Recent news featuring our alumni is listed below. We also have profiles of several alumni. We'd love to hear what our former students are up to! Fill out the alumni update form to send us your news.
In 2021, Nikki Lorenzo, '21, decided to buy a small embroidery machine on Facebook Marketplace, a decision that changed her life forever. Now, Lorenzo runs Tita Bun Collective, a Seattle-based embroidery studio where everyday pieces become something personal. She offers live custom stitching and engraving for community pop-ups and gatherings and is gearing up to open her own storefront through Seattle Restored.Aleenah Ansari sat down with Lorenzo to talk about how her business has evolved since…
Five years ago, Nikki Lorenzo bought a small embroidery machine. Now, she runs an embroidery studio where joy and community are stitched into every piece.
Featured
on University of Washington Magazine
Come curious. Leave inspired. The UW offers an exciting lineup of in-person and online events. From thought-provoking art and music to conversations on culture, history, and science, the UW community invites you to explore, learn, and connect across disciplines throughout the University. And you don’t have to wait until June: Take a look at everything still happening in May. Sign up to receive a monthly notice when the ArtSci Roundup has been published. ArtSci On Your Own Time: Through July...…
Franck Kepnang’s aspirations might sound like the daydreams of a fifth grader: play for the NBA, and build robots to help kids in underprivileged communities. But these are no childhood fantasies. Kepnang has spent the last three years as a University of Washington student and Husky men’s basketball center laying the groundwork for this exact moment—when his athletic and academic goals are so close he can taste them. “It’s been a journey,” Kepnang says, chuckling at the understatement.…
On January 2, 2025, Dr. Brian Berry passed away at the age of 90. Renowned for his influential work in urban and regional research, he was also a past AAG president (1978-79).Berry was born in Sedgely, Staffordshire, United Kingdom on February 16, 1934. He graduated from University College, London, with a B.Sc. in Economics with first class honors in 1955. He was a Fulbright scholar at the University of Washington, where he completed an M.A. in 1956, and a Ph.D. in 1958, studying under noted…
Hello Geography Undergrads!Got questions about career options, applying your geography degree to internship applications, or how to manage your goals? The Geography Alum Ambassador Committee is excited to share an "Ask an Alum" column! The UW Geography alum community is large and diverse and our committee hopes to strengthen the connections between current undergrads and our alums. Please follow along the prompting questions in the survey to ensure your question gets an answer.How It…
Born and raised in Seattle, AZ spent his childhood dreaming big. He wanted to play baseball, learn the cello, and like many kids, spend hours playing video games. But home wasn’t always a stable place. His parents weren’t able to take care of him. “Unfortunately, my mom was addicted to drugs and became absent because of it,” AZ said. “It was me, my dad, and my grandma, bouncing around from house to house, sometimes living in just one room because my dad was trying to live like…
Like current students, geography alums often find themselves trying to explain to friends and family just what exactly is this subject they have spent so much time studying? One common response is a quote from Professor Michael Brown's social science research design class, a core requirement for all students in the geography major: "the why of the where." Describing the discipline to those outside it, especially employers, can feel fraught as students and alums navigate their…
Since graduating from UW with a B.A. in Geography and History in 2005, Mike Mamic has followed a relatively straightforward path in the GIS career field. First, he began as a GIS Intern with the City of Puyallup. After that, Mike worked as a GIS Technician for Wahkiakum County, Washington, for two years before moving to Bend, Oregon. From 2008 to 2018, Mike served as the Chief GIS Cadastral Cartographer for Jefferson County, Oregon. Now, for the past six years, Mike has been working as a…
The Department of Geography is pleased to recognize Ph.D. graduate Iain Hay's 2024 Laureat d’honneur, awarded by the International Geographical Union (IGU). This international recognition for “service to the discipline at the international, national and local scales” is a tremendous honor. The award – which is arguably one of the most esteemed in international geography – will be presented in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday, August 30.
Having graduated from UW in 1989 after working with…
