Supporting Graduate Education at the University of Washington

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We Met the Challenge!

The Graduate Students First Challenge Fund provides need-based support to UW graduate students in all disciplines, ensuring talented future leaders achieve their potential regardless of economic background. Thanks to our loyal friends and donors, this endowed fund qualified for matching money from both the University's Students First Initiative and the State of Washington, bringing the fund total over $180,000 as of June 2008.

Led by Professor Bob Crutchfield, the 100 UW graduate students, faculty, staff and alumni of the Graduate Students First Team conquered the 2007 Seattle Marathon events to raise money for this fund. Together, their efforts as runners, walkers, fundraisers – as well as their gift-inspiring work as teachers and scholars – made a difference. Your support of fellowships will also make a difference in the lives of graduate students and their faculty partners.

You can build the power of this important fund by making a gift!

Updates and Photos:

Marathon Day Team Photos
Team Photos, 11/19/07
Photos from 10/30/07 Team Happy Hour
Photos of Team Members who ran in the 10/14/07 Dawg Dash 5K/10K
Photos from the 10/9/07 Team Kick-Off Meeting

To find out more, contact:
Erika M. Kreger
Director of Development
UW Graduate School
206-685-0662
kreger@u.washington.edu

Media Coverage

Physical feats of endurance benefit graduate students

Run for his money; Crutchfield looks for partners in half marathon

Graduate School E-News Article

UW Development and Alumni Relations News Article

Post-Marathon Update

Running for Graduate Students First

Get to Know the Team

Links to Team Member Web Sites

Why Do This? – Answers in Their Own Words

Facts About the Team

Team Member List (pdf)

Resources

Click here to view the current fund total and donor list.

Pledge Form and Informational Flier (pdf)

For marathon information go to: http://www.seattlemarathon.org/

Way to Go, Bob!

UW Sociology Professor and former Graduate School Associate Dean Bob Crutchfield rallied a team of 100 faculty, staff, student and alumni runners and walkers to complete the 2007 Seattle Half Marathon.

On the cold, sunny Sunday after Thanksgiving, the team tackled the race. They wore their Husky colors proudly and drew plenty of attention to their effort to raise need-based graduate fellowship funds.

The team approached the athletic and fundraising challenges with equal enthusiasm. Richard Boyce, a biomedical and health informatics graduate student, put it simply: "I love to run and I love the UW; what could be more fun than running for UW?" Faculty team member and Biology department chair Tom Daniel also phrased his motivation succinctly: “Graduate students are the center of gravity at UW.”

Together, the runners and walkers of the Graduate Students First Team pushed themselves to the limit to highlight how faculty-graduate student teamwork produces amazing results in UW labs and classrooms every day. The significance of the team members' research—on topics such as alternative energy, freshwater resource management, HIV transmission, and youth violence prevention—reflects the diverse and vital work that fellowship dollars support.

The team included graduate students, faculty and staff from 45 departments. Participants ranged in age from 20 to 64, with experience levels varying from first-timers to ultra-marathoners. Some team members faced significant health challenges, including a cancer survivor, a walker with two artificial hips, and a runner with a chronic kidney ailment. But they still made it to the finish, just like their role model, former Washington Governor Dan Evans, who at age 81 walked 13.1 miles in the 2006 Seattle Half Marathon to raise funds for undergraduate student scholarships. A dedicated friend of the University, Evans happily passed the baton to Crutchfield and his team, encouraging them and soliciting support for their effort.

“Graduate students are so central to our scholarly work, our teaching and everything we do,” said Crutchfield. “What I’m doing is a demonstration of support for them.”

Bob was inspired by former Governor Dan Evans, who walked the 2006 half marathon to win support for UW students.