Washington World Fellows program celebrates inaugural Welcome Day event at Central Washington University

Saturday, The Generals joined the fellows and their families for the Washington World Fellows Welcome Day at Central Washington University, the inaugural event of the Washington World Fellows program.

Launched this past year, the Washington World Fellows program is an equity-focused study abroad and college-readiness fellowship. The fifteen fellows selected for the program were chosen in March from an applicant pool of nearly 300 students from around the state, all of whom earned the nomination of a teacher or counselor and submitted an application to be considered.

The Washington World Fellows Welcome Day event marked the first time the fellows met one another. All fifteen fellows, many of whom brought their siblings parents, grandparents, teachers, and principals with them, were able to participate.

Central Washington University hosted the Welcome Day, which included orientation sessions led by the Washington World Fellows program directors and Central Washington University staff to prepare Fellows for the study abroad experience, and a grand Welcome Lunch celebration.

The Welcome Lunch featured speeches from the program partners: Lieutenant Governor Cyrus Habib, Central Washington University president James Gaudino, Commanding General of the Association of Washington Generals Mike Flood, and Honorary Consul of Spain Luis Fernando Esteban. A full list of the program’s partner organizations can be found here.

As the culminating moment of the Welcome Lunch ceremony, the Lt. Governor individually called out each of the fellows to the front of the room to acknowledge a memorable achievement, biographical fact, or quote by the student.

At the end of the event, the newly selected fellows were treated to a special surprise when they were each given a new a Surface Pro 3, donated by Microsoft.

The Welcome Lunch closed with a traditional Spanish paella meal, with families, teachers, and staff.

The fifteen students selected for the program are as follows:

Jacqueline Alvarez, East Wenatchee

Carlos Barajas, Snohomish

Luis Bravo, Seattle

Cristina Calleros Martin, Bellingham

Teja Chunphakvenn-Pinkney, Vancouver

Aileen Garcia, Othello

Michelle Jimenez, Bellingham

Tayah Kohler, Inchelium

Edgar Martinez, Marysville

Daniel Neary, Olympia

Aaron Padilla Monterrey, Bellingham

Anisa Robinson, Seattle

Amber Silvers, Bremerton

Emersen Slanga, Nine Mile Falls

Ryleigh Treichel, Kelso