Digital Scholars Program

2024 Digital Scholars Closing Presentations and Poster Session – Nov 15, 11am-1pm

Come to the final poster session when the 2024 Digital Scholars present their learning journey and feature their summer internship work.

Interested students who plan on applying for the next cohort (opens in Winter) are invited to come and learn. Faculty and staff are invited to view projects and ask questions.

Food will be provided, so please register.

About the program

As a Digital Scholar, you will join a supportive cohort community and gain digital skills that employers are looking for! These skills include digital marketing, data analytics, social media, and data visualization.

Students participate in an experience that provides digital skills training with career and major exploration over three quarters (spring, summer, autumn). The Digital Scholars community brings together students, professors, staff, community partners, and UW Bothell alumni to help students develop digital skills and a strong network of supporters.

As part of the program, you will:

  • participate in community-building activities.
  • participate in workshops on career readiness skills, first-gen identity, and financial wellbeing.
  • participate in paid summer career-connected project to apply learned digital skills to real-world work experience.
  • take a spring and autumn 2-credit course to learn entry-level digital skills, including programming, marketing, data analytics, and graphic design.
  • explore your career path and build up your resume.
  • learn about UW Bothell resources to support your academic and personal wellbeing.
  • build a social network with peers, staff, faculty, and industry partners.
  • celebrate and reflect upon your learning.
  • attend a digital skill conference.

The Digital Scholars program shares UW Bothell’s values of inclusion and diversity as core components of our mission to support students and educators within the UW Bothell community. To quote from UW Bothell’s commitment to inclusion and diversity, our work begins with the acceptance and celebration of the differences that are represented through the many diverse and minoritized communities on our campus and in the surrounding community. We recognize that we are bound together in a collective experience and that our actions impact all in our community.

Application period is closed. The Digital Scholars Program expects to accept 20 students in 2024.

Applicant criteria

  1. Pre-major standing with less than 60 credits completed by the end of Winter Quarter.
  2. First-generation college students* who identify as first in their family to graduate from college. Neither parent nor guardian has completed a college degree.
  3. Eligible and intending to enroll for credit at UW Bothell during the upcoming Spring and Autumn quarters.
  4. (for 2024) Upon acceptance to the program, you will be required to register for a 2-credit course “BCUSP 133A” for the Spring 2024 quarter (Fridays 11:00am – 1:00pm) and a 2-credit Autumn 2024 course. You will receive an add code once accepted into the program.

Please reach out with questions, we are happy to help! Contact Dr. Afra Mashhadi, Digital Scholars Faculty Director, at mashhadi@uw.edu, OR Office of Connected Learning, at uwbocl@uw.edu.

Ready to apply?

The online application asks you to share information about you and your background, and respond to these four questions:

  1. Why do you want to participate in the program?
  2. What about the program aligns with your academic interests and/or aspirations for future careers?
  3. How do you expect your participation in the program contributes to your growth and development as a UW Bothell student?
  4. The Digital Scholars program’s first learning goal is to “empower students to explore their first-generation identities as they navigate systemic opportunities and challenges in social, university, and career scenarios.” Please share: 1) Your story about how you identify as a first-generation college student; 2) Your current expectations for the successes and challenges you will encounter in your university experience. 

Cohorts

* A First-Gen Student is:

  • A student whose parent(s) or guardian(s) have not earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • A student whose parent(s) or guardian(s) have attended but not completed any college.
  • A student who, prior to the age of 18, regularly resided with and received support from only one parent and whose supporting parent did not complete a bachelor’s degree.
  • A student who, prior to the age of 18, did not regularly reside with or receive support from a natural or adoptive parent.

Questions?

We are happy to help! Contact Dr. Afra Mashhadi by email at mashhadi@uw.edu, OR Office of Connected Learning, at uwbocl@uw.edu.

Thank You WSECU

This program is made possible thanks to a generous gift from Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU).


Recent Digital Scholars News

portrait of Parisa Soltanian

Journey to self-growth through teaching kids to code 

Digital Scholars summer project student taught children digital skills and learned about self-management and efficiency.

Read more about Digital Scholar learning self-growth
WSECU at the plaza in UW Bothell

WSECU named first corporate recipient of Legacy Award

UW Bothell Digital Scholars program shared its gratitude for the support from WSECU and its efforts in encouraging students to participate.

Read more about Digital Scholar journeys
portrait of Betelhem Yinges

Digital Scholars Program: A Student’s Perspective – Betelhem Yinges

Betelhem demonstrated how participating in the Digital Scholars Program introduced her to explore fields around digital skills.

Read more about her distinct experience
portrait of Minh Than

New digital skills put to good use

Minh Than spoke about her dedication to volunteering, utilizing digital skills she acquired from the Digital Scholars Program.

Read more about her dedication
Drake Monfregola and Jordy Solorio Valdovinos in front of the Snohomish County Courthouse

Digital skills to fight ‘real world’ inequities

Two UW Bothell students put their digital knowledge into practice and collaborated with a local nonprofit organization to help low-income families in need.

Read more about their contribution