About Us

Message from the Director

Welcome to Orientation & Transition Programs at UW Bothell!

At UW Bothell, we believe every student belongs and every student can succeed. Our Orientation & Transition Programs (OTP) team is here to help make that belief a reality. We’re a dedicated group of professional and student staff who are passionate about supporting your journey from your first day to your last and every milestone in between.

This campus is a special place because of the people who make up our community. We want every student to feel seen, supported, and empowered to take full advantage of all UW Bothell has to offer.

That said, we also know that growth doesn’t happen without challenge. College isn’t always easy and it’s not supposed to be. If everything felt smooth all the time, we wouldn’t be doing our job. Our goal is for you to leave UW Bothell transformed, more confident, and more prepared for whatever comes next.

When things get hard, and they will, you are not alone. We’re here to help. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can call, text, or email us, or stop by the Summit 111 anytime. No question is too big or too small.

We can’t wait to support you on your journey!

Take care,
Terry
Director, Orientation & Transition Programs

Contact Information

  • Email: otp@uw.edu 
  • Phone: 425.352.5266
  • Text: 425.243.0584
  • Campus Location: Summit Hall 111
  • Hours: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday to Friday
  • Mailing Address: 17927 113th Ave NE
    Box 358556
    Bothell, WA 98011-8246

Meet the Staff

Peer Coaches

Orientation Leaders

Mission

Orientation & Transition Programs facilitate student engagement and student success for students in transition by developing and connecting students to resources, people, and opportunities.

Our Values

To best serve our students, we openly engage with campus partners to garner their strengths and expertise to create a holistic UW Bothell experience that contributes to student success.
Together we are stronger! We foster meaningful connections that bring people together to challenge and learn from one another in the greater pursuit of shared goals.
We create an unconditionally welcoming environment that allows students to embrace and understand the diversity within the UW Bothell community by providing programs centered on inclusivity.
We strive for continued development of programs and staff that help to create best practices in the field of Orientation, Transition, and Retention.
We creatively evolve our programs and initiatives through responsible experimentation and reflection to meet the ever-changing needs and priorities of our students.
Through honesty and transparency, we ground our work in measurable outcomes that allow us to stand by our program's effectiveness and impact.
We practice and foster a campus culture that recognizes the humanity and the life experience of all people in our community and that gives dignity to people through consideration and civil discourse.

Our Three Pillars (Programmatic Priorities)

Our goal is to inspire and engage students undergoing transitions in college by providing resources and programs that increase retention by helping students have an optimal college experience that is grounded in a sense of belonging and personal development. Peer-to-peer mentorship is integral to many of our initiatives. Our programs address:

Academic Enrichment and Achievement

  • Helping students reach milestones
  • Improve academic success strategies
  • Intentional academic planning
  • Career oriented readiness
  • Instill a culture of inquiry and civil discourse
  • Growth-mindset

Community and Social Acclimation

  • Making and maintaining friendships
  • Extracurricular involvement
  • Cultural adjustments
  • Interpersonal development
  • Civic Engagement
  • Developing support systems
  • Increasing sense of belonging

Life Skills and Personal Development

  • Finding balance
  • Work ethic and ethical reasoning
  • Choosing our focus
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Goal setting
  • Time management
  • Confidence and resiliency building
  • Cultural humility
  • Financial literacy and wellness

Transition Points (Milestones)

  • First quarter at UW Bothell (First-year and transfer students)
  • End of First Year
  • Sophomore year
  • Declaring of major
  • First quarter in school or major
  • Senior year