Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

Milgard School of Business is proud to partner with reputed corporate employers who are committed to supporting diversity and practicing inclusion in hiring qualified Milgard students to gain invaluable professional experience through paid internships.  

1.  BDO, a public accounting firm, is proud to partner with the Milgard School of Business to enhance the participation of qualified and diverse students through paid internships. BDO is implementing a more robust and sustainable diversity, equity and inclusion strategy and encourage qualified Black, Indigenous, and traditionally under-represented students to apply for our internships and be part of a more diverse future pipeline of talent for the firm. Qualifications will be shared in job descriptions on Handshake and on our website at www.bdo.com/careers/students. BDO’s core purpose is helping people thrive every day, and part of that commitment is fostering a culture that not only celebrates individual differences, but actively supports people with a range of backgrounds, perspectives, and ways of working.

2.  TrueBlue, Inc., a publicly traded company, is proud to partner with the Milgard School of Business to grow the participation of qualified and diverse students through paid internships. TrueBlue has heightened its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and is encouraging qualified students to apply for our internships and be part of a more diverse talent pipeline for the company. We will share the qualifications in job descriptions on Handshake and on our Jobs-Corporate Careers website at www.trueblue.com. TrueBlue’s core mission is to connect people with work and change lives every day. In fulfilling that mission, TrueBlue is dedicated to fostering, recognizing, and embracing diversity, from our board of directors to our temporary associates.

3.  Sound Credit Union

4.  Deloitte

5.  Degrees of Change - SEED Internships - Apply by December 15, 2022   
     https://www.degreesofchange.org/programs/seed-internships/

SEED Internships invests in the vibrant future of Pierce County by identifying exceptional college students and recent grads from underrepresented backgrounds, and matching them with top, local employers
 

6.  KPMG Embark Scholars Program

KPMG’s Embark Scholars Program is an early internship opportunity that encompasses a rotation in all three of our practices (audit, tax, advisory) two summers before graduation. Any student interested must have a graduation between December 2024 and Summer 2027. The purpose of this program is to assist in developing high-performing students of color into leaders and provide overall education about the professional services industry. Learn more here [kpmgcampusinfo.com] and Apply here! [kpmgcampus.com]

The Milgard School of Business proudly celebrates the diversity of its student body and is resolved to create an inclusive environment where all students feel seen, heard, respected, and supported regardless of their background or identity. Realizing that not everyone has equal access to funding and resources, we are committed to level the playing field, such that all our students feel equipped to explore and act on career goals and contribute their unique talent to creating positive change in the world. Given below is a list of scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate and graduate business students with donor preferences for lived, deep cultural experience, and experience in supporting those from diverse and/or underrepresented groups. 
Contact Shalini Jain for scholarship advice and guidance.  Email: ssj8@uw.edu

Undergraduate Students

• Milgard School of Business Dean's Scholarship
  Scholarship for students who have demonstrated experience with or interest in diversity, equity, inclusion or social justice issues. https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/business/scholarships
   
• US Bank and Wells Fargo Scholarships
  Scholarships for applicants that have interest or involvement in/with: women’s issues, registered student organizations that have a diversity focus (Black Student Union, Latino Student Organization, the Asian-Pacific Islander Student Association, or other similar student group), the campus diversity center, diversity-focused community immigrant organization, etc. https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/business/scholarships
   
• University of Washington Black Opportunity Fund
  Scholarships for first year students of color in the RISE (Race, Identity, Social Engagement) Scholars Program. https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/equity-center/rise-scholars
   
• Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Scholarship  
  Scholarship for students who identify as Asian and/or Pacific Islander American. Scholars are selected for achievements in community service and leadership, academic performance, and financial need. https://apiascholars.org/scholarship/aanapisi-scholarship/ 
   
• Association on American Indian Affairs Scholarships
  Scholarships for students who are enrolled members of a tribe, either federally recognized or non-federally recognized, from the continental U.S. or Alaska. https://www.indian-affairs.org/scholarships.html 
   
• PCPS George Willie Ethnically Diverse Student Scholarship
  Scholarships for accounting students with a commitment to a diverse and forward-looking profession. https://www.thiswaytocpa.com/education/aicpa-legacy-scholarships/
   
• UNCF Scholarships
  Scholarships for students who identify as Black/African American. Scholarships and grants are available from many different organizations, each with its own eligibility criteria and application requirements. https://uncf.org/scholarships 
   
• Wiley Student Scholarships
  Scholarships for a new Accounting and Finance student each month ($1,000). https://www.wiley.com/learn/accounting-finance-scholarships/
   

Both Undergraduate and Graduate Students

• Saltchuk Scholarships
  Scholarships for applicants that have interest or involvement in/with: women’s issues, registered student organizations that have a diversity focus (Black Student Union, Latino Student Organization, the Asian-Pacific Islander Student Association, or other similar student group), the campus diversity center, diversity-focused community immigrant organization, etc. https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/business/scholarships
   
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)
  Scholarships for students who identify as Latinx/Hispanic. Funding comes from a variety of sources, primarily corporations and foundations that support higher education. https://www.hsf.net/scholarship
  
  
•  Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarships
  Open to women pursuing a business or business-related degree. The program is designed to encourage women to enter careers and to seek leadership positions in business-related fields. The program is sponsored by Zonta International, a leading global organization of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. Zonta International awards scholarships of $1,000 each at the district/region level and several international scholarships in the amount of $8,000 each.
  
  
• Point Foundation Scholarships
  Scholarship for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students who have the potential to be leaders in their respective fields. In 2021, the Point Foundation announced a new LGBTQ BIPOC scholarship initiative. Open to undergraduate and graduate students. https://pointfoundation.org/ 
  
  
• Pride Foundation Scholarships
  Scholarships for students who identify as LGBTQ Black, Indegenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and promote leadership and diversity in the LGBTQ community. Applicants must be residents of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington. Program website. https://pointfoundation.org/bipoc-scholarship/ 
  
  
• Tillman Military Scholarships
  Scholarships for veteran, active-duty students and military spouses in medicine, law, business, technology, education, the arts, etc. Must demonstrate extraordinary academic, service, and leadership potential. https://pattillmanfoundation.org/ 
   
  

Graduate Students

• American Indian Graduate Center Scholarships 
  Graduate scholarships for students who are enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe from the continental U.S. or Alaska. https://www.aigcs.org/scholarships-fellowships/#grad-schol  
   
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Scholarships for Minority Accounting Students
  Scholarships for undergraduate or graduate students in an accounting or accounting-related field. Open to students who identify as Black or African American; Hispanic or Latinx; Native American; Pacific Islander; or Asian American. https://thiswaytocpa.com/education/aicpa-legacy-scholarships/  
   
• KNOWBE4 Scholarship for Black Americans in Cybersecurity 
  Administered by the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, the KnowBe4 scholarship is open to Black and African American students. Applicants must be pursuing a degree focused on cybersecurity or information assurance. Undergraduates or graduate students with a minimum GPA of 3.2 may apply. https://iamcybersafe.org/s/knowbe4-black-americans-scholarship  
  https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/black-student-scholarships/
   
• National Black MBA Association Scholarships 
  Financial support to African American students pursuing an accredited graduate business degree program. https://nbmbaa.org/the-national-black-mba-association/ 
   

For most updated or additional information, please contact Cindy Schaarschmidt cs65@uw.edu at UWT Office of Global Affairs https://directory.tacoma.uw.edu/department/office-global-affairs

Milgard School of Business Dean Scholarship

Ilah Dizon (Milgard School of Business, MBA '23).  
There are many untold stories worth sharing. As a professional I seek to help inspire and invite people of all backgrounds to be a part of the greater discussion through marketing and recruitment efforts.

Tracy Mach (Master of Science in Accounting, '23)  
I am currently pursuing my Masters of Science in Accounting through the Milgard School of Business at UW Tacoma. I aspire to intersect accounting with community-based work to aid accessibility of financial tools and foster financial literacy in my community.

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Scholarship

Abid Rahmani (Business Administration, BA ‘21).  
Abid was born in Afghanistan, but his family decided to seek refuge in Pakistan as the security situation in his country of birth worsened. After completing primary, middle and high school in Pakistan, Abid moved back to Afghanistan in 2008 to work on USAID funded economic and regional projects. Due to his employment with a U.S. government agency, his life was in jeopardy, and he eventually moved to the United States with his family. After working as a security officer in the U.S., Abid is now a business student at UW Tacoma. He continues to work as an Economic Development Specialist with the Diocese of Olympia while pursuing his education. His goal is to pursue an MBA in Management and to eventually run his own business.

Melissa Atienza (Global Studies and Business Management, BA ’20).
Growing up as a military child, Melissa lived in Indonesia, Japan, Italy, and Bahrain for eleven years before returning to the United States to attend college. During her first year at UW Tacoma, Melissa joined the Asian Pacific Islander Student Union (APISU), an organization she now leads as president: “APISU has taught me the importance of a cultural identity … If we lose our ancestral footprint, we lose our uniqueness ... As president of APISU, I want to carry the tradition and essence of the organization, be an influencer that encourages the next generation of APIs to achieve the unthinkable, especially higher education.” Melissa also works as the Marketing Assistant for Career Development on campus.

Tuyen Ngoc Tran (Business Administration, BA ‘20).  
Tuyen immigrated to the United States from Vietnam, which she describes as “one of the most influential personal events that has shaped my character through academic and cultural challenges”. It is this immigration experience and the subsequent integration into U.S. society that have helped her build important intercultural skills. Tuyen is active in the Vietnamese Student Association and the Power Lifting Club at UW Tacoma and works at the front desk of the Center for Student Involvement. She hopes to manage her own non-profit organization to provide support and opportunities for families and young adults.

Kennaro Samrith (Accounting, BA ‘18).  
Since moving to Tacoma, WA for college I was introduced to various community members from different cultural disciplines. Each of them has either encouraged, challenged or mentored me to become the person I am today. An important goal for me was to overcome my shyness and explore the world for what it has to offer. Each and every day I promise myself to seek discomfort to learn more about myself by simply just saying, “YES”. This ranges from riding an electric longboard for the first time to traveling with a group of strangers across the country to help with disaster relief efforts. My overall goal is to educate individuals on the importance of community. I plan to utilize my role as a student leader to connect students with Tacoma communities to learn from and with each other.

Gilman International Scholarship

Tina Van (Business Administration, BA '19) will study Spanish in Ecuador.   
Tina will be participating in the summer 2018 UW Tacoma Ecuador: Spanish Language and Culture program. Longer bio forthcoming.

April Lai (Business Administration, BA '19) received a Summer 2017 Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad in China. April is a sophomore studying Business Administration at UW Tacoma. She will be learning and exploring in China with the UWT Past and Present program for Summer 2017. Coming from Chinese descent she is ecstatic to learn more about her background and study Chinese economics. Less In addition, April is involved on campus as a Student Leader. She works as the Student Activities Board Entertainment Coordinator and advocates for First-Generation student success through a task force. April is running for Student Body Director of Finance and is motivated to help promote Study Abroad through these roles when she returns.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Maksim Rusev (Accounting, BA ’15 & MAcc ’16) was a 2016-17 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Burgas, a city on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. Maksim is no stranger to international travel and language learning. He is proficient in Spanish, Russian, and Bulgarian, and studied abroad in St. Petersburg and Mexico as an undergraduate. He has family roots in Bulgaria and is now making the most of his Fulbright in Bulgaria: In addition to teaching at a secondary school, he started a speech and debate team that is competing all over the country, is coaching the school's basketball team, and started a language exchange cafe. Here's a brief video summarizing his first 100 days and pictures from his time in Bulgaria.

You can find more bios here: https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/oga/sf-student-profiles

Explore the following professional business associations that provide opportunities for career development, networking, attending prominent conferences, and offering access to career resources such as job postings in various business fields. Limited scholarships for membership fees available through the Success Center.

• Forte Foundation for MBA women. Membership free for current MBA female students. http://www.fortefoundation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=join

• National Association of Black Accountants  https://www.nabainc.org/student_chapters

• Prospanica  https://www.prospanica.org/

• ABWA  https://www.abwa.org/

• Native American Business Association
  https://www.nativeamericanbusinessassociation.org/

The University of Washington offers programming, advising, and other other support services and resources for all its international students. For more information visit the following: 

• ISSS International Student and Scholar Services, University of Washington, Tacoma for all international student support https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/oga/isss

• FIUTS supporting international undergraduate and graduate  students https://www.fiuts.org/

• Milgard School of Business TMGMT 433 Building a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mindset in the Workplace  Focuses on key behavioral, social and organizational requisites needed to cultivate competency in managing diversity. Provides experiential opportunities to discover and improve understanding about the self and others. Key interests include skills and strategies needed to manage and support increasingly diverse organizations.
• Diversity Courses offered at the University of Washington Tacoma campus students are encouraged to refer to the Time Schedule Search tool or MyPlan for the most updated information.

UW Tacoma students are eligible to receive services from UWT Psychological and Wellness Services (PAWS).  

For those who may be searching for resources outside the University, be sure to check out Multicultural Counselors, a Washington state database curated by BIPOC practitioners. Users are able to filter by ethnicity, religion, and cultural identities. National resources:

Asian Mental Health Collective
https://www.asianmhc.org/

Hurdle
https://www.hurdle.health/

Latinx Therapy
https://latinxtherapy.com/

Multicultural Counselors
https://www.multiculturalcounselors.org/

One Sky Center
https://www.oneskycenter.org/

Therapy for Black Girls
https://therapyforblackgirls.com/

Therapy for Black Men
https://therapyforblackmen.org/