Category: News and Information

In May 2017, then-University of Washington freshman Byron Dondoyano Jr. identified a need for more inclusive, affirming policies after he observed Ramadan as a non-religious student. By fasting from 2:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. with no food, drink, or water right before finals, he experienced first-hand a glimpse of the lived experiences of his Muslim peers. He discovered that this was more than just an issue for Muslim students, but also for Jewish students with finals on Saturdays, and Orthodox Christians observing Christmas in January.

Byron began to research how state law around religious expression was being implemented at the UW. He found that UW policies, and how they are communicated to students, could be strengthened. And, he promptly took action. That same spring quarter, Byron took an undergraduate elective course at the Evans School called “Making Change Happen” (PUB POL 313), which not only helped him understand the process of policy making, policy implementation, and evaluation, it also equipped him with the skills he would need to push his own piece of legislation through from the UW Student Senate to the Washington State Legislature. 

“Part of what I learned was the importance of coalition building. As a non-religious student, my lived experiences were going to be very different from those who observe whatever faith they observe,” Byron explained. “I partnered with Mennah from the Middle Eastern Student Commission to tackle this project. During the entire journey, our coalition grew to include the Jewish Federation, Council for American-Islamic Relations, the Anti-Defamation League, Faith Action Network, Cedar Law PLLC, and State Senator Bob Hasegawa.” 

Now signed into law, Senate Bill 5166 creates more transparency and brings more awareness to religious accommodations, in the same spirit that the ADA created more awareness and support for people with disabilities. It also provides protection for all universities in Washington state from potential lawsuits over discrimination. 

“The elective courses I took at the Evans School changed the way I viewed government and decision making,” Byron noted. “This journey has inspired me to continue to do work in policy, and I plan on pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy or Education Policy in the future.”

Byron is now a junior studying Law, Societies and Justice with a minor in education. He is also a volunteer and part-time teacher at a preschool in his community, and he is working to create more gender and racial representation in early childhood education.

Meet the newest Evans School members of the Husky 100: Louie Tan Vital (MPA ’19) and Carter Osborne (MPA ’19)!

These two outstanding Evans School students know that education happens both inside and outside the classroom. Louie and Carter were selected based on their ability to embrace innovation and novel ways of thinking, to seek understanding of and engagement with diverse communities, to lead proactively, and to take on their bright futures with enthusiasm, savvy and fortitude.

Louie came to the Evans School determined to become a policy analyst and, eventually, a policymaker. Now, with new analytical skills and a thorough understanding of the policy process, she plans to carve a space for herself in between policy analysis and policy advocacy.

“Public administration as a field is guilty for codifying institutional racism in the United States, and it is my life’s mission to undo its harm,” Louie explained. “Using a race and equity lens at every step of the way, I want to change the narrative of what it means to be a public administrator and elected official.”

During his time at the Evans School, Carter committed himself to immediately applying the knowledge and skills gained in the classroom to his efforts advancing University of Washington mental health initiatives. Carter helped to bring together nearly 15 independent student groups to form the Student Mental Health Taskforce, which builds awareness and improves policies that address suicide prevention at the UW.”

“I’m optimistic when it comes to public service. I honestly believe that everyone has a public issue that they would commit themselves to, which is what suicide prevention is for me. I think my job is simply to help people find their issue and take action.”

The Husky 100 recognizes UW juniors, seniors and graduate students who are making the most of their Husky Experience, as demonstrated by the ways in which they fulfill the five program criteria. This year’s selection process was highly competitive, with more than 1,800 nominations and more than 600 applications from all three UW campuses.

Congratulations Louie and Carter!

Second-year MPA student Kevin Truong was featured in Perspectives, the College of Arts and Sciences January 2019 newsletter for his exciting work founding Hey Mentor, an online mentor program for high school students. Since its launch in fall 2017, Hey Mentor has served students from more than 20 high schools in King County, and has earned the attention and support of the Gates Foundation. Truong hopes Hey Mentor can continue to broaden its reach, with Hey Mentor clubs at other universities in Washington state and beyond. Given his own background, he understands what a difference a little help can make.

Read the full article here