Director’s Welcome – Winter 2021

I have noticed a theme in my Alumni Newsletter messages – the seasons and weather. Par for the course and symbolic of this past year, the winter weather in Seattle has oddly been mostly sunny…nothing like what we’re used to, yet offering bright spots. The same is true for this entire year, as we approach the one year anniversary of when the HUB temporarily closed along with the rest of UW (March 16, 2020). Transitioning student engagement first to a virtual and now a hybrid form has been challenging, exhausting, and inspiring all at the same time. I’m proud to say the HUB has led the way in being one of the first buildings on campus to re-open (albeit with limited hours) to serve as an “informal learning space” for UW students, faculty, and staff. Meanwhile, Student Activities advisors have shifted to 100% remote advising, which also meant adjusting their hours to meet with students living around the world. ASUW and GPSS have adapted to virtual programming with successes such as Rainy Dawg Radio on-air concerts and Huskies on the Hill virtual lobby days, while Senate meetings have seen the highest attendance in years. The HUB has added RSO video podcasts through the Resource Center and grab-and-go programs to provide students hands-on activities. All examples of being creative and bringing community programming and engagement to the students.

What has been most impressive this past year, is how the ASUW and GPSS students have adapted and led the way in advocating for UW student needs during this pandemic. They have continued to find ways to listen to the student body and to advocate for better accessibility to virtual classes, more mental health resources for students struggling with the virtual shifts, in-person options for students to study, and demands to see more action on the part of the administration around issues of social justice. When these students join you all as ASUW and GPSS alumni, they will be remembered throughout UW history for their leadership under one of the most unique and challenging times ever faced. 

Justin Camputaro, PhD
HUB Executive Director