Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS)

ARCS and the University of Washington: A Powerful Partnership

The Seattle Chapter of the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists' Foundation (ARCS) provides vital support to the University of Washington's top graduate students in science, engineering, math and medicine.

For over 30 years, ARCS has partnered with the UW Graduate School to award multi-year fellowships, furthering the foundation's mission to help fill our country's need for scientists and engineers. Established in 1978, the Seattle Chapter of ARCS has launched the careers of more than 700 UW ARCS Fellows. Dynamic fundraisers and inspiring leaders, the members of this all-volunteer women's organization have built a powerful funding model that attracts the nation's best doctoral students to the UW and allows them to address the most complex research questions of our time. In addition to annual gifts typically totaling approximately $700,000 in 2007-2008, ARCS donors have established 18 endowed fellowship funds. Their generosity and vision ensures that ARCS awards will long continue to bring the finest scientific minds together on our campus and foster the synergy that leads to innovation and discovery.

For more information about Seattle ARCS Chapter, click here.

ARCS Fellows Profiles  |  Alumni Profile  |  Contacts

For information about the details of ARCS Fellowships at the UW, contact:

Jan Harrison
Assistant Director for Advancement and ARCS Liaison
UW Graduate School
Box 353770, Communications Building, Ground Floor (G-1) Campus Map
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-3770
E-mail: jh27@u.washington.edu
VM: 206.685.2998 / FAX: 206.685.3234

UW ARCS Fellowships: Key Facts

The value of UW ARCS Fellowships is $17,500 payable over three years. Current fellows receive $7,500 the first year, $5,000 the second year, and $5,000 the third year. The larger amount the first year includes a recruitment bonus to mitigate the cost of relocating and beginning a new career as a graduate student.

32 UW graduate programs in 6 schools/colleges are eligible to receive ARCS Fellowships. These ARCS awards are a powerful recruitment tool. Eligible departments offer awards to prospective graduate students; students may not directly apply for these fellowships.

In 2008-09 there are a total of 92 ARCS Fellows on the UW campus.

Seattle ARCS Chapter raises the money for these fellowships; however, this donor organization does not select fellows. The UW Graduate School manages the selection process in conjunction with the department heads in eligible UW graduate programs.

No funds are taken out for overhead or other costs, either by the ARCS Foundation or the University of Washington.

UW ARCS Fellows: In Their Own Words

'Faced with a tough decision between the prestige and higher stipend of MIT and the superb environment and culture of UW, the ARCS Fellowship erased the money issue and allowed me to choose the best program for me based on the research I wanted to do, not the salary I would be making. Subsequently, the ARCS Fellowship has eased financial worries greatly, allowing me to put more effort into quality research without the nagging stresses of how to pay my bills.' - Rhea George

'Beyond simply providing resources to facilitate my research and education, the ARCS Fellowship has given me a freedom in my academic development I otherwise would not have. The network of ARCS donors, members, and other fellows is an invaluable resource. It is an honor to be an ARCS Fellow.' - Tristan Nunez

"The ARCS Foundation made it possible for me to pursue ocean science at the University of Washington's renowned oceanographic program and has given me fabulous opportunities to present my work to the general public here in Seattle as well as to scientists worldwide." - Emily Nahas