UW Students with Faculty Parents

Another View: Faculty Offspring Have Their Say

A&S faculty may be thrilled to have their children enrolled at the University of Washington, but are their children equally pleased to share their parents’ campus?

Here’s what a few of them had to say:

-- One of the definite perks is that a free lunch is always just a phone call away.

-- Having a faculty parent has made professors, in general, seem less intimidating and more approachable, so I’m comfortable talking with my professors when I have a problem or question.

-- There’s pressure to keep my grades up since people know my father’s a professor. But that’s good—it keeps me motivated.

-- I wanted an out-of-state experience when I began school, but I have discovered that it’s nice to be able to have your mom take you to
the doctor or drop off a skirt at 10:30 pm.

-- Sometimes I hear other students talking about my parent critically, maybe complaining about the amount of work assigned. It can make me feel defensive.

-- My dad was able to give me pointers on research techniques and resources at the UW. Having his support and advice for academic problems or concerns was great.

-- From day to day, I can be just as independent as any other college student, but I know that, if I ever want to see my dad, I can just step into his office on campus.