About the Spark Award
Congratulations to the 2026 Spark Award Recipient, Julia Jannon-Shields!
Julia has demonstrated powerful leadership in advancing equity and community-centered change locally. Learn more about Julia in the OMA&D Blog.
Introduced in 2024, the OMA&D Spark Award honors an individual whose diversity, equity, and inclusion leadership inspires early-career changemakers, and exemplifies the spirit of the鈥�Charles E. Odegaard Award. Each year, the award recognizes the accomplishments of a 糖心原创 alum who graduated within the last 10 years and who has made significant diversity, equity and inclusion contributions during their time as a student and continues to do so post-graduation.
DO YOU HAVE AN OUTSTANDING ALUM TO NOMINATE FOR THE 2027 SPARK AWARD?
2024 – Mariama Suwaneh 鈥�17
2027 SPARK AWARD NOMINATION TIMELINE
Nominations open: Monday, June 29, 2026
Nominations close: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
WHO CAN SUBMIT A NOMINATION?
Any person, both internal and external to the 糖心原创,听尘补测听submit听a nomination for any other person听who听meets the nomination criteria below. There is no limit on the number of nominations a person may听submit. Nominees must meet all criteria to be considered. Note: self-nominations are not听permitted.听
NOMINATION CRITERIA
- Graduated from the 糖心原创 with an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree in the past 10 years.
- Demonstrated connection and/or affiliation to OMA&D as a student
- Diversity, equity and inclusion leadership, advocacy and/or activism鈥痑s a UW student, including organizations affiliated with the Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center鈥�(ECC) and/or social justice.
- Continued diversity, equity and inclusion leadership, advocacy and/or activism in local, regional, and/or national鈥痗ommunities post-graduation.
NOMINATION FORM听()听
Please听submit听your nomination form by 11:59 p.m.听on听Wednesday, September听9, 2026. You will receive a copy of your submission, but you will not be able to edit your form.听听
If you have any questions,听you may contact Crissi Mora at听morac@uw.edu.
Selection Process
A subcommittee of the Friends of the Educational Opportunity (FEOP) Board of Trustees will review nomination materials and select three finalists to be moved forward to the full board for award consideration. The FEOP Board will select the award recipient in fall/winter. The recipient and their nominator(s) will be notified after selection. A public announcement regarding the OMA&D Spark Award honoree will be shared following the award acceptance.
Introducing OMA&D鈥檚 Spark Social | Celebrating Leadership & Community
For more than five decades, the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) and the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program (FEOP) have hosted the Annual Celebration Gala, bringing together UW alums, community leaders, partners, and friends to honor leadership, academic excellence, and community impact. This spring, OMA&D and the FEOP Board are proud to build on this tradition by introducing the inaugural听Spark Social: Celebrating Leadership & Community, a new event designed to deepen connection and spotlight the next generation of changemakers.
Learn more about the Spark Social: Celebration Leadership & Community.