Global Honors Celebrates 20 Years of Excellence and Impact

"This group of programs we are celebrating this evening demonstrates the best impact!" 

Cal Bamford Jr., former President of Globe Machine Manufacturing Company, addressed a large gathering on May 22 in Milgard Hall as they celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Global Honors Program, the 10th anniversary of the Institute for Innovation and Global Engagement (IIGE) and the 5th anniversary of the Global Innovation and Design (GID) Lab. “We consider ourselves impact investors," he said. "We are eternally grateful for the programs and the cultivation of the call in people here."

Chancellor of UW Tacoma Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange in introducing the Bamford family stated, “Our paths as a university and family have been parallel and intertwined,” noting that what people gathered to celebrate that evening would not have been possible without the deep investment and support of the Bamford family – at every level of engagement. 

Holly Bamford Hunt, director of the Bamford Foundation described the ‘ripples of impact’ Associate Vice Chancellor Dr. Divya McMillin and Dr. Lange have created in their efforts to build connections with the communities of Tacoma and Pierce County. “I have so much hope for the building of ‘Sustainable Solutions for our Interdependent World,” she said, nodding to the theme of the IIGE's Global Engagement Conference held earlier that day.

Drew Bamford described his time on the IIGE’s Community Advisory Board, serving as its co-chair with McMillin. “Academia is often an ivory tower,” he stated. “Divya’s vision is more of a public square where people come to problem solve together. And she has used design to scale the impact of the IIGE.” He said McMillin taught him a word several years ago: jugaad. It is a word used in parts of India to describe improvisation and innovation with limited resources. This term embodies not only her work to launch the programs of the IIGE, but also the way design is used to continue to problem solve with students and community.

McMillin introduced five students who spoke eloquently to the support they had experienced and the Bamford funding they had received during their journey through the Global Innovation and Design Lab and Global Honors Program and its Minors in Global Engagement and Innovation and Design. McMillin urged the audience to use sticky notes to write their ideas in response to the whiteboard prompts on their program vision 20 years from now. Design Assistant Jessika Gill produced a real-time illustration of the event. 

Bronwyn Clarke ('16, now design consultant and MPhil Oxford University) and Andre Jimenez ('22, '24 Princeton University, and now on to Yale Law School) praised the capstone experience and the cohort model that challenged their intellect while helping them feel safe and connected to a caring community. GID Lab interns, Cecil Susi ('24, Computer Science, Innovation and Design) and Maria Babko ('24 Communication, Computer Science, Innovation and Design) talked about their invaluable experience in the Lab working with clients like the Institute for Black Justice and the Washington Student Achievement Council while creating their own peer led workshops. Current Global Honors and NextGen student, Eamon Challinor ('26 Computer Science, Global Engagement) discussed his opportunities for conference travel and research presentations that helped him develop key skills for leadership. 

“I have to admit that what you have here is unique, and this is not something I say everywhere I go,” commended conference keynote speaker, Dr. Dawn Whitehead, Vice President of the AAC&U Office of Global Citizenship in Washington DC. She described the ways students at UW Tacoma apply concepts of the Global Honors program to their study of community and world, whether or not studying abroad is part of their educational experience. Students are successful when they experience genuine welcome and deep care. Whitehead affirmed that she had witnessed this during her visit to the campus. “Thank you for restoring hope, our future is in good hands!” she said.

Dr. Christine Stevens told the story of her connections to Global Honors, beginning with her insisting on staying in the corner office when Global Honors, and Dr. McMillin, moved into Cherry Parkes third floor. McMillin invited Stevens for tea and shared her vision: a globally connected program where all identities were welcomed, relationships were forged, and community was built. “In short, Divya invites you for tea, and you are part of the vision!” said Stevens. Since then, Stevens has been involved as Associate Director, faculty advisor on multiple student capstones and has loved watching the IIGE programs grow.

Dr. McMillin concluded the evening expressing deep gratitude for the Bamford family and naming the efforts across campus and community that brought about the celebrated successes, emphasizing the collaborative spirit that underpinned their achievements.