The College of Arts and Sciences provides a liberal arts education of tremendous breadth and depth to more than 25,000 students while advancing research in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. A&S alumni have received the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prizes, and Emmy and Tony Awards, and have been elected to key government positions regionally and nationally. Learn more about the College
The world communicates across generations and cultures through the arts. Our students are the creative artists, audiences and arts advocates of the future. Our degree programs, museums, exhibitions, and artistic performances reflect the dual nature of the arts as both creative endeavors, requiring constant renewal, and as subjects of scholarly research.
The humanities allow us to understand and communicate the range and diversity of human cultural achievement. As the world becomes more connected and interdependent, such understanding becomes imperative. Through their focus on language, literature, film, and the history of ideas, the humanities encourage students to reflect upon their own beliefs and values as they explore those of other peoples and periods.
The natural sciences provide us with methods to investigate and understand ourselves, our world, and the universe, from the subatomic to the cosmic level. As we learn more about our world, we also come to understand our place within it as individuals and as a species. Discoveries in the sciences, often emerging from basic research, transform society as they address everything from disease to global warming.
The social sciences study how and why human communities and societies are organized as they are, behave as they do, and change over time. Drawing on a diverse array of disciplines and using both quantitative and qualitative methods, social scientists are committed to creating, disseminating, and applying knowledge to address significant social problems in local, national, and global contexts. Learn more about the Social Sciences.
Private gifts allow our students and faculty to make new discoveries, create innovative programs and reach out to people beyond the campus to enhance our communities and the world. We hope you will consider lending your support to the College so that we can continue to provide our students with exceptional educational and research opportunities.
In celebration of its 150th anniversary, the UW College of Arts and Sciences presented Timeless Awards in May to 150 of its distinguished alumni, from astronauts to actors to social activists. Among the honorees are familiar names, future leaders, and a whole lot of creative thinkers.
Try your hand at our Timeless Quiz to see how much you know about the College’s best and brightest.
Actress Jean Smart (BFA, Drama, 1974) has earned 3 Primetime Emmys and another 3 nominations for her work in television. Which of the following roles did not garner an Emmy nomination or win?
Jean Smart won Emmys for “Samantha Who?” (2008) and “Frasier” (2000, 2001) and received nominations for “24” and “The District.” She received no Emmy for “Designing Women” despite the sitcom’s popularity from 1986 to 1993.
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Soccer star Hope Solo (BA, Communication, 2003) is headed to the 2012 Olympics as goalkeeper for the US Women’s National Soccer Team. What activity off the soccer field had her in the news last year?
Spokesperson for UNICEF
Contestant on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”
Guest host on “Live! with Kelly”
Signed and donated 2,000 soccer balls in two days to promote youth soccer
Hope Solo was a contestant on the 13th season of the ballroom dancing competition, making it to the semifinal round with professional dance partner Maksim Chmerkovsky. She is a better performer on the soccer field, where she reigns as the UW’s all-time leader in shutouts, saves, and goals-against-average. Solo was a four-time All-Pac-10 selection and a three-time NCAA All-American.
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Glass artist Dale Chihuly (BFA, Art, 1965), whose Chihuly Garden and Glass opened at Seattle Center in May 2012, has had public art installations all over the world. In which of the following cities has Chihuly not had a public art installation?
Adelaide, Australia
Seoul, Korea
Barcelona, Spain
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
There have been Chihuly installations in all of these cities
Dale Chihuly has not had a public installation in Barcelona, but with 19 public installations abroad and 152 in the United States, Barcelona may someday join the list!
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Ed Viesturs (BS, Zoology, 1981), the first American to climb all fourteen of the world’s 8000+ meter peaks without supplemental oxygen, first climbed Mt. Rainier as a UW undergraduate. How many times has he climbed Mt. Rainier?
Ed Viesturs also has made multiple ascents of some of the world’s highest peaks, including seven successful ascents of Mt. Everest. He serves as a design consultant for outdoor equipment manufacturers and gives motivational speeches on risk management, teamwork, and overcoming major obstacles.
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Linda Buck (BS, Psychology, Microbiology, 1975) won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 2004 . What groundbreaking research led to this honor?
Identifying how the malaria virus mutates
Defining how the sense of smell works
Developing a technique to improve outcomes in organ transplantation
Understanding how alcohol acts on the developing brain in utero
Linda Buck shares the Nobel Prize with colleague Richard Axel for outlining the genes and proteins that allow the olfactory system to identify over 10,000 unique odors. Their work also sheds light on how the brain translates odor chemicals in the environment into odor perceptions.
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Bryan Monroe (BA, Communications, 1987), editor of CNNPolitics.com and past president of the National Association of Black Journalists, can claim which of the following?
First interview with Barack Obama after his 2008 victory
Last major interview with pop icon Michael Jackson before his death
Award-winning coverage of Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi
Bryan Monroe interviewed Barack Obama and Michael Jackson at historic moments, and led the team that won a Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal for Public Service in 2006 for coverage of Hurricane Katrina in Biloxi, Mississippi. His journalism career includes a 16-year tenure with Knight Ridder newspapers; he also has served as vice president and editorial director for Ebony and JET magazines.
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Which of the following A&S authors received a National Book Award?
Timothy Egan won a National Book Award in 2006 for The Worst Hard Time, as well as a Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting as part of a New York Times reporting team. The other authors on this list are no slouches, however. Ivan Doig was a National Book Award finalist for his 1978 memoir This House of Sky: Landscapes of a Western Mind; Bruce Barcott’s book, The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw, was named one of the best books of 2008 by Library Journal; David Horsey has earned the Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Cartooning twice, in 1999 and 2003; and David Guterson received the 1995 PEN/Faulkner Award for his novel Snow Falling on Cedars.
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Arthur Levinson (BA, Biology, 1972), chairman of biotech firm Genentech since 1999, is currently taking on what other role?
Chairman, Apple Inc.
Chairman, National Science Board, National Science Foundation
Board member, University of Washington Hospital and Medical Center
Arthur Levinson was named non-executive chairman of Apple Inc. in 2011, filling a vacancy created by the death of Steve Jobs. He has been a co-lead director of Apple’s board since 2005. Although he does not hold the other positions listed here, he has numerous leadership roles in institutions ranging from academic to corporate.
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Astronaut Janet Kavandi (PhD, Chemistry, 1990) has been on three NASA missions, in 1998, 2000, and 2001. How many frequent flier miles would those trips earn her?
Gary Gayton was the first African American student body president of Seattle’s Garfield High School, and then captain of the UW track team - the first African American captain of any UW varsity team. After earning a law degree at Gonzaga University, Gayton was appointed by Robert Kennedy as an assistant US attorney for the Western District of Washington, again the first African American to hold the position.
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After leading the UW to three winning seasons as the Huskies’ starting quarterback in the 1970s, Sonny Sixkiller (BA, General Studies, 1974) received what recognition?
Sonny Sixkiller graced the cover of both Sports Illustrated and Boy’s Life magazines. After graduating, he played for the World Football League and appeared in the movie The Longest Yard before returning to the Pacific Northwest. Although he is not in the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame, he was inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame in 1985.
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Noted fashion designer Luly Yang (BA, Graphic Design, 1990), named Best Couture Designer by Seattle Bride Magazine for eight consecutive years, held what job during her UW years?
Luly Yang taught her first aerobics class in the basement of Terry Lander Hall during her freshman year, followed by a longer stint as an instructor at the IMA (Intramural Activities Building). After graduating, she continued to moonlight as a certified fitness instructor for 16 years, even while working as a graphic designer and, later, a clothing designer.
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Which of the following A&S alumni has served the most consecutive terms in political office?
Christine Gregoire, Washington Governor (BA, Sociology, Speech Communication, 1969)
Helen Sommers, Retired Washington State Representative (BA, MA, Economics, 1969, 1970)
Dow Constantine, King County Executive (BA, Political Science, 1985; JD, 1989; MA, Urban Planning, 1992)
Norm Dicks, US Representative (BA, Political Science, 1963; JD, 1968)
Norm Rice, Former Seattle Mayor (BA, Communications, 1972; MPA, Public Affairs, 1974)
Helen Sommers started her election winning streak in 1972 and never broke it, serving as a state representative for Washington’s 36th District for 18 terms and 36 years before retiring in 2008. Norm Dicks comes in a close second, serving 8 terms and 32 years as US Representative for Washington’s Sixth Congressional District. Earlier this year, Dicks announced that he would not seek re-election.
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To learn more about these and other Timeless Award honorees on our Timeless Alumni page.
