Aerial view of Tacoma with UW Tacoma campus

Welcome to UW Tacoma

September 24, 2019

It's the start of the 2019 academic year. Students and faculty are back on campus. Pac Ave is busy again! See what it's like to kick off the new year.

Convocation

2019 Convocation - crowds of students on UW Tacoma campus

UW Tacoma welcomed new and returning students to campus during Convocation. This year more than 1,700 applicants (739 first-year and 981 transfer) confirmed their acceptance to UW Tacoma. Final numbers for fall will be released during the tenth day census.

Move-in Day 2019

Court 17 parking garage with cars and students pushing carts

Move-in day at UW Tacoma means heading up to the 3rd floor of the Court 17 parking garage, picking up a cart and schlepping your stuff into your suite. About 200 new students moved in this year, with about 100 more returning. New nomenclature: resident assistants are now called Community Assistants!
UW Tacoma students and parents in a Court 17 suite



New suitemates Sam and Brandi and their parents share a moment of confusion and levity as they get settled into Court 17. The building opened in 2006, developed for UW Tacoma by Lorig & Associates as a public/private partnership. In 2016, the campus purchased the entire building outright, and about 300 students now make their homes in the complex.

New Student Orientation

UW Tacoma new student orientation 2019

2019 marked the first year that families joined their students at UW Tacoma New Student Orientation. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Mentha Hynes-Wilson described for attendees both the challenges and the rewarding experiences in store for them. UW Tacoma makes a special effort to welcome and support first-gen students, those who may be the first in their families to attend college or receive a degree.

Tacoma Reads 

Tommy Orange reads from his book "There There" at UW Tacoma

The City of Tacoma, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and the Tacoma Public Library are collaborating to present Tacoma Reads 2019. "There There," a "searing" (Austin Chronicle) "devastating (Washington Post) debut novel by Tommy Orange, tells of the experience of the urban Native American. Orange, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, read from his book at a UW Tacoma event attended by local high school students. The event was hosted by the UW Tacoma Library and emceed by Dr. Danica Miller, assistant professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences and a member of the Puyallup Tribe.

New Faculty

New faculty at UW Tacoma, 2019

Twenty-four newly-hired faculty have joined UW Tacoma for the 2019 academic year. Most of them are brand new to UW Tacoma; others are familiar faces but are moving into new roles. Front row, from left: Sarah Alaei, assistant professor, Division of Sciences & Mathematics (SAM), School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences (SIAS); Kelly Kim, assistant professor, SAM/SIAS; Kenneth Cruz, assistant professor, School of Social Work & Criminal Justice (SWCJ); Pamela Krayenbuhl, assistant professor, Division of Culture, Arts & Communication (CAC)/SIAS; Anindita Bhattacharya, assistant professor, SWCJ; Robin Zape-tah-hol-ah Minthorn, associate professor, School of Education (SoE); Yajun An, assistant professor, SAM/SIAS. Back row, from left: Kristin Kawena Begay, assistant professor, SoE; Alyssa M. Ramirez Stege, assistant professor, Division of Social, Behavioral & Human Sciences (SBHS)/SIAS; Connie Beck, associate professor, SBHS/SIAS; Gordon Brobbey, assistant professor, SoE; Arthur S. Jago, assistant professor, Milgard School of Business; Zaher Kmail, assistant professor, SAM/SIAS; Vahid Dargahi, assistant professor, School of Engineering & Technology (SET); Deveeshree Nayak, lecturer, SET.
Written by John Burkhardt
Photos by Ryan Moriarty
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