Digital Scholars Program
About the program
As a Digital Scholar, you will join a supportive cohort community and gain digital skills that employers are looking for! These skills include digital marketing, project management, data analytics, and data visualization.
Students participate in an experience that provides digital skills training with career and major exploration over three quarters (spring, summer term B and autumn). The Digital Scholars community brings together students, professors, staff, community partners, and UW Bothell alumni to help students develop digital skills and a strong network of supporters.
As part of the program, you will:
- participate in community-building activities.
- participate in workshops on career readiness skills, first-gen identity, and financial wellbeing.
- live on campus and participate in summer B term career-connected experience to apply learned digital skills to real-world work experience.
- take a spring and autumn 2-credit course to learn entry-level digital skills, including project management, marketing, data analytics, and graphic design.
- explore your career path and build up your resume.
- learn about UW Bothell resources to support your academic and personal wellbeing.
- build a social network with peers, staff, faculty, and industry partners.
- celebrate and reflect upon your learning.
- present your work at a fall showcase.
The Digital Scholars program shares UW Bothell’s values of inclusion and diversity as core components of our mission to support students and educators within the UW Bothell community. To quote from UW Bothell’s commitment to inclusion and diversity, our work begins with the acceptance and celebration of the differences that are represented through the many diverse and minoritized communities on our campus and in the surrounding community. We recognize that we are bound together in a collective experience and that our actions impact all in our community.
Application period is closed. The Digital Scholars Program expects to accept 30 students in 2025.
Applicant criteria
- Pre-major standing with less than 60 credits completed by the end of Winter Quarter.
- First-generation college students* who identify as first in their family to graduate from college. Neither parent nor guardian has completed a college degree.
- Eligible and intending to enroll for credit at UW Bothell during the upcoming Summer B and Autumn quarters.
- Upon acceptance to the program, you will be required to register for a 2-credit course “BCUSP 133A” for the Spring 2025 quarter and a 2-credit Autumn 2025 course. You will receive an add code once accepted into the program.
Please reach out with questions, we are happy to help! Contact Chaise Jung, Digital Scholars Program Manager, at chaisej@uw.edu OR Office of Connected Learning, at uwbocl@uw.edu.
Ready to apply?
The online application asks you to share information about you and your background, and respond to these four questions:
- Why do you want to participate in the program?
- What about the program aligns with your academic interests and/or aspirations for future careers?
- How do you expect your participation in the program contributes to your growth and development as a UW Bothell student?
- The Digital Scholars program’s first learning goal is to “empower students to explore their first-generation identities as they navigate systemic opportunities and challenges in social, university, and career scenarios.” Please share: 1) Your story about how you identify as a first-generation college student; 2) Your current expectations for the successes and challenges you will encounter in your university experience.
Cohorts
2024 Digital Scholars Cohort
View the 2024 Cohort
2023 Digital Scholars Cohort
View the 2023 cohort* A First-Gen Student is:
- A student whose parent(s) or guardian(s) have not earned a bachelor’s degree.
- A student whose parent(s) or guardian(s) have attended but not completed any college.
- A student who, prior to the age of 18, regularly resided with and received support from only one parent and whose supporting parent did not complete a bachelor’s degree.
- A student who, prior to the age of 18, did not regularly reside with or receive support from a natural or adoptive parent.
Questions?
We are happy to help! Contact Chaise Jung, Digital Scholars Program Manager, at chaisej@uw.edu, OR Office of Connected Learning, at uwbocl@uw.edu.
Thank You WSECU
This program is made possible thanks to a generous gift from Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU).
Recent Digital Scholars News
Journey to self-growth through teaching kids to code
Digital Scholars summer project student taught children digital skills and learned about self-management and efficiency.
Read more about Digital Scholar learning self-growth
WSECU named first corporate recipient of Legacy Award
UW Bothell Digital Scholars program shared its gratitude for the support from WSECU and its efforts in encouraging students to participate.
Read more about Digital Scholar journeys
Digital Scholars Program: A Student’s Perspective – Betelhem Yinges
Betelhem demonstrated how participating in the Digital Scholars Program introduced her to explore fields around digital skills.
Read more about her distinct experience
New digital skills put to good use
Minh Than spoke about her dedication to volunteering, utilizing digital skills she acquired from the Digital Scholars Program.
Read more about her dedication
Digital skills to fight ‘real world’ inequities
Two UW Bothell students put their digital knowledge into practice and collaborated with a local nonprofit organization to help low-income families in need.
Read more about their contribution