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From her earliest days in the classroom to her current role shaping the next generation of school psychologists, Dr. Kawena Begay (M.Ed., Ph.D., ‘16, School Psychology) has always been driven by a simple yet powerful mission: to create inclusive spaces where every student can thrive. Her journey, from a first-grade teacher on the Navajo Reservation to a tenure-track professor at the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Tacoma, reflects her deep commitment to equity, culturally responsive practices and amplifying marginalized voices in education. Read more about Dr. Begay’s journey.

AWSP is a K-12 organization and each year recognizes two winners, one elementary and one secondary principal, as its Washington State Principals of the Year.

The University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) Excellence in Educational Leadership Award recognizes a practicing school administrator who has made a significant contribution to the improvement of leadership preparation and development.

Alumna Dr. Erin Riesland has received a Fulbright Specialist Program award to complete a project at SayPro in South Africa that aims to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships.

Alumna Tianna Mae Andresen has been busy since graduating from the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ, where she double majored in Education, Communities and Organizations (ECO) and American Ethnic Studies.

By unapologetically coming into spaces, being ourselves and still using slang, showing a different perception of what it means to be a teacher, it switches the trajectory of what students can do with their own lives.