GALA | Nominee Descriptions

The Alpha Xi Chapter has led several impactful initiatives that directly serve and uplift others. For example, the chapter volunteered at a local homeless shelter, providing hands-on support to individuals experiencing housing insecurity, and organized a community food drive to address food insecurity.

Service is built into [Chi Sigma Alpha’s] membership development. Every new class selects a nonprofit of their choice, raises funds, and volunteers with that organization. This year, our newest members raised $4,400 for their selected causes, gaining hands‑on experience in leadership, philanthropy, and community partnership.

Through consistent prison visits and inside-outside book clubs, HOPE has connected students with incarcerated organizers. Similarly, they serve the wider community through their consistent volunteering inside prisons and the uplifting of incarcerated people’s voices. They have collaborated consistently with various other ECC organizations through their Prisoner Solidarity Month to bring programming on the intersectional identities that incarcerated people hold, acknowledging how carceral systems impact all of us.

Kappa Delta Chi has created meaningful impact within both its members and the greater ECC community through service, advocacy, and collaboration. This year, we raised awareness for the American Cancer Society, collaborated with CCM to assemble first aid kits that were donated to the Elizabeth Gregory Home, and hosted our annual winter school supply drive focused on supporting elementary students facing financial hardship.

Khmer Student Association has always been fully committed to providing a comfortable space where Khmer individuals on campus can get together to not only socialize, but to also represent our culture. KhSA hosts an annual New Years show, which showcases cultural dances, outfits, and stories that are a necessity to our culture; they do consistent bi-weekly general meetings that are tailored towards the four pillars we represent: Social Justice, Education, Cultural Preservation, and Community. The organization is also working so hard to keep the Khmer language program, as language is a big part of the preservation of our culture.

Purple Group has been consistently putting together programming to teach people their rights and educate the community. Making space for both undocumented folks and allies, they have worked to create a safer community for all students.

This year, SHPE has led one of the largest events it has ever hosted called Future Meets Present, where they hosted workshops, lab tours, panels, and informational sessions about college and the STEM field for high school students. This event is typically offered for students that are part of the Greater Seattle Area, but this time SHPE put in the extra effort to bring students from Eastern Washington.

Africans in Medicine (AIM) has always thought of its members when creating meetings and it shows. AIM brought in Dr. Douglass from the school of medicine where it became a fun and interactive speaking experience to people who went. They highlighted the need of representation in dentistry.

CCM has always been at the forefront of connecting people to sources of representation in all fields involving community health, and in competitive and difficult fields where we are not seen. We have connected other to mentors, opportunities, advice, insights, exposing members to information and a place to connect with community as we often have no established connections or places to seek information.

FASA has done some great work with the UW and surrounding communities. They have made some great connections with the other legacy organizations on campus, even going as far as helping organize the first legacy org mixer since before COVID. They’ve also done some great work in the community, volunteering at the Filipino Community Center of Seattle and performing/visiting local schools to help other Filipino/Asian affinity groups.

ISLA has built this loving and supportive community for indigenous students on campus. They held a social mixer with Unidas Seremeos with a potluck and fun games, collaborated with Origami Club to create origami picture frames for Latin Day of the Dead, collaborated with Purple Group to do crafts together and provide Korean skincare goodie bags, co-hosted alongside Wellness With Latinas (WWL) a mindfulness workshop, and by the end of the year will have collaborated with the Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activists (SARVA) to create candles together for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

This club is very inclusive of other cultural clubs and incorporates them into many of their events such as Matsuri. They also work with other clubs at events such as cleanups at the stadium and volunteered at admitted students day. They hold a lot of events such as Kaiwa Table that are open anyone who wants to practice their Japanese language in a safe setting. The President connects personally with the other presidents of clubs across lots of other fields and the club is generally very friendly and supportive of others.

This year, they have had multiple collaborations with both other organizations on campus as well as larger entities on and off campus. This year, they have collaborated with SHPE, BSU, FASA, ACSA, FN, Cumbia Club, Unidas Seremos, AVELA, and ISLA. They have also collaborated with/promoted ASUW LSC, ECC Dia de los Muertos, CIEE, Lune Cafe, Mendoza’s Mercado, Bailadores De Bronce, and Dia de Muertos Seattle Festival. Those collabs all happened this school year, and there’s still a lot of the quarter left, so I don’t doubt they will do more later.

I nominated this RSO for Outstanding Collaboration & Participation because they have consistently worked with others RSOs, including ISLA, J-Songs Club, and SARVA, to create engaging events. In addition, they collaborated with CCM to create origami kits that were donated to children at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and during Winter participated in the ECC RSO workshop, where they worked alongside others to create origami kits.

Salsa Club actively encourages its members to try other forms of dance, participate in cultural festivals, and learn something not just about this beautiful form of dance but about the history as well.

In a world where you are often labeled “boring” or “too quiet” for existing outside social norms, our club [is] a safe haven. We established weekly meetings through partnership with Wesley Club, a third space off campus, collaborated for a journaling event with organizations like the Residential Programming Board, and continue to post weekly Instagram stories of meaningful quotes and club values

The officer board understands just how important it is to involve the community in their planning, and so they conduct all their planning in a channel (within the Quiet Time Club discord) public to everyone who is part of the Quiet Time Club community. Having this excellent of an officer board is why Quiet Time Club had a stellar year this far and will continue to have stellar years far into the future.

This year, Wellness With Latinas hosted impactful programs such as a domestic violence workshop that encouraged honest conversations about unhealthy relationships, cultural stigma, and supporting survivors within Latino communities. The organization also facilitated a generational trauma workshop that allowed students to reflect on family expectations, mental health, and breaking cycles that are often difficult to discuss openly. These conversations were not only educational, but deeply personal and transformative for many attendees.

Wellness With Latinas has made a profound difference by fostering belonging, emotional support, and culturally relevant wellness programming. The organization exemplifies the ECC’s mission by uplifting Latina voices, strengthening community, and creating spaces where students can heal, grow, and thrive together.

The Alpha Xi Chapter hosted a voter registration night to educate students on how to register and vote in Washington State, followed by a “Know Before You Vote” seminar in collaboration with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Beta Theta Chapter. The chapter has also prioritized education and youth outreach. Through their Project Alpha program, members educated local high school students on safe sex and health, while also creating and distributing a mentorship video focused on navigating high school and preparing for college. They also hosted study tables for men of color, creating an inclusive academic support space that strengthened both scholarship and community.

Alpha Xi has also demonstrated strong collaboration and service. They partnered with organizations such as Brothers in Color and Black Student Union to host programs like Barbershop Talk and a community bowling night, increasing accessibility and engagement. Their service initiatives—including a food drive benefiting Plymouth Shelter, volunteering at a homeless shelter, and organizing a campus cleanup along the Ave—reflect efficient coordination and meaningful impact.

AIMS supported the UW Startup Career Fair, hosted on April 21st, 2026 at the HUB Lyceum in collaboration with the Lavin Entrepreneurship Program and industry partner MeeBoss. It was the first time in 2 years such an event has happened. This was AIMS’ first large-scale event, and it delivered — over 200 students attended, all 11 participating companies showed up, and 5 panelists joined to support students in their career journeys. What made this event especially impactful was how it filled a real gap: most UW career fairs overlook startups, and AIMS stepped up to change that.

Day of Remembrance is an annual event focused on remembrance, education, and connection regarding Executive Order 9066, or the incarceration of Japanese Americans in WWII. This year, speakers and performers led the first steps of the healing of generational trauma, described community projects, performed Japanese art, and highlighted a connection to today’s events. In addition, they supported a screening of the Film Kintsukuroi, which was an opportunity for Japanese American artists to showcase their work about how incarceration affected families on the personal level, and how life changed irreversibly from pre-war to post.

NSBE hosted a variety of programming including game nights and career events, all to develop and grow our members while creating meaningful community connections.

The best thing about Salsa Club is its ability to bring people together, allowing people to interact, dance together, learn about a cultural dance form and community practice, and build community together. Salsa Club hosts large quarterly socials to celebrate salsa and bachata dancing, with over 100 attendees. A pop-up cherry blossom social dancing event was also a highlight of the year, and community members got together in the quad to dance and celebrate the start of spring and pulled in new people as we danced; a dad and his young child even ended up dancing with us!

This chapter’s annual Miss Purple Scholarship Pageant is a great example, which serves as both a philanthropic and educational event. The program highlights community advocacy platforms through the contestants and engages the crowd in conversations of machismo (toxic masculinity) and mental health. In addition, they hosted a workshop that also surrounded topics about the intersection of machismo and mental health, by bringing in a certified therapist from the Seattle area to facilitate conversation to engage with these uncomfortable topics that affect many of the cultural identities that make up the ECC community.

This RSO has increased its presence on campus. Last year, they hosted a Know Your Rights Workshop for the community and are continuously involved with the helping the community through different volunteer opportunities. Additionally, their support and organization with other organizations has been noticeable this year.

Cumbia Club at UW has worked toward fostering community through the celebration of culture through dance across campus. It disseminates this principle through collaborations across campus including LSU, MEChA, ALPFA, and the Newman Center, inviting students from any school, cultural background, or discipline to make room for learning, connecting and relaxing. Cumbia also follows a simple model that allows anyone from any dance experience level to join in on the fun, and any regulars to continue building onto their set of skills! Seeing students make lasting friendships, grow more confident, and having fun makes Cumbia Club a very special place.

FGLS is a newly ECC-Affiliated RSO who is actively fulfilling our mission of addressing the transition and integration of first-generation law students into the UW Law and the legal profession through mentorship, career advising, and social activities. This school year we organized 15 events ranging from mentorship mixers, course planning events, professional photos, 2L cup painting event, 3L graduation celebration, 1L march madness event, study sessions, which included partnerships with BLSA, LLSA, MLSA, SBA, FGLL and other organization. FGLS creates a positive impact on its members and the greater ECC community because FGLS fosters a diverse community of inclusivity, well-being, and professional support while advocating for the recognition of our lived experiences as the first in our families to pursue a legal education.

MNSA has prioritized culturally enriching and inclusive programming that engages both its members and the broader UW community. For example, the Mongolian Lunar New Year celebration brought together students together to experience Mongolian traditional customs, fostering cross-cultural understanding and community connection. Additionally, the Mongolian Traditional Clothing Fashion Show, in collaboration with UW Bothell Fitted and mannequins generously loaned by the costume shop at the School of Drama highlighted cultural expression through fashion to students. These events not only showcased Mongolian heritage but also created welcoming spaces for education and dialogue.

Beyond individual events, MNSA has actively cultivated collaborations with peer organizations, including ongoing partnerships with the Central Asian Student Association (CASA) and Peaks & Professors and past co-hosted events with ESUW to interexchange the cultural music part of their history.

Chicanos/Latinx for Community Medicine (CCM) has demonstrated outstanding leadership by establishing structured mentorship programs that support Latinx pre-health students from recruitment through professional development, often involving many Latinx and underrepresented speaker workshops and talks, and through service, has done impactful work like making and sharing dental and hygiene kits for ReWA immigrant and refugee populations. CCM cultivates an educational environment that enhances cross-cultural exchange by addressing the critical need for Latinx representation in healthcare and highlight all communities in the Latinx term. Through workshops and collaborations with medical and dental students like LMSA and HSDA, they provide a space for members to explore how cultural perspectives shape community health outcomes.

This academic year, FASA put on a plethora of events but I would like to highlight two that I believe have been extremely impactful. The first, Moda x Musika: Rising Up for Relief (MM:RUfR), was a cultural fashion and music fundraiser in support of the Tanggol Migrante Movement (an organization that helps support and defend migrants, especially those in immigration detention centers). The second event that I would like to highlight just took place this past weekend and it is the annual Filipino Day. Filipino Day is a high school outreach event where FASA invites high schoolers around the Greater Seattle area to the UW to: 1) learn about college life, and 2) start building a community prior to matriculation. This event not only demonstrates the RSOs leadership ability, but also its determination to serve the community and help inspire the coming generations.

FASA also hosted Sayaw performances, which showcase Filipino culture through dance and storytelling, and Filipino Day, an event hosted for high school students to introduce them to younger students to Filipino culture, college life, and the importance of community involvement.

Beyond internal programming, MGC has made broader impact through educational and advocacy-based collaborations, including a “Speak Out” event with Sigma Psi Zeta Sorority Inc. addressing domestic violence and a “Know Your Rights” workshop with ASUW focused on immigrant legal education. Planned collaboration with the Kelly ECC include an immigration policy workshop with Leadership Without Borders. MGC has also leveraged the Kelly ECC as a resource, utilizing its spaces to host events and chapter meetings, taking advantage of available resources, supplies, and advising support to execute programs at a higher level. These efforts reflect MGC’s dedication to social activism and intentional use of institutional support to better serve its members and the community.