Programs and More

Boundless Futures

Donor-supported leadership program boosts preparation for life after sports

Lifelong soccer player Taylor Sekyra has grown up a lot since she was the cute little Ding Dong girl at UW Women’s Soccer games, donning her cheerleader duds to shuttle the chocolate treats to coaches from the sidelines. With a Husky history going back so far, it was scary to ponder life after college athletics.

Taylor Sekyra“This experience has been my life. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this team and it means everything to me,” states the standout defender and Biology major, who graduated in spring 2019 and returns for a fifth-year season this fall. “I’m a Husky for life, of course, but the transition to no longer being a student-athlete will be tough.”

By taking part in Boundless Futures — a multi-faceted career and leadership development program that helps prepare student-athletes for whatever comes next in their lives — Taylor had access to meaningful self-reflection tools, mentorships and job-shadowing experiences.

“It helped me assess where I am today, what I’m strong at, where I want to improve for the future,” Taylor explains. “I learned that I’m good at cultivating relationships, but I wanted to up my emotional intelligence. How do I take everything and be my best for my team and myself for the future?”

A generous gift from a Tyee Club member enabled UW Athletics to launch the program much more quickly than initially envisioned. The donation endowed the salary of a new Director of Student-Athlete Development, and Erica Cenci earned the inaugural job.

Michael Neal“Student-athletes have all these skills they get through competitive athletics that they don’t realize they have — time management, drive, teamwork, communication, leadership,” Erica observes. “It’s amazing to see the ah-ha moments when they discover what they’re capable of outside their sport, and to watch as they build a sense of confidence and pride. Sports is a big part of their identity. Boundless Futures helps them recognize that this isn’t all they are.”

Like Taylor, who job-shadowed a Seattle Children’s doctor as she prepares to become a physician’s assistant, UW Football Tight End and alum Michael Neal also boosted his career through Boundless Futures. He earned a three-month paid internship at Amazon, where he presented bold ideas to his team and even spoke at a conference on artificial intelligence in front of Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos.

“I learned that being a leader doesn’t mean you know everything. It’s knowing what you’re good at, being vulnerable and able to take feedback, and hiring people who are different from you and who excel in other areas,” Michael says of participating in the Boundless Futures.

Michael Neal and Jusstis WarrenFueled by the skills and confidence he developed in Boundless Futures, Michael was one of only two Pac-12 student-athletes selected to participate in a nationwide NCAA leadership forum — “the biggest highlight of my life,” he says.

After completing his internship and spending three weeks in Japan in a program that builds international bridges through sports, Michael returned home to begin his post-grad life with hopes for a position that will build upon everything he’s learned throughout his Husky experience.

“The more you invest in Boundless Futures, the more you’re going to help student-athletes like me change their lives forever,” Michael says.

“It’s all about who you are as a person, how you connect with people, being empathetic, and helping people follow along with your vision. That program created incredible opportunities for me.”

Would you like to invest in the future of student-athletes?

Make a gift to The Competitive Edge Fund to support the ongoing expenses of programs like Boundless Futures.

RECOMMENDED STORIES

Amanda and Hana Moll hug after competing

Student-Athletes

‘We’re in it for the joy’

The Moll twins focus on gratitude while soaring to phenomenal heights Where else is there to go after breaking countless national records as high school students? The obvious answer for twins Hana and Amanda Moll: You fly even higher at...


Read Story
Zoey Schaefer talks with Women's Soccer's Samiah Shell

Programs and More

Dinner with a Dawg offers insight into opportunities for life...

Growing up in inner-city Minneapolis, where virtually everyone lived at or below the poverty line, former Husky gymnast Zoey Schaefer dared to dream of a better life through education and athletics. “Most students were worried about where their next meal...


Read Story
Four student-athletes studying in Ackerley Academic center

Programs and More

Big Ten travel intensifies academic support

Student-athletes shine as all 22 teams earn a 3.0 GPA or better! Coast-to-coast flights, time zone changes and body-clock fatigue can plague any traveler. For student-athletes balancing study and sport, it can play havoc with grades and academic performance. But...


Read Story
Women's Golf Head Coach Mary Lou Mulflur smiles in fall landscape

Coaches and Staff

‘Remember me as a Dawg for life’

Retiring after four decades at the UW, Women’s Golf Head Coach reflects on her legacy Mary Lou Mulflur first stepped onto campus in 1976 as a wide-eyed teenager hoping to hone her golf game while earning her degree. Who knew...


Read Story
Pat Chun standing in front of Purple Reign sign

Athletic Director's Letter

Remaining steadfast to our mission during times of change

How quickly my first year at Washington has flown by — and what a memorable year it’s been! Since we officially joined the Big Ten Conference, our student-athletes have continued to excel academically and athletically in the most competitive conference...


Read Story
Frank Kepnang holds basketball on shoulder and looks off into the distance in a dark room with one bright window

Student-Athletes

‘I have a chance to rewrite my whole family story’

Basketball and the UW helped Franck Kepnang create a new life far from Cameroon’s sugar factories A chance meeting at a grocery store in the Cameroon capital city of Yaoundé — where a stranger asked, “Do you know what basketball...


Read Story
Rendering of new Football operations

Programs and More

Tyee donors transform the home of Husky Football

It’s All About the W. That mantra — Head Coach Jedd Fisch’s philosophy of focusing on “Work, Winning and Washington”— comes to life in a transformation of Football’s home within Husky Stadium. Thanks to Tyee Club members who donated to...


Read Story
Men's Rowing cheering and holding IRA Championship trophy

Programs and More

Huskies excel in inaugural Big Ten season

Your support propels student-athlete success Last fall, Washington was one of only two universities in the nation (along with North Carolina) to secure postseason berths for every team: Football, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Volleyball, and Men’s and Women’s Cross Country....


Read Story
Eddie Smith, Jessa Hansen Parker, and Robert Tovar

Coaches and Staff

Welcome to Washington Athletics!

Two new head coaches and a program director join the Huskies in 2024-25. Dreams come true for Baseball’s Eddie Smith As a Little Leaguer and high schooler growing up in Olympia, Eddie Smith always dreamed of playing baseball at the...


Read Story