By Unica Le

It all started when I got sick as a first-year undergrad. In the initial stages of my chronic health challenges at Bellevue College (BC), I discovered (to my shock) that there were no on-site healthcare services and resources. I decided to develop a proposal for creating one on campus. Despite many rejections at the initial stage of my proposal, the research that I conducted influenced the college to take action. Eventually, I became a voice for students as the Local Liaison Intern at the Office of Student Legislative Affairs.

Initially, I had planned to pursue a major in computer science due to my family's expectations. However, it was only when I became ill and noticed a significant lack of support for my academic journey, as well as the success of other students, that ignited my true passion. I knew my family would be disappointed in my decision to create my own path because they had talked about their career expectations of me throughout my entire life and about how I had only three options: computer science, medicine, or law. But I now have a strong passion and drive to make a difference in my community through the intersections of business, design, and public service.

That's when I discovered the University of Washington's Community, Environment & Planning (CEP) program, which allows students to develop their academic curriculum and career path. The program empowers students to make a difference in the community in a variety of ways, which was exactly what I was looking for.

After my undergraduate experience at BC, I wanted to continue the mission of distributing health and wellness resources for community and technical colleges that don't have them.

The CEP program was an exciting discovery because I knew that it would allow me the opportunity to develop a foundation in community development, environmental stewardship, and project planning.

In 2019, I transferred to UW. Majoring in CEP allowed me to conduct my academic capstone project, continuing the project I launched at BC. The capstone allows students to ideate, plan, and execute projects related to community engagement, the human experience, radical change, and design. For my capstone, I created an organization called HEARO (Health Educators & Advocates Reaching Out).

Building HEARO from the ground up was a huge learning curve. The initiative grew rapidly after recruiting 15+ student leaders, creating marketing campaigns, designing visual content on social media platforms, and building partnerships with non-profit organizations and other UW organizations, including ASUW, the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMAD), Ascend Leadership, and the Health and Wellness Resource Center (HaWRC). I did not have this “student-led community initiative” experience at BC, however, at UW, I found a sense of belonging and support by working with students who share similar missions and values of providing health and wellness resources for under-sourced colleges.

However, I encountered numerous challenges, rejections, and discouragements along the way. Due to the rapid growth of HEARO on campus, I was advised to quit. Some expressed concern about the potential risks associated with students leading a rapidly growing organization around the topics of “health” and “wellness”. I learned to be transparent and communicate clearly about my intentions — that HEARO was initially started as a research capstone project, and that the goal was to build bridges for under-resourced community & technical colleges, rather than replacing existing services at UW. I almost gave up due to some of the harsh treatment I received. However, what kept me going were the students, mentorship support, and the communities that I have built and have been a part of.

HEARO has pivoted to becoming a peer mentorship program that connects UW student mentors to Community & Technical College student mentees about career, wellness, and educational pathways.

During my time at ASUW Senate, Ascend Leadership, Dynamic Wellness Hour, Vietnamese/Chinese Student Association, and CEP at UW, I have challenged the status quo, strengthened my leadership and identity as a Chinese-Vietnamese American, and empowered other students to become transformative leaders.

After graduating with my Bachelor’s degree in CEP, I decided to continue running HEARO beyond the capstone. I have found that students strongly resonate with HEARO's values and mission in providing mentorship and holistic health & wellness resources for other community colleges. HEARO became more than just an initiative. It became a community – a support system where students felt a sense of belonging and empowerment. I soon realized what my main focus was: It was serving students, shaping leaders, and empowering them to pursue their goals, regardless of their background.

HEARO taught me that I can be the leader I want to be. It taught me resilience and adaptability and gave me the confidence to lead groundbreaking projects. I had no technology background, but my impact at HEARO was recognized by recruiters. As a woman of color with no computer science degree, I became the product manager and business leader that I never knew I’d become. The CEP program at UW empowered me to utilize frameworks for collaboration, leadership, intentionality, and vision to pursue my educational/career goals.

I decided to invest more in my education, so I enrolled in the Master of Science in Entrepreneurship (MSE) program at the University of Washington. I aim to connect with and inspire more diverse women of color in leadership roles to pursue and achieve big goals.

During my time as a graduate student, I had the opportunity to launch my own business and organize pop-up events through the UW Foster School of Business and the University's HUB Maker Fair. These events enabled me to establish connections with fellow student creators, local BIPOC/AAPI women-owned businesses, founders, and consumers.

My academic and leadership experiences at UW have helped me realize the power of student advocacy and community engagement. ****These experiences have also inspired me to pursue meaningful work that prepares me for my future career goals of running my own business, where I can contribute to a mission that addresses a community need.

The MSE program has taught me the importance of “starting now and taking risks” because I would have never known the opportunities, connections, and experiences it has brought me. Similar to how I started the healthcare initiative at BC and later launched HEARO, I understood that I would not make any impact if I didn't take action.

<aside> <img src="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/1acfb143-57e7-4f8d-8acf-1ad2db46f420/6c50ca72-3803-4c42-b9e3-246f2c806eba/University_of_Washington_Block_W_logo_RGB_brand_colors.svg" alt="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/1acfb143-57e7-4f8d-8acf-1ad2db46f420/6c50ca72-3803-4c42-b9e3-246f2c806eba/University_of_Washington_Block_W_logo_RGB_brand_colors.svg" width="40px" /> UW has provided me with the resources to connect with diverse, inclusive leaders who are driven to make a positive societal impact, which has further inspired me to continue doing what I love.

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As a first-generation Chinese-Vietnamese American student, I am proud of the challenges I have overcome and the accomplishments I have achieved as a strong, resilient, and transformative leader. At UW, I received so much support and mentorship along the way, which inspired me to become a graduate mentor — empowering other underrepresented women of color to become the change-makers they want to be. Through my involvement at ASUW, club leadership, and various student organizations, I have gained valuable learning experiences, personal growth, and professional development. These experiences will leave a lasting impression on me as I continue my journey of empowering my community and improving the health and wellness of marginalized groups.