Director’s Note
As I reflect on Women’s History Month, I don’t have enough space to pay homage to all of the women who have played a critical role along my journey. After much reflection, I’ve whittled it down to two. First, I have to give props to the Queen…my Momma. In a world void of gender discrimination and classism, she would have been able to continue her education past 4th grade and become a CPA or bank executive. She is brilliant and a math whiz. Despite not getting access to education, she pushed her children to complete our education at the highest levels and for that, I’m grateful.
I’m writing about the next person with tears in my eyes as this is a posthumous nod to not just her mentorship, but her sponsorship. Dr. Mary Cullinan was the first female president of Eastern Washington University (after 132 years) who hired me fresh out of law school to be her chief advisor. She was also the first person to tell me that I needed to be a university president or CEO, but she did more than say those words. She identified what gaps I had in my leadership toolbox and then worked with me to map out a plan to get the experience under my belt.
As Equal Pay Day continues to be an issue for women, I honor women like my mother and Dr. Cullinan for paying it forward by sharing their hard-earned lessons and bringing support with it to allow me to thrive. I take seriously my responsibility to do the same and invite each of you to take a moment to think about how you are paying it forward.
Angela Jones
Director, Washington State Initiative
Women’s History Month: State Education Leader Reflections
For Women’s History Month, we wanted to hear more from the women in our state who are shaping the future of education. After reading their insights, we think you’ll understand why these women are mentors to many of us on the Washington State team.
Women’s History Month: Local Nonprofit Leader Reflections
Our Community Engagement team asked two local nonprofit leaders to reflect on their career journeys and the women who inspire them. To Maria Chavez-Wilcox and Alaina Capoeman-Davis: thank you for all you do to empower women and strengthen communities.
Celebrating notable women in STEM
All young people should be able to see themselves in future careers. That’s why Washington STEM profiles notable women in STEM careers, where significant gender gaps still exist today. Their goal is to help young women see a future in STEM. This recent profile of Manshi Naik should definitely draw in any space enthusiasts. When a tour of a NASA facility left Manshi awestruck, she knew she had to work in the aerospace industry. Manshi now develops procedures for engineering rockets. How cool is that?!
Community Spotlight: Concert inspires big donations
The Boss (AKA Bruce Springsteen) was recently in Seattle for a concert. Not only did he put on an incredible show for those lucky enough to attend, he also inspired concert-goers to donate nearly $20,000 to the West Seattle Food Bank – one of our Community Engagement grantees. Those donations will help provide nourishing food for so many individuals in the region!
Student Spotlight: Migrant students discover postsecondary pathways
In February, 38 first-generation migrant students in the Wenatchee School District took a road trip to Ellensburg to explore postsecondary options at Central Washington University. Getting to hear from other first-gen students who were now succeeding in college was one of the highlights of the trip. Students also appreciated learning more about the contributions of migrants to Central Washington.
Your Questions, Answered.
Every month, we’ll answer your questions about our Washington state work.
Q: What specific local policies are being addressed to remove barriers for young people?
A: The short answer: we plan to support regions to better understand student and family barriers. Maybe there isn’t a region-wide culture or clear pathways that prepare high school students for the next step. Maybe families need more financial aid information. We can’t help regions adapt existing policies and programs if we don’t know which problems they need to solve. This will be a significant focus of our work this year, when we launch a learning network to support regional collaborations across the state–all united by the goal of increasing postsecondary enrollment for local students.
Got Additional Questions?
Do you have questions about our new education strategy in Washington state? You can submit them here. We’ll continue to answer the most-asked questions in future editions.