Become a recognized student with the Husky 100

Applications for the yearly Husky 100 have opened.

Are you a student that feels like you have made the most of your time and experience here UWT? Why not join the distinguished ranks of becoming a Husky 100.

The Husky 100, which is a tri-campus initiative, has been selecting 100 UW students each year since 2016. These students are recognized for their time spent at UW and have made the most of their experience here helping their community, the school campus, as well as using their skills to benefit their future. 

The benefits of becoming part of the Husky 100 range from formal recognition from UW’s top leadership, along with mementos awarded to the recipients, support that will give the recipients access to advising, counseling and mentorship, opportunities to expand their networks and be featured on the Husky 100 page. 

While it may sound a little intimidating, individuals like Kelly Tyrrell, are trying to help students with their applications in an effort to increase Tacoma representation in the Husky 100. Tyrrell is a program support specialist for student life at UWT, and alumna of 2018, wanting to help aid UWT students’ brand and share their stories for important distinctions such as the Husky 100. 

January can be a busy time for Tyrrell, who opens her schedule for workshops, one-on-ones, and other forms of support to help students with their Husky 100 applications. 

“If you need help or want information, just come to me directly, we have a small enough group here at Tacoma where it is totally cool,” Tyrrell said.  

Tyrrell notes that the application process can be daunting for students and calls for a variety of factors for students to tie into their personal essays as to why they should be selected for the Husky 100. On the Husky 100 website this includes “connecting the dots,” “discovery mindset,” “commitment to inclusive community,” “capacity for leadership,” as well as “ready for what is next.” 

Students, when applying, are expected to tie all these aspects into a formal essay for their application, or they may submit a video or e-portfolio. 

Tyrrell elaborated more on the benefits and rewards of becoming a part of the Husky 100 that will lead to a celebration in Seattle that will be the first in-person celebration in a few years due to COVID. Students will be recognized by the chancellors of all three schools as well as faculty and staff and will receive medals and mementos dedicated to the Husky 100.  

“We are very excited about the energy surrounding this,” Tyrrell said. 

Previous recipient of the Husky 100 Steven Simmons, received the distinction in 2021 and now has a Master of Social Work and is an outreach program manager for Community Action of Skagit County, notes the honor he felt receiving the award, especially as a student representing the previously incarcerated student population. 

“I was really excited for the opportunity to put myself forward as a formerly incarcerated student to the entire UW community, and to hopefully show other students with this lived experience that they are not alone on these campuses and that we can lead from that position,” Simmons said.  

Former 2021-2022 ASUWT President, Andre Jimenez reflected on what becoming a Husky 100 meant for them as well.

“It was an amazing opportunity to reflect on what I had been able to accomplish during my time at the University of Washington Tacoma. I had worked really hard serving my community, both on and off campus, and receiving the Husky 100 was a rewarding way to be recognized for the hard work and dedication I had put in over the past several years,” Jimenez said.

The network that the Husky 100 provides to recipients creates a special comradery between current and previous recipients.

“During my time at UWT I earned a few awards, but being awarded the Husky 100 certainly had one of the greatest reaches beyond campus. I was shocked at how many alumni reached out shortly after the Husky 100 was announced to congratulate me, or people I met in the weeks after that recognized me from the website,” Jimenez said.

“You are built into a cohort system where you already have a group of people who have gotten the same award as you and are recognized and we have it built in where you can contact past Husky 100 people who are in the field you want to be in, we can help you reach out for internships and all of this is built in a cohort mentality with the Husky 100,” Tyrell said. 

If students are interested in applying for the Husky 100, applications are due February 6. Students can be nominated by faculty or staff but unfortunately the time period to nominate a student has passed at the time of publication for this piece (January 23).  

When applying students will need 1-2 letters of recommendation, one needing to be from someone who is a UW faculty or staff member.  

While faculty are encouraged to nominate students who they think should be a part of the Husky 100, this is not necessary to apply for the Husky 100 and will not affect your chances if you are not nominated.  

Simmons recognized the apprehension some students may have when applying for the distinction of Husky 100 but noted the benefits and recognition are worth it. 

“Go for it! There’s nothing to fear, even if you don’t win. Chances are, if you are even considering applying, that you already do more than typical students on your campus and in your community. You deserve a chance to be seen and to have this time and your work memorialized on the Husky 100 website,” Simmons said. 

If you are interested in learning more about the Husky 100 and previous recipients, you can visit the Husky 100 website at https://www.washington.edu/husky100/ For general questions or support with your application, you can email Kelly Tyrrell at Ktyrrell@uw.edu