Each year, the University of Washington Bothell recognizes two student civic leaders with the Chancellor’s Student Civic Leadership Awards. Sponsored by the Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good, this award acknowledges students who address critical issues on campus and in their communities through service and social entrepreneurship.
UW Bothell Chancellor Kristin G. Esterberg announced that the 2026 recipients are Aamena Ellithy (Law, Economics & Public Policy ’26) and Alondra Guzman (Educational Studies ’26).
A voice for the community
Early on, Aamena Ellithy got into the habit of being proactive.
“I developed a mentality of not waiting until someone asks you to do something,” she said, “but looking out and seeing what needs to be done and stepping up.”
Over three academic quarters at UW Bothell, she chaired the Student Technology Fee Committee, which evaluates proposals for innovative technology projects on campus. It was complicated work, Ellithy said, demanding a nuanced understanding of budgets, decision-making and institutional complexities.
“Leading a team responsible for allocating a record-breaking $2 million in student-proposed projects taught me how to make collaborative, transparent decisions that directly benefit the student body,” she said.
Outreach and dialogue
Ellithy also built solid relationships with students and staff across campus — connections that would prove vital to her advocacy work.
When she learned that UW Bothell’s multi-faith reflection room, which she relied on as “a cherished space for Muslim students’ daily prayers,” had been moved to a smaller, unworkable location, she swung into action.
“I realized I was in a position where I could benefit my community — including myself,” she said. “I saw that I had all these opportunities and connections that could make a difference.”
She mobilized other students and engaged in months of dialogue with UW Bothell leadership. Eventually, they helped secure a more suitable, organized space for Friday prayers.
A broader sphere of influence
Beyond campus, Ellithy interned at the Washington chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, where she worked on high-profile communications for an annual event.
Imraan Siddiqi, CAIR-WA’s executive director, noticed Ellithy’s energy and follow-through. “Having people who are driven and wanting to carve out a path for themselves in this world — it’s heartening to see that. We still consider her to be part of the CAIR family.”
Ellithy’s wide-ranging curiosity also propelled her to the Global Scholars Program and the Washington, D.C., Human Rights Seminar, where she studied the impact of U.S. foreign policy interventions in Syria.
“Aamena thoughtfully engaged concepts such as community-building, sitting with discomfort, intersectionality and supporting peers, often integrating these into her everyday practice,” said Dr. Ben Gardner, associate professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences and co-director of Global Scholars.
Added Natalia Dyba, director of global initiatives and co-director of Global Scholars, “Aamena’s involvement helped her refine her understanding of political conflict and social issues, and deepened her experiences in the D.C. Human Rights Seminar.”
Next-level recognition
A statewide runner-up for the Governor’s Student Civic Leadership Award, Ellithy took on many other roles, from president of the Law Society at UW Bothell to member of the NextGen Civic Leaders Corps.
She also was a 2026 legislative intern in Olympia and, with fellow student Boushra Tanvir, created the Husky Voice app. Their goal: Raise student voices and increase civic participation.
With her degree in hand, Ellithy plans to take a gap year, then attend law school.
She embraced the chancellor’s leadership award as a testament to her passion for civic engagement. “It means the work I did on campus means something and is valuable,” she said. “For a lot of other people to recognize this validates it and makes it worth it.”
A catalyst for connection
When Alondra Guzman learned she’d received the Chancellor’s Student Civic Leadership Award, she first thought that she didn’t deserve it. Imposter syndrome had a fierce grip, she said.
“Recognizing I got it was hard at first,” she said, “but then I realized, I’m representing myself, my family and my community, which are my biggest things in life. It’s so great that my classmates, advisers and professors see me as a leader.”
Guzman said her early days at UW Bothell as a first-generation Latina college student were difficult. She recalled feeling lonely, with no community or family to show her the ropes. But then she found her catalyst for connection: the Latino Leadership Initiative.
With this dynamic cohort, she spearheaded an “Equity in Education” event that opened her eyes to both a deficit and an opportunity. “There are legislators making policies who haven’t stepped into a classroom,” Guzman realized. “How can I bridge that gap?”
She was hired the next year as the student assistant for the LLI, mentoring other students and creating spaces where they could feel seen, supported and empowered. “Alondra is a compassionate leader and advocate for strong educational success,” said Dana Washington, program manager for community-engaged learning. “Her ability to take initiative and support her peers is what led to her being hired in the Office of Connected Learning.”
“It means the work I did on campus means something and is valuable. For a lot of other people to recognize this validates it and makes it worth it.”
Aamena Ellithy, Law, Economics & Public Policy ’26
Big-picture perspective
Throughout her time at UW Bothell, Guzman worked to blend her commitment to civic advocacy with her passion for teaching. The Martinez Fellowship through the Technology Access Foundation was the perfect proving ground: With a cohort of fellow BIPOC educators, she learned the importance of both building an equitable classroom and taking care of herself.
Guzman also became a Washington Education Association Scholar, where she built community with teachers statewide and honed her ability to weave advocacy, teaching and leadership.
“Alondra thinks critically about broader systemic changes within our education system,” said Dr. Nathanie Lee, an associate teaching professor in the School of Educational Studies who advised Guzman’s WEA Scholar cohort, “but it is within the classroom where she can enact some of those changes little by little.
“This is a lot to juggle for someone who is taking courses, student teaching in a classroom all day, and going above and beyond to be a leader in her school and community.”
From ASUWB to a national stage
Guzman also served as a student senator for the Associated Students of UW Bothell. She traveled to Olympia to lobby for higher education policies at the annual Huskies on the Hill event, which then put her on a path to Washington, D.C., which she visited twice in two years as a policy advocator for the Friends Committee on National Legislation.
Her mission: Lobby for measures that put people first.
The time in D.C. was especially meaningful to Guzman, in part because many of her mixed-status family members can’t travel. “Standing in front of monuments, in front of legislators and staffers,” she said, “I do this for my mom, who came here from Mexico for a better life for her and her children.
“I’m proud to be a daughter of immigrants.”
