nwasianweekly.com
May 17, 2008

Asian American UW students recognized for outstanding achievements

The Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program and the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity, both University of Washington organizations, held its 38th annual celebration May 7. Several exceptional students were presented with Educational Opportunity Program Awards, including Ashley Aratani, Angeline Candido, Nicole Kahale Inia Fernandez and Jeannie Nguyen:

Ashley Aratani

2008 Department of Intercollegiate Athletics — Scholar Athlete Award

If pursuing a degree in biology and preparing for medical school were not enough, Ashley Aratani is a member of the University of Washington’s champion volleyball team. Ashley has had incredible success at the university both as a student and an athlete. She has been honored on the PAC-10 All Academic Team, on the Dean’s List five times, recognized as the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar and received the ICA Quarterly Academic Achievement Award. On the court, as a defensive specialist, Ashley helped her team to the Final Four in the 2004 and 2006 seasons and to the National Championship title in 2005. Between school and practice, she still has found time to participate in Hawaii Club and volunteer as a coach for children’s volleyball camps. After graduation, Ashley will return to Hawaii for an internship in the Student Summer Research Program at Straub Hospital and begin the application process to medical school.

Angeline Candido

EOP Endowed Scholar

Angeline Candido is determined to understand her cultural identity as a first generation Filipino American. The first to attend college in the United States, Angeline worked hard to get here and has since embraced all the opportunities higher education has to offer. Although she had to navigate the application process alone, she has since been able to help her younger sister apply and join the UW family. Inspired by her own cross-cultural experience, Angeline is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in both English and communications. She has excelled in her work, been honored as a Mary Gates Scholar at the 2007 Summer Institute and has even been given the rare honor of working as an undergrad teaching assistant. In her work, Angeline explores the significance of language and human interactions and is currently still engaged in a research project exploring the history of Filipinos in Seattle and at the UW. She hopes through this history to pay homage to all those before her that have paved the way for the opportunities she has been awarded. With her degree in spring ‘09, Angeline hopes to continue to give back to her community in any way possible.

Nicole Kahale Inia Fernandez

2008 EOP Endowed Scholar

Nicole Kahale Inia Fernandez knew before she entered the University of Washington that she wanted to be a dentist. As she pursued a pre-dental track towards a bachelor’s in biochemistry and minor in chemistry and got further involved on campus and in the community, Nicole began to realize her real passion for health care. Born and raised in Hawaii, Nicole experienced first-hand the discrepancies in care for low-income and marginalized populations, especially among the native Hawaiians. She witnessed her neighbors and her own family suffering from the impacts of deteriorating oral health. In Seattle, Nicole has been volunteering and interning at the Seattle Vocational Institute’s dental clinic where she works with at-risk and marginalized communities. Recognizing the cycle of poverty, coupled with the negative impacts of an unfair health care system, Nicole is determined to help communities in need. Her passion for health care has carried over to her campus involvement in a number of student groups, including TEETH – Teaching Ethnic Empowerment Toward Healthcare, a student organization that focuses on the issues that impact low income populations and works to educate the community. With all of her experience, Nicole is well on her way to achieving her goal to give back and serve Hawaiians as a dentist in a community clinic.

Jeannie Nguyen

2008 EOP Recognition

Jeannie Nguyen is a woman of firsts. She is a first-generation Vietnamese American, she was the first in her family to graduate high school, this spring she will be the first to graduate from college and following graduation, will be the first in her family to enter medical school. Jeannie knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a doctor and has let nothing stand in her way. Upon entering the University of Washington as a freshman, Jeannie chose her path as a pre-med student and has been going nonstop. Pursuing a degree in both neurobiology and biochemistry with two minors in diversity and chemistry, Jeannie has fully prepared herself for entrance into medical school. Along with her work in class, Jeannie has participated in two study abroad programs exploring international health programs in both Ecuador and Italy. She also has research experience in both the UW Department of Medicine and Harborview Medical Center and has joined in a number of campus groups and programs, including organizing and participating in Health Care Alternative Spring Break and co-founding Students for Equal Health. Jeannie will continue to stay on campus and in the community after graduation, as she enters the University of Washington Medical School.

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