languages Spoken: English & Spanish
Why I came to the UW: I chose to come to UW because of the culture of diversity and inclusion. I saw myself being able to build up a community that would help me succeed.
Reika Iwase
Year: Junior
Hometown: Federal Way, WA
Affinity Group: Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Major: Public Health – Global Health
Minor:
Languages Spoken: English
Why I came to the UW: I came to UW to learn more about public health and to explore my passions, and use my knowledge to give back to my community.
El-Shaddai Fessehatsion
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Affinity Group: African American/Black
Major: Accounting
Minor: Real Estate
Languages Spoken: English
Why I came to the UW: I loved the community and atmosphere and could really invasion myself being a husky.
Penina Logotala
Year: Senior
Hometown: Renton, WA
Affinity Group: Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Major: American Ethnic Studies
Minor: Oceania Pacific Islander Studies (OPIS)
Languages Spoken: English
Why I came to the UW: I chose UW because I remember the the people from the Polynesian Student Alliance (PSA) come to my high school and that was the representation that I needed to see, Pacific Islanders in higher education. I always knew that I wanted to be a part of the PSA UW family and to encourage future pasifika generations to come.
Kaloeaholokai (Noah) Lum
Year: Senior
Hometown: ʻAiea Hawaii and Camas Washington
Affinity Group: Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Major: Political Science
Minor: Oceania/Pacific Islander Studies, International Studies, and Law, Societies, and Justice
Languages Spoken: English
Why I came to the UW: The reason I chose UW was because of the resources and networking opportunities. It’s also allowed me to connect with students from diverse backgrounds.
Xitlaly Mendoza
Year: Senior
Hometown: Connell, WA
Affinity Group: Hispanic/Latinx
Major: Sociology and Law, Societies, & Justice
Minor: Leadership and Spanish
Languages Spoken: English & Spanish
Why I came to the UW: As a first-generation Chicana student from a migrant and Indigenous background, the UW welcomed my family and I with open arms which made me feel confident this was the best place to continue my studies, serve my community, and honor my parents’ sacrifices.
Bryan Aguilar Campos
Year: Junior
Hometown: Federal Way, WA
Affinity Group: Hispanic/Latino
Major: Business Administration, Certificate in International Business, Certificate in International Business
Languages Spoken: English & Spanish
Why I came to the UW: I chose the University of Washington not just to pursue higher education, but to become the leader and change-maker for my community, family, and future.
Graciela Knudsen
Year: Senior
Hometown: Federal Way, WA
Affinity Group: Hispanic/Latino
Major: Speech and Hearing Sciences
Minor: Spanish
Languages Spoken: English & Spanish
Why I came to the UW: I chose the UW not only for the location, but for the many opportunities it has as a top school in the state and the nation 🙂
Isa Saiz
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Madison, WI
Affinity Group: American Indian/Alaskan Native
Major: Environmental Science (Restoration Ecology)
Languages Spoken: English & Spanish
Why I came to the UW: I chose UW because I heard good things about the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences which is the field I knew I wanted to pursue. Plus UW has a lot of research opportunities to offer.