UW Communication continues to foster community and connections well beyond graduation. Our robust network of alumni is tens of thousands strong, and includes professionals in journalism, politics, media, PR, academia, and civic leadership. We love to hear about your achievements and welcome your ideas about preparing our students for the future of Communication fields.
Explore these pages to learn more about how Communication alumni are making their mark in the world and how you can get involved in our efforts to inspire the next generation of ethical, innovative communicators.
Alumni Stories
Honoring the 2025 Alumni Hall of Fame and Alumni of Distinction Inductees
On October 22, the Department of Communication recognized outstanding alumni who have made a difference in their communities at our annual Alumni Hall of Fame and Alumni of Distinction awards dinner. This year, we celebrated the 2025 Hall of Fame inductees and honored more recent graduates through our Alumni of Distinction awards—Outstanding Early Career Award, … Read More
Angela King, ’94, receives Charles E. Odegaard Award for her her journalism, mentorship and volunteerism
Many of us know Angela King as the morning voice of KUOW—Seattle’s public radio station. And many are familiar with King at a podium, the cheerful sound of her voice filling the HUB ballroom at the annual Celebration dinner hosted by the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity. The Pacific Northwest journalist is a perennial … Read More
Announcing 2024 Communication Alumni Hall of Fame and Alumni of Distinction honorees
This year marks the 20th anniversary of UW Communication’s Alumni Hall of Fame and Alumni of Distinction event, to be held November 7. Each year, the Department of Communication honors outstanding alumni who are making a difference in their careers and communities by inducting them into the Department’s Alumni Hall of Fame. This award is … Read More
Remembering Don Pember
UW Communication professor emeritus Don Pember, a hugely influential journalism and media scholar and beloved teacher and mentor, passed away in late June. Pember’s legacy continues to shape our program and the discipline at large, and his many students and colleagues remember him as an advocate for ethical journalism as a pillar of strong democracies. … Read More
Mentorship For Black Professionals, Earbuds Not Included
In the past year, Tiana Cole and Brad Blackburn III have spoken with Black civic leaders, broadcasters, business owners, educators, nonprofit directors, and other successful professionals about their careers — including how race has factored into their journeys. Their unfiltered conversations are now streaming on Identity Unboxed, a podcast launched in 2023. Cole (BA, Journalism and … Read More
A lasting legacy: Honoring Communication alumna Kay Tomita Hashimoto
Born and raised in Washington, Kay Hashimoto (BA, journalism, 1952) dreamt of becoming a journalist, setting her sights on UW as the place to realize that dream. After graduating high school in 1946, Kay worked for two years to earn the money she needed for tuition and to help her family get back on their … Read More
Raising the (Sustainable) Roof
Sometimes an idea takes hold and won’t let go. For University of Washington alum Alexa Bednarz, that idea was a carbon-neutral building product that could potentially benefit millions of people worldwide. Turning that idea into a reality has been a journey and a challenge. Bednarz (BA, Communication, 2012) is the founder of Eco-Shelter Inc. The … Read More
Alumni of Distinction and Hall of Fame 2022
Every year, the UW Department of Communication honors outstanding alumni who are making a difference in their careers and communities by inducting them into the Department’s Alumni Hall of Fame. We also recognize the exceptional work of recent graduates through the Outstanding Early Career Award, as well as celebrate the invaluable contributions of those who … Read More
Comm Alumna Awarded For Innovative Social Justice Work
Congratulations to Kimberly Harden (B.A., UW Communication, 2006) for being awarded the 2022 Innovative Response to Social Justice Award, presented by the Commission of Social Justice Educators, and the 2022 Community, Equity, and Social Justice Award, presented by Washington State University. Harden is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Strategist, Award-Winning Communication Educator, and … Read More
UW Communication Alum Receives $1 Million National Science Foundation Award
Alexa Bednarz (UW Communication, 2012) spent seven years working in Global Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation before founding her own social enterprise, Eco-Shelter Inc. Eco-Shelter is increasing access to affordable and sustainable building materials for low-income consumers in emerging markets. Their pilot product, the Eco-Roof Panel, is made from resin-coated bamboo mats … Read More