A collage of portraits for students from UW Tacoma selected to for the 2026 cohort of the Husky 100.

Six UW Tacoma students named to 2026 ‘Husky 100’

Published on April 20, 2026 / Published by Elizabeth Metcalf

United by a shared commitment to leadership and serving their communities, UW Tacoma’s Husky 100 honorees exemplify the very best of the Husky spirit.

The University of Washington Tacoma is represented by six students in this year’s Husky 100 — an annual honor recognizing students from across all three UW campuses who are making the most of their time at the university.

Each year, the Husky 100 celebrates 100 exceptional undergraduate, graduate and professional students each year for their leadership, initiative and impact. Since the program’s launch in 2015, 79 students from UW Tacoma have been selected for this honor.

Meet the Tacoma Huskies included in this year’s cohort:

Riddhi Bajaj

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Riddhi Bajaj

Graduate Student, M.S. in Business Analytics

“My path has taken me across countries and disciplines, from India to Singapore to the Pacific Northwest, each step a deliberate building block toward something larger. I came to the UW to deepen the technical side of a foundation shaped by business, leadership and global perspective, and I found far more than I expected. The faculty who sharpened how I think, the peers who expanded how I lead and the community that welcomed me every step of the way gave me the clarity and confidence to carve out a space of my own at the intersection of data, strategy and AI.”

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Cameron Cyprain

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Cameron Cyprain

Junior, B.A. in Business Administration with a minor in Global Engagement

“I’m a business administration student and Navy veteran who experienced housing insecurity firsthand, which sparked a research project that has grown into over 80 interviews with displaced individuals and service providers across Tacoma. I've synthesized this research into policy recommendations for local government, including a proposal to Olympia's mayor for improving the Homeless Management Information System. I'm pursuing graduate study in business analytics to design technology solutions that transform fragmented social service systems into coordinated pathways to stability.”

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Mia Escobar

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Mia Escobar

Senior, B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Global Engagement

“As a woman in mathematics and a graduate of the UW Tacoma Global Honors Program, I have found success at the UW as both a leader and academic. My research has ranged from topics such as human rights-based approaches to HIV in the Asia Pacific region to quantum information systems and partial differential equations. As president of the UW Tacoma Math Club and tutor at the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC), I interact with students every day with the goal to make math more accessible.”

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Kendra Jenkins

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Kendra Jenkins

Senior, B.A. in Finance

“My Husky story is one of resilience, responsibility and growth. It is shaped by me returning to college with clearer priorities, balancing family and extreme financial pressure, choosing to step into leadership and build consistency even when my own circumstances were uncertain, and committing to helping others succeed alongside me.”

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Jaishri Krishna

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Jaishri Krishna

Graduate Student, M.S. in Accounting

“As a first-gen student in the U.S., I am living a dream of attending college at the age of 33, thousands of miles away from home, through the MS in Accounting program at UWT. What began as a pursuit to deepen my passion for numbers, financial systems and emerging technologies grew into a broader purpose. It transformed me from an achievement-focused professional into a purpose-driven leader committed to community service, innovation and ethical financial leadership. As a Husky for life, I will carry this learning experience wherever life leads in the future.”

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Kailey Lawless

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Kailey Lawless

Senior, B.A. Social Welfare with a minor in Criminal Justice

“During my time at UW Tacoma, I discovered who I am and what I am called to do. The UW taught me that the possibilities are limitless, and I learned how to transform my past and lived experiences into purpose. I am deeply committed to social justice, breaking down systemic barriers and creating pathways to higher education for justice-impacted students so they can pursue opportunity with dignity, support and access.”

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To see the full list of UW students included in this year’s cohort, visit the Husky 100 website.

Global Honors

Husky 100

Innovation & Global Engagement

Milgard School of Business

NextGen

School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences

Sciences and Mathematics

School of Social Work & Criminal Justice

Student Affairs

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