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The UW Tacoma Passport Champions Program is designed for undergraduate students who have experienced foster care after age 13 or homelessness (including couch-surfing or living with relatives) before age 22. Our aim is to support our Champions students in cultivating a holistic campus experience at UW Tacoma, in addition to assisting students with identifying and obtaining necessary resources, to help promote student enrollment, retention, persistence, and success.
UW Tacoma’s Champions Program is an extension of the Passport to Careers scholarship provided by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), that helps aid former foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth with access to higher education and apprenticeship programs.
Resources, Supports, and Pathways
UW Tacoma’s Champions Program serves as a point of connection for Champions students to UW Tacoma and a hub for navigating systems and accessing resources. This includes:
- Housing
- Financial aid
- Registration
- Academic support
- Counseling, mentorship, and mental health
- Career Cohort opportunities
- On-campus community building activities and events
Apply for Passport Scholarship
If you are experiencing unaccompanied homelessness (ages 18-21), contact the Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships and schedule a one-on-one appointment.
If you were in foster care at any point between the ages of 13 and 18 and not already enrolled in the WSAC Passport to Careers program, fill out and submit this consent form at the button below.
Contact Us & Appointments
Contact our office for more information about services and resources, or to schedule an in-person/virtual meeting with an advisor.
Meraf Geberehiwot
Champions Program Advisor
merafg@uw.edu
Mattress Factory (MAT) 213
Additional Resources
Emergency Aid
Emergency Aid funding assists UW students by providing financial support when assistance is needed with unexpected, unavoidable, and unplanned expenses surrounding situations such as accidents, illness, fire/water damage, or a need for emergency housing and food.
HuskiesCare
HuskiesCare is a Virtual Resource Hub. Managed by the Office of Student Advocacy and Support, HuskiesCare will help you find resources for your basic needs and any other concerns you might be experiencing.